Road to Secession Timelime

Summary: The north and south were having political rivalries on whether slavery should be abolished or kept. Henry Clay wrote the Missouri Compromise hoping it would not only resolve the issue of slavery but would also lead to the United States having an equal number of free states and slave states. The north and south both agreed with the terms of the Missouri Compromise which included regulating slavery in western territories, forbidding slavery in Louisiana and any territory that came with the Louisiana Purchase ( Arkansas, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Nebraska, parts of Minnesota and Louisiana west of Mississippi River, including New Orleans, big parts of North and northeastern New Mexico, South Dakota, northern Texas, some parts of Wyoming, Montana, and Colorado as well as portions of Canadian provinces Alberta and Saskatchewan), and slavery was forbidden anywhere north of the 36/30 parallel territory except Missouri where it had been considered a slave state. This Act stayed in place until the Kansas-Nebraska Act was put into place. Since the Kansas-Nebraska act forbade the terms and conditions that came with the Missouri Compromise that led to many disputes between the north and the south.

Northern Perspective: The northerners found the Missouri Compromise was unfair because the south had one extra state than them (Missouri), and they thought the south was favored more and had more power and control over them when the Kansas-Nebraska Act was put into place.

Southern Perspective: The southerners liked the Missouri Compromise but they still wanted more power and control over the north, so when the Kansas-Nebraska Act was put into place they got all the power and control they needed to use on the northerners.

Summary: On December 29, 1845, Texas was admitted to the Union as the 28th state. Although Texas gained independence from Mexico in 1836, it took nearly ten years for congress to let them join the U.S. as a state. This angered Mexico who had previously owned the land and a war began in 1846 between them and the U.S.

Northern Perspective: The north did not want Texas to become a state because it would give the South another slave state. This would add on to all the conflict that already occurred with slavery between the north and south.

Southern Perspective: Southerners were very hopeful for the annexation of Texas because they would gain more land to be used for slavery. Texas was a fairly big piece of land that would allow for lot's of farming which meant more money for residents of the south.

Summary: As part of the Compromise of 1850, the Fugitive Slave Act was passed by congress. This act required runaway slaves to be returned to owners even if they had reached a free state. This compromise determined that slavery would be banned in California, plus Utah and New Mexico would use popular sovereignty to determine if they would be free or slave states.

Northern Perspective: Northerners did not approve of the Fugitive Slave Act. The Underground Railroad had been made to help slaves reach the North and escape slavery. If they were required to send them back to the south, their system would no longer work and it would be even more risky to continue it.

Southern Perspective: Southerners were pleased with the Fugitive Slave Act. They knew that their slaves had a very slim chance at permanently escaping, and when they returned they would punish them for trying to run away. Although this compromise gave the South the fugitive slave law, they still were angered when California was admitted as a free state. It was a very large piece of land and technically part of it was in the South.

Summary: Harriet Beecher Stowe was an anti-slavery novelist that wrote about the fugitive slaves perspectives, the Underground Railroad, and was considered a very influential writer on slavery toward the American people. Many believe today that this book when published "helped lay the groundwork for the Civil War". When Stowe published her book more than 300,000 copies were bought and widely read throughout the nation. People even said that Abraham LIncoln read Stowe's book and said, “So this is the little lady who made this big war.” Stowe's book is about Uncle Tom, a dignified slave. It talks about when he was transported by boat for an auction to be bought, and how he grows a fond relationship with Eva (daughter of father who purchased him).

Northern perspective: The northerners enjoyed this book and felt like Stowe was very confident and could change/put an end to slavery.

Southern perspective: The southerners saw this as an opposition toward slavery and when Abraham Lincoln abolished slavery they saw that it was because of Stowe's persuasive and powerful wording that ruined the power and control they had over slaves.

Summary: Dred Scott was a slave who had been taken into free territory by his master. When his master died, he went to court and said that he should be a free man because he had lived in free territory. The case went all the way to the supreme court and they eventually voted 7-2 that he was not free because he left the free territory and as a black man could not be a citizen. If he wasn't a citizen he also did not have the right to sue in court and therefore remained a slave.

Northern Perspective: Northerners were upset that blacks couldn't be citizens. They thought if they could be free, they should be citizens. Northerners believed that the case was evidence that the South was trying to extend slavery throughout the country.

Southern Perspective: Southerners approved of the decision and thought that congress didn't have the authority to keep slavery out of the new territory. They believed if a master owned a slave in a slave state and traveled to the new territory, that person was still a slave before reaching the territory and therefore have to remain a slave no matter if it is a free area or not.

Summary: Senator Stephen A. Douglass wanted to change the Missouri Compromise of 1820 so slavery would be allowed in new nations. His bill led to many political effects which included the southern and northern states separating since one opposed it while the other was in favor of it. The southern states became known as the Democratic Party while the northern states were known as the Republican Party. In the fall of 1854 Senator David Atchison led 1,700 men from Missouri into Kansas to vote for Kansas to became a slave state. The southern states put in illegal ballots just to win so slavery wouldn't get abolished, and although those ballots were considered a criminal act they were counted and passed, which led to 36 pro-slavery delegates and only 3 anti-slavery delegates. After the southerners had control over the northerners they created harsh laws which stated that anyone who opposed to slavery and spoke their opinion would be imprisoned or fined. Eventually the northerners were tired of being treated harshly so they decided to create their own government which led to the result of 1 state having 2 governments, one that opposed slavery and one that supported it. Then President Franklin Pierce was tired of the disputes between the north and the south and so ruled a court discussion with Judge Samuel Lecomple and he decided that the anti-slavery government was disloyal and disrespectful and ruled a treason. When the Kansas-Nebraska Act was put into place it allowed each territory to decide about the issue of slavery through popular sovereignty, but it never ended the conflicts whether slavery should be abolished or kept.

