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Transcript

The Pre-Civil War Timeline

By: Isabel Rojas, and Kaede Scholtz

Pro-Abolition

Pro-Slavery

Compromise of 1820

Congress wanted to accept Maine as a free state but keep Missouri as a slave state. They did this because they did want to risk the breakup of the Union. This way they maintained power between the slave and free states. In the end they decided that slavery should be abolished but they would lay the problem aside.

This represents how the U.S. split the country between pro-slavery states and the abolitionists states.

Nat Turner Rebellion (1831)

Nat Turner Rebellion

(1831)

The Nat turner rebellion was a very impactful slave rebellion. The northerners would help the runaway slaves by welcoming them. Slaveholders saw this as very upsetting. To them the slaves were a piece of property that was very valuable. When they lost a slave to them it was like losing land.

This image shows a white southerner facing off against Nat Turner.

Gag Rule (1839)

Gag Rule

(1839)

Congress kept setting aside the problem of slavery. This outraged abolitionists who called it the gag rule meaning that it silenced congressional debate about slavery. John Adams presented a solution which was turned down by Congress. Abolitionists refused to be silenced by Congress. And continued to attack Congress.

This shows how slavery wasn’t being taught as a big issue and how people were just putting the problem aside.

Harriet Tubman (1849)

Harriet Tubman

(1849)

Harriet Tubman ran away to Philadelphia because it was a center for the underground railroad. Philadelphia was a home to many African Americans and many escaped slaves. Harriet Tubman was a huge influencial character when it came to helping with the underground railroad. She helped slaves escape through the route quietly making sure they got out.

This image shows a statute put up in credit to Harriet. Showed in the statue she is helping a child run away probably on the railroad.

Compromise of 1850

Clay wanted to accept California as a free state which would please the North. This allowed New Mexico and Utah whether or not they wanted to be slave states which would please the South. Congress decided that Clay's solution was foolish. The Compromise then failed.

This shows how California was accepted as a free state while New Mexico and Utah were still being decided.

Fugitive Slave Act of 1850

When the compromise of 1850 failed, the debate about slavery grew each year. Under the Fugitive Slave Act, “a person arrested as a runaway slave had almost no legal right.” Many runaway slaves fled because of this but others decided to stay. The rule also stated “Any person who helped a slave escape, or even refused to aid slave catchers, could be jailed”. When slave catchers would come to Boston they would be yelled at “Slave hunters - there go the slave hunters.” This made them not want to deal with this mistreatment anymore so they left.

This image shows a sign put up to caution slaves about the new law enacted.

Uncle Tom's Cabin is Published (1851)

Uncle Tom's Cabin is Published

(1851)

Simon Legree, a slave owner, had whipped his slave, Uncle Tom, to death through his rage. After Eliza had witnessed what had happened, she ran away with her son. She didn't want to be sold off without her son to another slave owner. She was chased by slave hunters and their dogs and eventually got to freedom.

This shows Eliza running away with her son after warning Uncle Tom that he’s been sold to Simon.

Kanasa and Nebraska Act (1854)

Kansas and Nebraska Act

(1854)

The act created two new territories named Kansas and Nebraska. It abolished the Missouri compromise by letting settlers vote on whether to permit slavery in the said territories. Stephen Douglas introduced a bill to Congress about building a railroad through California. He thought that this would be likely if Congress opened up Nebraska to settlers.

This shows where the new territories were created.

Bleeding Kansas (1856)

Bleeding Kansas

(1856)

Lots of settlers moved to Kansas to become farmers or to oppose/support slavery. The North sent abolitionists into Kansas while the South sent their men. This led to Kansas having two different governments along with fights and raids. People from the North went to a pro-slavery city and Kansas and dragged people from their home and killed them.

This represents the two sides that were both in Kansas. They were fighting each other.

Dred Scott Decision (1857)

Dred Scott Decision

(1857)

Dred Scott had been a slave. He had traveled many years earlier to Wisconsin with his owner where slavery was banned because of the Missouri compromise. When he got back to Missouri, he went to court to argue his freedom. He said that his stay in Wisconsin had made him a free man.

This is an image of Dred Scott getting a photo taken of him.

Lincoln Debates Douglas (1858)

Linocln Debates Douglas

(1858)

Lincoln and Douglas were both running for Senate. While Douglas believed that the country should be half slavery and half abolitionist, Lincoln challenged him otherwise. Lincoln believed that the issue of slavery shouldn’t be put aside. Even though he wasn’t elected, he helped slavery become a bigger issue.

This shows both Lincoln and Douglas in a poster for the election.

John Brown's Raid on Harpers Ferry

John Brown's Raid on Harpers Ferry

(1859)

Brown wanted to go for a more extreme approach to abolish slavery through politics. He planned on launching a raid in 1859. Sadly many of his men were killed and captured. He was later convicted of treason and sentenced to death.

This shows the U.S. Marines storming Harpor’s Ferry after it was raided.

South Carolina Secedes (1860)

South Carolina Secedes

(1860)

Following the election, there was much talk of secession in the air. Senators were alarmed and tried to look for another compromise to keep them there. Lincoln was asked about his thoughts on slavery. Lincoln said he would not let slavery extend into the territories but he would support the Fugitive Slave Act. While this was happening, delegates in South Carolina were voting on whether or not they would leave the union. A newspaper in South Carolina ended up saying “The Union is Dissolved!”

This is a picture of the newspaper that was passed out with the “Union is dissolved” sign.

Lincoln Elected in 1860

Lincoln Elected in 1860

Everyone wanted to have a different president and the nation was very split. Lincoln won with 40% of the votes oddly enough and his name wasn’t even on 10 southern state ballots. To the south this made them think that this could only mean one thing. The South had become a minority. The South feared that slavery would be abolished by Congress because they “no longer had the power to shape national events or policies.”

This is an image of Lincoln standing on a platform after being elected.

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