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Missouri Applies for Statehood- 1819 In 1819, Missouri wanted to join the Union, although in the North, as a slave state. In would make the balance of power in the Congress unequal. Many Northerners were opposed to the idea. Northerners in Congress refused to pass the bill. Northerners proposed that Missouri be slave and that no more slaves were to be brought in and all slave children would be free at the age of 25, so Missouri would become a Free State. Missouri Compromise- 1820 Southerners were opposed to the idea brought up by Northerners.
The Congress was in debate for many months. Henry Clay proposed that Maine enter the Union as a Free State. Also, prohibiting slavery north of the 36030 ', the southern boundary of Missouri. The South agreed since Plantations would not be able to thrive further North of that line. Many concerned Americans thought that the slavery issue was resolved. Tariff Issue- 1828 In 1828, A Tariff was passed to help try to protect New England Manufactures.
The tariff was as high as 45 % to 50 % of the original European price. Opponents of the tariff called it the Tariff of Abomination. Southerners were opposed to the tariff because they exported cotton and other materials to Europe in exchange European goods were imported to America. Southerners claimed it was an indirect tax on their region of the United States. Southerners began to ask for states right.
South Carolina even went as far as to ask for the tariff taken off the books or they would succeed. The tariff was lowered by Congress. Abolitionism- 1800 's Abolitionism was around before the 1830 's but, it became a more radical during this time. Before 1830, Benjamin Lundy ran a anti-slavery newspaper. In 1829, Lundy hired William Lloyd Garrison.
Garrison went on to publish his own newspaper the Liberator. Many people also favored a Colonization movement. In which free slavers would move to Liberia, which was founded in 1822 in Africa by former slaves. Paul Coffee in 1815, thinking that free slaves would have a better life if they didn't face racial discrimination, took 38 blacks to Africa with him. In 1829, David Walker's Appeal to the Colored Citizens of the World, endorsed a more radical position than anyone before. In 1834, Theodore Weld, a young religious man, led a revival among the students at Lane Seminary in Cincinnati.
Many of the students converted to the doctrine which called for immediate emancipation, most of the conservative trustees suppressed all anti-slavery legislation. Weld and his followers, then went from to! wn to town preaching anti-slavery messages. The Underground Railroad was a big key in the fight against slavery. "Conductors" would take slaves on the back country roads at night until they either reached the north or many slaves took the railroad to Canada. Abolitionism helped bring a part the war because it separated the states even more. Wilmot Proviso- 1846 After the United States went to war with Mexico, a win meant more land but, the Missouri Compromise of 1820, only dealt with the Louisiana Territory.
On night in 1846, David Wilmot of Pennsylvania proposed an answer. His plan said any land acquired from Mexico was to be free land. The House passed the bill, but it was shot down in the Senate. It was able to pass in the House because it was controlled by Northerners but it was unable to pass in the Senate because it was controlled by Southerners. This was a big issue because it showed that there was little that either side could to pass a law the one side favored but the other didn't which also show a continuing separation that would last until the war.
California Applies for Statehood- 1849 In 1849, Gold was discovered in California, which sent thousand and thousands of people to California. Later, California applies for statehood as a free state, but since there were 15 free states and 15 slave states the south opposed the move and northerners agreed with the idea. Debate in Congress lasted for months. If California was admitted in to the Union as a free state the South would not be able to stop any bill from passing since the north would soon gain control of the entire Congress is what the south was pleading. Compromise of 1850 Henry Clay stepped in one more time, he came up with the idea that California be admitted as a free state but the rest of the Southwest Territories choose whether or not to be a slave state by popular sovereignty, which let the people vote for slave or free. Also, the District of Columbia would abolish slave trade and finally Congress would pass a strong fugitive slave law.