Northern Perspective: Northerners were tired of being overtaken by southerners so they created their own free state constitution because they wanted to bring Kansas into the Union as a free state. Finally when John Brown was fed up with the southerners he said, "We must fight fire with fire, and we must strike terror in the hearts of the pro-slavery people," this led to a cold-blooded attack between the northerners and southerners at Harper's Ferry, which never resolved anything.

Southerners Perspective: The southerners wanted to bring Kansas into the Union as a slave state so they did everything in their power to do so which included threatening to shoot, burn, or hang those who opposed slavery. They put illegal ballots when voting which led them to winning and getting their way.

Summary: John Brown was an abolitionist who led a small group of men including his son to raid a federal arsenal in Harpers Ferry, Virginia. He wanted to take steps to end slavery by arming slaves with weapons and starting a revolt. After hiding there overnight, Robert E. Lee broke in and held John Brown captive until he could be tried at court. He was hanged on December 2, 1859.

Northern Perceptive: Northerners were hopeful that he would succeed and abolish slavery in the U.S., although some may not have agreed with the way he approached the problem of slavery. Brown was just the first one to try and do something, and his idea was happened to be more violent than others thought was necessary.

Southern Perspective: Southerners on the other hand, thought John Brown was a criminal and deserved to be hanged. John Brown almost began what all white southerners feared, African Americans revolting against them. Even if they denied that it would be impossible for them to win, they still had the fear that they could win and they would be left with no slaves to do work for them.

Summary: One of the biggest factors that led to South Carolina seceding was when Abraham Lincoln was elected as the president of the United States. The southerners said that although Abraham Lincoln didn't say he wanted to abolish slavery, the way he spoke, acted, and the laws he asked to pass (Fugitive Slave Act) were all to stop slavery from growing. After his election, South Carolina wasn't the only state that seceded. The states that seceded after Abraham was elected were Florida, Georgia, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and South Carolina. After many southern states seceded they became slave states and believed very strongly about slavery and how it should continue.

Northern Perspective: Northerners thought that the more southern states that seceded from the Union would lead to less slave states and more free ones, but it led to conflict between the two and the south got more power than the north expected.

Southern Perspective: The southerners didn't agree with the Fugitive Slave Act and didn't want to abolish slavery and in order for that to happen they had to separate themselves from the Union and create their own laws and government so slavery could grow.

Summary: Abraham Lincoln was the 16th president of the U.S., and ran for the Republican party. During the election, Lincoln ran against John Bell, John Breckinridge, and Stephen A. Douglas. Having four candidates run was part of what was unusual for the election of 1860. Although Lincoln was not an abolitionist, he believed slavery went against the Constitution and worked to stop the practice of slavery. Lincoln was president for four years before being assassinated on April 14, 1865 by John Wilkes Booth.

Northern Perspective: Almost all northern states voted for Lincoln. Northerners supported Abraham's election because they knew he would work to end slavery. Some agreed with him that blacks could be free but shouldn't have social/political rights, while others believed that blacks should be treated equally and have the same rights.

Southern Perspective: In the south, Lincoln wasn't even on the ballot! Southerners felt threatened by Lincolns election and many seceded into the Confederate states. They knew if Lincoln became president, there was a chance that slavery could be abolished all over the U.S. If they seceded then he wouldn't have the power to do that.

Summary: The Battle of Fort Sumter was the first battle of the American Civil War which took place at Fort Sumter, South Carolina, at Charleston Harbor that consisted of 80 Unionists (northerners) and 500 Confederates (southerners). After secession occured after the election of Abraham Lincoln, there were many threats made toward Federal troops that were occupying southern forts, Robert Anderson arrived at the forts and had a plan on when the first shots would be fired and how long the fighting would last, but unexpectedly, Edmund Ruffin started shooting a signal and the Unionists and Confederates started fighting. The Unionists were very short with supplies and hoped that when they saw three ships sailing at the harbor, it would be there suppliers with food and resources, but unfortunately wasn't. The next rainy morning the Confederates never stopped firing and hoped for the Unionists to surrender, and once Louis Wigfall saw the flag shot away he convinced Anderson to surrender. At 1:30 P.M. the flag was replaced with a white sheet and Beauregard seeing this stopped firing and the Confederates knew and felt pleased to know that they won the battle.

Northern perspective: After the northerners lost the battle, they felt defeated and angry because many states start seceding which gave the southerners more states, power, and control.

Southern perspective: The southerners felt proud that they had won and received what they wished. Beauregard and his men occupied Fort Sumter for nearly 4 years to protect it against the Unionists from firing at them, until they left after capturing William T. Sherman in Charleston.