Civil war stuff has no followers yet. Be the first one to follow.
John Brown idea to start an armed slave revolt by seizing a United States Arsenal at Harpers Ferry in Virginia. This first use of violence by a white man scared many in the South, leading the Southern state militias to begin training for their defense of further raids and, consequently, to the militarization of the South in preparation for a Northern invasion
African descent imported into the United States and held as slaves were not protected by the Constitution and could never be U.S. citizens. Congress couldn't limit slavery in new territories, Blacks couldn't sue because they were not citizens, and slaves could not be taken from their owners without due process. These controvercial decisions enraged people of the North and deeply satisfied people of the South.These decisions would put no limit on the expansion of slavery.
Bleeding Kansas was a series of violent events between Northerners and Southerners over the issue of slavery in the United States. This resulted in immigration in masses to Kansas by activists from both sides. At one point, Kansas had two separate governments, each with its own constitution, although only one was federally recognized. On January 29, 1861, Kansas was admitted to the Union as a free state. This heightened the brewing tension between the north and south.
The new Republican party was against the expansion of slavery. It soon became the second largest party, but it remained a sectional party. It's success only threatened and further alienated the Southern states and this formation of a new party led to the election of Abraham Lincoln.
Senator Stephen A. Douglas devised a plan to get the South to pass his proposed railroad. He would get them on his side with another bill first. This bill (The Kansas-Nebraska Act) allowed popular sovereignty in Kansas and Kentucky which were both above the line previously marked off by the Missouri Compromise. Needless to say, this being passed into law heightened the sectional tension between the regions.
This anti-slavery novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe was the second best selling book of its time only being beaten by the Bible. This book made the horrors of slavery all too real to the Northerners who used it as motivation to stop the injustice in the South. It caused such tension though because the South refused to believe the "lies" printed on those pages. The first time they met, Abraham Lincoln said to her "So this is the little lady who started this great war."
The fugitive slave laws were laws passed by the United States Congress in 1793 and 1850 to provide for the return of slaves who escaped from one state into another state or territory. The Fugitive Slave Act enabled slave owners the right to point to any African American person ans claim that that person was indeed their property. These laws further divided the union because the South rallied for tougher laws but the north, who opposed slavery, often refused to return slaves which hurt the South and was said to be unconstitutional of them.
This War was a huge territorial gain for the US (which was deserved because it was our manifest destiny) but the controversial question arose of whether all of these new states would be free or slave. This forced the Compromise of 1850.
This was the first idea that states had their own rights and did not have to follow every rule made by the federal government if they felt it hurt their state. Thus the idea of succession was born.
The Problem of slavery was not taken care of in the writing of the constitution. Due to [Article V [No Constitutional Amendment to Ban Slavery Until 1808] ...No Amendment which may be made prior to the Year One thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any Manner affect the first and fourth Clauses in the Ninth Section of the first Article.] the problem was put off and said to be ignored for 20 more years.
Update Sources