Causes Of The Civil War Flashcards
Missouri Compromise
Missouri admitted as a slave state, so is Alabama. Maine is admitted as a free state. Slavery banned in Louisiana Territory north of 36* 30*, except for Missouri.
Northwest Ordinance of 1787
Slavery banned north of the Ohio River, when a territory had a population of at least 60,000 it could apply to Congress to be a state.
Compromise of 1850
California is admitted as a free state, New Mexico and Utah territories allow slavery, Slave trade banned in D.C, and strict fugitive slave laws passed. Henry Clay came up with Missouri Compromise and Compromise of 1850. Needed Daniel Webster’s help of pushing them through Congress.
Ostend Manifesto
American diplomats meeting in Ostend, Belgium, sent President Franklin Pierce a letter saying that Spain refused to sell Cuba to the U.S., and that America should take it by force. The letter somehow got leaked to the public, and Northerners were paranoid by thinking Pierce wanted to add Cuba as a slave state
Kansas-Nebraska Act
Senator Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois introduced the bill to Congress which said that a railroad could be built from the east to California, and said nothing of slavery. The southerners agreed only to support this bill if a few changes were made. The final bill created two new territories, Kansas and Nebraska, and people would vote on whether there would be slavery or not in territories through popular sovereignty.
“Gag” Rule
The house said that the north cannot come to Congress about abolishing slavery. This angered the north extremely.
Fugitive Slave Law
Any runaway slave arrested had no legal rights, which caused many slaves to escape to Canada. It also said that any person who helped runaway slaves would be jailed too. Both the north and south were unhappy, because the north did not want to enforce the law, while the south thought the law didn’t do enough to catch slaves.
Uncle Tom’s Cabin
The book was written by a white woman named Harriet Beecher Stowe, who was an abolitionist. Its main character named Uncle Tom was whipped to death by his master, Simon Legree, and it talked about the horrors of slavery. It turned millions of people against slavery.
Bleeding Kansas
The struggle to have Kansas a slave territory or not soon turned violent. Pro-slavery settlers aka “Border Ruffians”, invaded a non slavery city in Kansas, Lawrence. Anti- Slavery settlers aka “Free Soilers” were outraged. John Brown, a radical abolitionist invaded Pottowamatie Creek, and killed 5 men. This turn of events divided the nation even more.
Bleeding Congress
Charles Sumner, a senator made a speech about how the southerners had planned for Kansas to be a slave state and other wrongdoings. He especially targeted senator Andrew Butler. 2 days later, Butlers nephew Preston Brooks, a house representative, started hitting Sumner with a metal cane on his head until the cane broke.
Dres Scott SC ruling
Slave named dred Scott went to SC to ask permission to be free because he had visited a free state with his masters. The SC said he cannot sue for freedom, and also that according to the 5th amendment Congress cannot take property away aka slaves, so the MO compromise is unconstitutional.
John Brown’s Raid
John Brown went to Harper’s Ferry and raided it, because it had many weapons. He was soon caught by the government, more specifically the Marines. He was called insane and a radical abolitionist. Soon after he was executed, but he was remembered as a hero by the North.
Lincoln and Douglas debates
Lincoln challenged Douglas to a series of debates when they were running for Illinois seat of the U.S. Senate. Lincoln exposed his and Douglas’ opinions on slavery during these debates, but Lincoln ended up losing though.
Election of 1860
The different candidates were Lincoln, Douglas, John Breckinridge and John Bell. Lincoln was a Republican, Douglas was a Northern Democrat, Breckinridge was a Southern Democrat, and was the Constitutional Union candidate. In the election of 1860, Lincoln won the presidency and became the first ever republican president.
Secession
December 20, 1860, South Carolina seceded from the Union, and 6 states followed soon. They proved their secession by attacking Fort Sumter, which was the first battle to start the Civil War. The states seceded the day Lincoln announced what he would do while president.