Clay had to bargain his plan for six months, he at the end gain support from his long-time rival Daniel Webster. John Calhoon was opposed to compromise. But, too sick to speak James Madison read Calhoon's speech. President Taylor was opposed to the plan but after he died suddenly, Millard Fillmore, his successor, suggested to Congress to passed the bill. This again showed that there was a big separation between the north and south that help lead to the war. Uncle Tom's Cabin- 1852 After the Fugitive Slave Bill was passed there was a great hatred for slavery.
In 1852, Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel was published. Written about a slave escaping from slavery, the break up of many slave families and marriages, and the effects of slavery on blacks. Stowe's work created an uproar, the led to Southerners saying that slaves were treated much "better" than there are prorated in the book. Many Northerners who read the book and saw the play came away with the idea that they must stop the Fugitive Slave Bill. Ostend Manifesto- 1854 After Franklin Pierce was elected President in 1852, Northerners discovered that Pierce sympathized with the southerners goals. They also learned that Pierce was attempting to buy Cuba from Mexico.
Northerners knew that if Cuba was bought then it would be a slave state. IN 1854, three of Pierce's diplomats went to Ostend, Belgium to discuss with Spain a treaty in which the US would buy Cuba. If their attempts failed the Ostend Manifesto would be enacted. The Manifesto said that Americans might be justified in taking the island by force. Pierce denied the whole thing. Northerners claimed it was an attempt to spread slavery.
Kansas-Nebraska Act- 1854 Stephan Douglas of Illinois introduce a bill in which the Nebraska Territories west of Iowa and Missouri would be organized. Douglas also wanted to make a transcontinental railroad by expanding the existing lines from Chicago to the Pacific. Douglas though the railroad could only be established if the Nebraska Territory was organized. Under the Compromise of 1820, slavery was to banned in that territory. Many Southerners agreed with Calhoon that slavery should be open to all territories. Many refused to pass the bill until it allowed slavery.
Douglas proposed that the territory be divvied into the Kansas and Nebraska Territories which would use popular sovereignty. Congress did pass the bill. Northerners vociferously protested the revocation of the Missouri Compromise saying that the bill could be used to open slavery in any territory. "Bleeding Kansas"- 1856 After the Kansas-Nebraska Act was passed many pro-slavery people from Missouri came to Kansas so they could vote to make Kansas a slave state. The first vote happened and pro-slavery won.
The North said that all of the people from Missouri had voted illegally and so the vote did not count. So many anti-slavery people from the North flocked to Kansas. Finally, the North and South clashed over the issue that had been debated from many many years and a mini-civil war broke out. This was a big step that led to war. Dred Scott Decision- 1857 The Dred Scott Decision was close to a final straw. Dred Scott, a slave from Missouri, a been taken to war with his master in two free states, when his master died, many Abolitionists aided his fight from freedom.
The decision was handed down by Judge Taney. Taney said the blacks had no rights what so ever in America. It shocked the North but the South was pleased. Southern Radicals knew that they could not loose their slaves.
The ruling had made the Abolitionists loose ground in their fight to end slavery while Southerners had won ground in keeping slavery alive. John Brown's Raid on Harper's Ferry- 1859 On the Night of October 15, 1859, John Brown a radical abolitionist led a band of 18 men into Harper's Ferry and took the weapons in the town and waited for the slaves to help and rebel against their masters. This "proved" southern fear of a slave rebellion. The south passed many more strict rules for slaves a pushed for succession more.
Lincoln Elected- 1860 Abraham Lincoln a moderate abolitionist from Illinois, ran in most states (he was not on the ballot in 10 southern states). Lincoln won despite all of the odds against him. After Lincoln was elected the South burned him in effigy. The south felt that all hope was lost.
Finally, on the day Lincoln was inaugurated the Confederate Army had begun to rise. Secession- 1861 By April 14, 1861, 7 states had left the Union. On February 18, 1861, Jefferson Davis began the President of the Confederate States. One last push was made to keep the Union. It failed. The gap between the North and the South was too big to be solved.
War was inevitable. WAR!
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