Fix It Felix: Trying to Fix America Before the Civil War

Objective: Identifying the various compromises and outcomes that lead America down the path of the Civil War.

Essential Question: Does compromising mean everybody gets what they want or nobody gets what they want?

Development of America North Developed into highly industrialized society High population density (lots of people) Banned slavery following American Revolution South Developed a stronger agriculture society with the development of plantations and cash crop of cotton Low population density because of farms Slavery was the backbone of the plantation system West Few industries and subsistence farming, still developing Lowest population density compared to the rest of the nation Slavery was undecided as the nation was stretching from sea to sea.

Compromises to Keep America together Missouri Compromise For Missouri (slave) and Maine (free) to enter the United States, trying to keep the balance of free and slave states. Established the northern border for slavery at 36°30’ (northern border of Texas) Nullification Crisis Tariff of Abominations passed, and the South threatened secession over the idea of nullifying a federal law. Compromised with a slow increase of the tariff. Compromise of 1850 California entered as a free state and slave trade was abolished in Washington D.C. Increased the ability of slaveholders to chase their slaves into the northern territories.

Fugitive Slave Laws Laws that allowed the slave holders to capture runaway slaves and could imprison people that assisted slaves escaping. Especially those that travelled the Underground Railroad Unfortunately allowed for free African Americans to also be “captured” in moved into slavery.

Kansas-Nebraska Act Act allowed for the residents of the new states of Kansas and Nebraska to vote if they wanted slavery or not (popular sovereignty) John Brown led a group arguing, violently as needed, to end slavery in the new territories. Bleeding Kansas name given to Kansas vote on slavery as many people were injured or killed as they attempted to vote about slavery.

Dred Scott vs. Sandford (1857) Question: If a slave was moved to a free state, would that end their slavery? Outcome: denied citizenship to all enslaved people, and slaves were considered property in the eyes of the court. Also, ruled the Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional because of the limitations it placed on slavery. Further divided the United States between the North and South

Harpers Ferry Also known as John Brown’s Raid Attempted slavery rebellion led by John Brown. He and many former slaves invaded an armory in Harpers Ferry and captured the weapons stored there. Goal was to arm the slaves and have a slavery rebellion like what happened in Haiti. They held the armory for a short time before the Army crushed it.

Election of 1860 Presidential election that was highly contested and very controversial. Lincoln wins the election, partly because he is an abolitionist. Election results were along borders between North and South. Following the election, South Carolina secedes from the Union.