Events leading up to the Civil War
By: Derek Green
Compromise of 1850
The compromise of 1850 allowed slaves to work for the southern states, but ended the slave trade into Washington D C. It also gave Texas money to pay off its debt in return for its claim to New Mexico's land, lastly, it passed the Fugitive Slave Act which made northerners give slaves that had escaped through the underground railroad back to their owners. This act was temporary until the south wanted to separate.
This made the North angry because they wanted slavery to be abolished, not allowed.
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Fugitive slave act
Part of the compromise of 1850, the Fugitive Slave Act forced Northerners into giving up runaway slaves.
This made the North angry because they didn't want to give the slaves back to the south.
The Dred Scott Decision of 1857
Dred Scott was an African american slave who tried to sue the federal court because they wouldn't give him his freedom. The Dred Scott decision was a law that was passed saying that an African american person could not be a citizen even if he/she wasn't a slave.
This made the North angry because it said that blacks basically didn't have rights.
The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854
This act gave Kansas and Nebraska the choice of coming into the union as a slave or non slave state.
This put the two sides together and they fought over the states.
John Brown's Raid of 1859
On October 16, 1859, John Brown and 21 men raided Harpers Ferry, Virginia. He and all his men were either killed or captured by Robert E. Lee.
This made southerners worry that the North would free their slaves.