The document outlines the key events from 1800-1860 that increased tensions between the North and South and ultimately led to the Civil War. It discusses issues such as the Missouri Compromise of 1820, the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, the Dred Scott decision of 1857, John Brown's raids, and Lincoln's election in 1860 which prompted several Southern states to secede and attack Fort Sumter in 1861, officially beginning the Civil War.

1. Events Leading Up To The Civil War
1800 - 1860

2. The Louisiana Purchase – 1803
Land bought from France for 15 Million Dollars

3. Florida - 1819
The Adams–Onís Treaty of 1819, also
known as the Florida Purchase Treaty, was
a deal between the US and Spain in 1819
that gave Florida to the U.S.

4. THE MISSOURI
COMPROMISE
(1820)
• As more and more territories were
acquired by the U.S, the issue
over slavery became very
contentious. A debate occurred
and finally a compromise was
reached. It stated:
1.) Missouri entered as a slave state
2.) Maine entered as a free state.
3.) The 36’ 30’’ line is drawn. This line
was suppose to decide whether
slavery would be allowed in certain
territories or not.
• This compromise was effective for a
number of years – almost thirty! Then
problems began to occur and the
compromise was less and less
effective.

5. Nullification Crisis
The nullification crisis was the confrontation between the
state of South Carolina and the federal government in
1832–33.
The state declared null and void the federal Tariffs of 1828
and 1832. These were seen as an attack on the South by the
North.
The matter was resolved in favour of the federal
government.

6. Rise of Abolitionist Cause
The abolitionist movement began to become more organized
and radical in the North around 1830.
Historians believe ideas set forth during the Second Great
Awakening inspired abolitionists to rise up against slavery.
This Protestant revival encouraged the adopting of renewed
morals, which centred around the idea that all men are
created equal in the eyes of God.

7. Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo - 1848
In 1847 the Mexican army was defeated by US forces and the
Mexican government surrendered.
On February 2, 1848, Mexico signed the Treaty of
Guadalupe Hidalgo.
The treaty gave the land that now makes up all or parts of
present-day Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New
Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.
Mexico also gave up all claims to Texas and recognized the
Rio Grande as America’s southern boundary.

8. COMPROMISE OF 1850
• COMPROMISE AGAIN!
• This time it included 5 parts!
 1.) California entered as a FREE state.
 2.) Area from Mexican Cession divided
into Utah and New Mexico. Slavery issue
to be decided by POPULAR
SOVEREIGNTRY.
 3.) ENDED slave trade in
Washington D.C.
 4.) Made a STRICT Fugitive Slave Law
 5.) Settled border problems between New
Mexico and Texas.
• Again, problems would be better for only a
short period of time.

9. FUGITIVE SLAVE LAW
(1850)
• This law was part of the compromise of
1850.
• It was a law that REQUIRED citizens to
catch runaway slaves.
• If a person did not comply, they cold be
fined up to $1000 or put in jail for SIX
months.
• Judges received $10 if they returned a
slave and $5 if they freed them.
• MANY blacks who were free were
captured and sent back into slavery.
• Northerners HATED this law because it
forced them to become part of the
system of slavery.
/

10. UNCLE TOM’S CABIN
(1852)
• This was a NOVEL written by
Harriett Beecher Stowe.
• It was written to show the
EVILS of slavery by telling the
story of an older slave who
was whipped to death by his
owner.
• After reading it, MANY
Northerners began to change
their view of slavery.
• Southerners said the book was
full of LIES!

11. KANSAS-NEBRASKA ACT
(1854)
• Divided lands into Kansas and Nebraska
territories.
• Decided that SLAVERY issue would be decided
by POPULAR SOVREIGNTY (issues voted on
by the people in the territory/state).
• Led to violence in the Senate. Preston Brooks
and Charles Sumner.
• Pro-slavery and Anti-slavery settlers in ONE
AREA and this led to conflict!
• Northerners believe this REPEALED the
Missouri Compromise.
• Bleeding Kansas – Gov. John Geary sends out
1,300 federal troops to stop violence
Democratic senator Stephen A.
Douglas of Illinois sponsored this
bill.

12. POTTAWATOMIE CREEK KILLINGS
(1856)
• Because of the violence going on in
Kansas, John Brown and four of his sons,
decided to take the law into their own
hands.
• They rode into a small town named
Pottawatomie Creek and pulled five pro-
slavery men out of their beds in the middle
of the night.
• The men are murdered. John Brown
believed he was doing what “GOD has told
him to do”.
• Many Northerners, while they didn’t believe
in slavery, were appalled at what he did.

13. THE DRED SCOTT DECISION
(1857)
• Dred Scott was a slave.
• He lived in a free territory with his owner.
• His owner moved back into a slave state.
• While there, the owner died.
• Scott had ABOLITIONIST attorneys file a law suit for him.
• It went to the Supreme Court but he LOST.
• The Court ruled he was NOT a citizen but RATHER property and
therefore he could not file a lawsuit.
• Also, they ruled that Congress could NOT ban slavery in any of the
territories.
• This REPEALED the Missouri Compromise.
• Southerners LOVED the ruling while Northerners HATED it. It meant
slavery could spread into all the territories!
/

14. LINCOLN-DOUGLAS DEBATE
(1858)
• Abraham Lincoln and Stephen
Douglas debated!
• Douglass believed in deciding
slavery by popular sovereignty.
• Lincoln believed that slavery
should NOT be allowed to
spread into the territories.
• Lincoln ALSO believed the
nation could not survive if the
fighting continued to rip the
Union apart with the slavery
issue.

15. RAID ON HARPER’S FERRY
(1859)
• John Brown was at it again!
• This time, he led five blacks and
thirteen whites into Harper’s Ferry.
• They planned to raid an arsenal
and start a slave revolt.
• Problem: No slaves “rose” to help.
• A number of his men died and
Brown was arrested by Robert E.
Lee.
• Brown was tried and found guilty of
murder and treason. He was later
hanged.
• Some Northerners thought of him
as a “Martyr”
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/brown/peopleevents/pande09.html

16. ELECTION OF 1860
• Lincoln ran against Douglas in
the Presidential Election of 1860.
• The Southern states did not like
Lincoln. They overwhelmingly
supported Douglas, yet Lincoln
STILL got elected.
• Southerners grew very angry.
Said this showed it did not
matter what their opinions were,
the North had too much power!
• Many Southerners talked of
SECEDING from the Union.

17. The South Secedes
• December 20, 1860 - South
Carolina voted to secede from
the Union.
• Senator John
Crittenden(Kentucky) tried to
extend the Missouri Compromise
line to the West. (Fails)
• February 1861 - Texas,
Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama,
Florida, and Georgia secede.
• February 4th, 1861 – In
Montgomery, Alabama the
Confederate States of America is
formed.
• Jefferson Davis - Selected to a 6
year term as President of the
Confederate States.

18. Attack on Fort Sumter
• The Confederate forces seized
Federal Forts.
• April 12, 1861 - The attack
began in Charleston Harbor at
4:30 A.M.
• P.G.T. Beauregard led the attack
against Robert Anderson.
• Anderson is forced to surrender
the Fort. (Yankee Doodle) April
14th, 1861
• Daniel Hough - Is the first man to
die in the Civil War.
• Union Flag is re-raised on April
14, 1865.

19. Lincoln Calls For Volunteers
• After news of the attack and
capture of Ft. Sumter
Lincoln called for 75,000
volunteers.
• Many people North and
South rushed out to
volunteer for military service.
• Virginia, North Carolina,
Tennessee, and Arkansas
voted to join the
Confederacy.
• The Civil War officially
began.