1. Causes of the Civil War 10 Critical Events

2. US-Mexican War (1846-48) Starts with a fight over Texas Results in the addition of lots of new territory (S.W. part of the U.S.) Will slavery be allowed into the new territory? Wilmot-Proviso = bill introduced in Congress that bans slavery in the new territory Leads to a huge fight = regional divisions

3. Compromise of 1850 Sen. John C. Calhoun vs. Sen. Daniel Webster Calhoun = allow for the expansion of slavery or else Webster = opposes the expansion of slavery Henry Clay = The Great Compromiser offers up a deal to “save the union”

4. Details of the Compromise California = free state Utah & New Mexico = vote on whether or not they would allow slavery Texas-New Mexico boundary resolved; Texas is paid $10 million by the federal gov’t Slave trading banned in DC, but slavery allowed to continue Fugitive Slave Act = slaves must be returned to their owner; to assist runaway slaves was a crime

5. Kansas-Nebraska Act Divides the large territory into two separate parts: Nebraska and Kansas Popular Sovereignty = Allow the people in Nebraska & Kansas to vote on the issue of slavery Border Ruffians vs. Free Soilers Leads to Bleeding Kansas = violence breaks out over the issue of slavery Bleeding Sumner – Sen. Charles Sumner attacked on the floor of the senate by Rep. Preston Brooks

6. Dred Scott Decision Dred Scott – slave taken to a free territory in the North Argues that because of the Missouri Compromise; he should be free = sues for his freedom Supreme Court says that he is property; therefore has no standing to sue (no rights) Missouri Comp. was unconstitutional

7. Birth of the Republican Party The Whig Party disappears in the early 1850s New political party = Republican Party Made up of discontented Whigs & Anti-slavery Democrats Main issue = opposition to slavery (keep it from spreading) Strongest support in the Northern states

8. Fugitive Slave Act & Uncle Tom’s Cabin Fugitive Slave Act (1850) Outrages Harriet Beecher Stowe Decides to write Uncle Tom’s Cabin Describes in detail the horrific practice of slavery Further divides northerners and southerners

9. Lincoln-Douglas Debates (1858) U.S. Senate Race in Illinois Stephen Douglas (Demo.) Abraham Lincoln (Rep.) Series of debates outlining the future of slavery Douglass – strong supporter of popular sovereignty Lincoln – contain slavery to the South

10. John Brown Radical abolitionist Wants to lead a violent overthrow in the South He & his sons raid a weapons depot in Harpers Ferry, Virginia (1859) Have a standoff with authorities Eventually, John Brown is executed Becomes a hero in the North Southerners think he’s crazy

11. Election of 1860 Four major candidates: Abraham Lincoln – Republican Stephen Douglas – Northern Democrat John C. Breckinridge – Southern Democrat John Bell – Constitution Union Party Lincoln wins a majority of the Electoral College Most of the population is in the North

12. Electoral Map - 1860

13. Southern Secession South doesn’t trust Lincoln South Carolina secedes from the Union followed by many other southern states Big Question = Is secession legal? Can states just leave? Lincoln says “NO!” 1861 war begins

14. Map of the Divided U.S.A.