1. Missouri Compromise Year: 1820 What happened
MO wanted to be a slave state-but they were denied at first because it would upset the balance of free/slave states in Congress
compromise:
MO admitted as a slave state
ME admitted as a free state
rest of the land divided at the 36030’ line of latitude
Everything north of line=free
Everything south=slave
Only dealt with: the LA PURCHASE territory!

2. Publishing of The Liberator
Year: 1831
What was it:
abolitionist newspaper that spread the word about slavery. Gained more and more popularity, argued for the immediate emancipation of slaves.
Published by: William Lloyd Garrison

3. Nat Turner’s Rebellion
Year: 1831
What happened
Turner saw signs from God where he believed it was his calling to end slavery.
Rebellion: led a group of slaves that ended up killing about 60 whites. Turner was later arrested and killed.
led to a fear of free African Americans- Turner’s Rebellion made some southerners view African Americans as savage murderers. Many slave owners now forbid their slaves from visiting other plantations and going to their own churches.

4. Compromise of 1850 California=a free state
Year: 1850
What land did this cover: the Mexican Cession territory
California=a free state
The rest of the territory would be divided into the Utah and New Mexican territories- each would have popular sovereignty
slave trade was banned in Washington D.C.
***MOST CONTROVERSIAL PART- fugitive slave law- said that if a northern suspected an African American was a runaway slave and they did not turn them in, they also could be jailed!

5. Uncle Tom’s Cabin Year: 1852
What was it: historical fiction book that detailed the atrocities of slavery based on a family led by “Uncle Tom.” Written after the Fugitive Slave Law was passed- tried to make slavery into a moral issue.
Written by: Harriet Beecher Stowe

6. Kansas-Nebraska Act Year: 1854
What was it: Stephen Douglas proposed allowing the residents who lived in these territories to have the ability to vote on whether or not these areas would have slaves (popular sovereignty).
Made the MO Compromise: void (under that compromise, both of these territories, given their location, should be free)
Led to the creation of the Republican Party- a political party committed to ending the spread of slavery in the new territories.

7. Bleeding Kansas
Year: 1856
What was it: first continued fighting over the issue of slavery. Once it was all over, 200+ people died and millions of damage to property was done.
Pottawatomie Massacre: started “Bleeding Kansas”- pro-slavery settlers are murdered by abolitionists.
John Brown starts it

8. Dred Scott v. Sandford Year: 1857
What was it: Dred Scott was a slave who believed he should be free because he had been taken by his master to free territory.
SCOTUS Ruling: Slaves were property. Property is an inalienable right guaranteed by the Constitution that CANNOT be taken away. Therefore, Scott cannot be freed just because his master moved.
this ruling allows slavery to spread everywhere because slave owners could now move with their slaves to any state.

9. Attack on Harper’s Ferry
Year: 1859
What was it: abolitionist attack on the federal arsenal (weapons supply facility) at Harper’s Ferry, Virginia.
plan was to steal weapons and give them to slaves in the south so they could lead their own rebellions and gain their freedom. It fails.
Who led it: John Brown (same from Bleeding Kansas)- captured by Robert E. Lee and executed.
divides the country even more: North sees him as a hero/martyr and the South sees him as a terrorist.

10. Lincoln-Douglas Debates
Year: 1858
What was it: Lincoln challenges Douglas to a series of debates for the Illinois senator race. They talk about many issues- the most important is slavery. Their ideas are later talked about when both men run for president in Douglas wins the Senator race, but loses the presidential race.
Freeport Doctrine: when in Freeport, Illinois, Stephen Douglas says he supports popular sovereignty. This is VERY important because when he runs for president in 1860, that belief of Douglas splits the Democratic Party 3 ways (1 part that supports popular sovereignty, 1 part supports abolition, and 1 part supports slavery) and allows Lincoln to win the presidency with all of the Republican support.

11. Election of Lincoln Year: 1860
What happened: With the democratic party split 3 ways due to their different ideas about slavery, Lincoln wins the Election of 1860 with all of the Republican support.
Remember: Republicans ONLY support an end to slavery in the territories, not complete abolition
BUT- many states fear that slavery will soon be outlawed.
As soon as Lincoln is announced having won the election, South Carolina secedes.
5 other states follow: Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, and Texas.
The form the Confederate States of America and name Jefferson Davis their president.