The 10 events that led to the American Civil War

 Year: 1820  Event: MISSOURI applies for statehood  Problem: There were an EQUAL number of slave and free states – 11 each. Missouri would upset the balance in Congress (Senate = 2/state). Congress has LAW-MAKING power.  North wanted Missouri to be a FREE state  South wanted Missouri to be a SLAVE state  Result: Missouri Compromise  Missouri entered the Union as a SLAVE state  Maine entered the Union as a FREE state  SLAVERY prohibited north of in the WEST

 Year: 1850  Event: the U.S. acquired a lot of land from Mexico (MEXICAN CESSION)  Problem: Will they allow SLAVERY into these lands? Also, Northerners are upset that slavery is allowed in the CAPITAL and Southerners are upset that slaves runaway and are FREE in the north.  North wanted slavery prohibited in the lands acquired from MEXICO and in D.C.  South believed the government has no authority to ban slavery and wants a strong FUGITIVE Slave law.  Result: Compromise of 1850  California enters the Union as a FREE state  NEW MEXICO territory will have no restrictions on slavery  Strong fugitive slave law – slaves who run away to the North can be RETURNED  Slave TRADE banned in Washington, D.C.

 Year: 1852  Event: Harriet Beecher STOWE wrote a novel about the horrors of slavery  Problem: displayed slavery in a very NEGATIVE way  In the North, more people joined the ABOLITIONIST cause  In the South, Stowe was cursed and RESENTED  Result: division in the nation grew. Later, when ABRAHAM LINCOLN met Stowe he said, “So you’re the little woman who wrote the book that made this great war.”

 Year: 1854  Event: KANSAS & Nebraska territories became open to settlement  Problem: will SLAVERY be allowed in these new states?  North believed that these states should be free because they are north of the line of latitude, which was established during the MISSOURI COMPROMISE.  South believed people should be able to take their “PROPERTY” anywhere.  Result: Kansas-Nebraska Act  Allowed POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY: lets the people decide if they want their state to be free or slave states  Both pro-slavery and anti-slavery supporters moved into the area to VOTE on the issue…Kansas had 2 governments! Violence broke out into “BLEEDING Kansas”

 Year: 1856  Event: Senator Charles SUMNER of Massachusetts gave a speech entitled “The Crime Against Kansas” and spoke of his disgust of slavery  Problem: 2 days later, Preston Brooks beat Sumner in the Senate with a CANE. The cane finally broke and Sumner was left unconscious!  In the North, Brooks’ actions were viewed as an example of southern BRUTALITY.  In the South, Brooks was applauded and supporters sent him new CANES.  Result: Division is so bad that it is entering the halls of CONGRESS!!!

 Year: 1857  Event: Dred Scott, a SLAVE, traveled with his owner to Wisconsin, a FREE state.  Problem: They later moved back to Missouri, and when his owner died, Scott sued for his FREEDOM because he had lived in a free state.  Northerners supported his freedom because he had lived on FREE soil.  Southerners believed they should be able to take slaves anywhere because they felt that slaves were PROPERTY  Result: Dred Scott SUPREME Court Decision  Scott could not sue in court because he was not a CITIZEN  Scott’s stay in Wisconsin did not make him free; he was still a SLAVE  MISSOURI Compromise was unconstitutional: Congress could not ban slavery in territories  Constitution protects people’s property, including SLAVES

 Year: 1859  Event: John Brown led a group of abolitionists to Virginia to start a slave REBELLION  Problem: Brown’s raid FAILED…rebellion did not work and all of his men were captured and killed.  Northerners viewed Brown as a MARTYR.  Southerners feared a CONSPIRACY.  Result: the nation was on the brink of DISASTER!

 Year: 1860  Event: The REPUBLICAN Party is introduced as an anti-slavery party and elect ABRAHAM LINCOLN.  Problem: The country is deeply divided over slavery.  In the North, Lincoln wins. He promises not to disturb slavery where it already EXISTED…just wanted to keep it from SPREADING.  In the South, Lincoln doesn’t even appear on the BALLOT in some states. The South does not TRUST the Republican Party.  Result: Lincoln won the election & SOUTH CAROLINA seceded from the Union

 Year: 1860  Event: Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida & Georgia join South Carolina and SECEDE from the Union.  Problem: There are now 2 countries!  The North wanted to PRESERVE the Union  The South supported the secession because they believed their STATES’ RIGHTS were being violated  Result: The South created the Confederate States of America with Jefferson DAVIS as President

 Year: 1861  Event: The SOUTH fires at the NORTH at Fort Sumter in South Carolina  Problem: The fighting begins!  In the North, Lincoln calls for 75,000 TROOPS.  In the South, Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee & Arkansas secede from the Union and join the CONFEDERACY.  Result: The CIVIL WAR has begun!!!

 Northern goal: preserve the Union – keep the nation from breaking apart  Southern goal: independence