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** The Missouri Compromise ** **﻿ **The Missouri Compromise was an early attempt to settle the slavery debate between the North and the South. In 1819, there were twenty-two states that had been admitted into the union. At the time, the U.S. was half slave, half free. So, it was only logical that the twenty-two states were divided up equally between slave and free. However, when Missouri applied for admission into the Union, there was a debate over whether it should be a slave or free state. If it was made a slave state, there would be twelve states that allowed slavery, and only eleven that didn't. On the other hand, if it was made a free state, the numbers would be opposite. Missouri actually applied for statehood in 1819, but there was controversy about whether or not the Federal government had the right to restrict institution. The debate over Missouri's application for admission as a slave state ran from December 1819- March 1820. Northerners led by Senator Rufus King of New York said that Congress had the power to deny slavery in a new state. Southerners like William Pinkney of Maryland said that Missouri had the same freedom of action as the original thirteen states, and therefore had the right to choose freely. After the Senate and House passed different bills discussing the matter and the deadlock threatened, a compromise bill was finally established. Two major provisions were stated in this bill. They were: (1) Missouri was admitted as a slave state as it wanted, and Maine was admitted as a free state, and (2) apart from Missouri, slavery was not allowed in Louisianna Purchase lands north of the 36'30' latitude, which was Missouri's southern border. The Missouri Compromise was critisized by many southerners because it founded the belief that Congress could make laws that had to do with slavery. Northerners convicted the act for accepting the expansion of slavery. Though this act was not well liked by many, it helped to hold the Union together for more than thirty years. It was repealed by the Kansas-Nebraska act of 1854.
 * WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: **
 * Missouri was a slave state.
 * Maine was a free state.
 * No slavery was allowed above the 36'30 parallel.

**The Compromise of 1850** In 1846 during Congress's debate over getting land from Mexico, David Wilmot from Pennsylvania made an amendement that said that slavery would never be allowed in territory like that. Over the next four years, Congress argued about what was called the "Wilmot Proviso," and in 1850, Henry Clay made a compromise that included four main revisions. It made California a free state, created the Utah and New Mexico territories, stopped the slave trade in Washington, D.C., and made a stronger fugitive slave bill.

The Compromise of 1850 was the last major involvement the national matters of Henry Clay (Kentucky,) Daniel Webster (Massachusetts) and John C. Calhoun (South Carolina.) To begin, Clay introduced a bill that covered the requirements of the compromise. However, Calhoun attacked it and commanded that the North stop trying to restrict slavery. Though many agreed with Calhoun, Webster backed Clay in a speech he delivered on March 7. There were many roadblocks trying to prevent Clay from succeeding with his bill, but in the end, the Senate defeated it. Senator Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois then split the proposal into seperate bills so that the members of Congress could turn down or vote for each if them. All of the bills passed and President Millard Filmore signed them. Though neither the North nor the South was happy with the compromise, they stuck to it for they thought it would end the debate. This compromise helped Congress avoid sectional/slavery issues for many years.
 * WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: **
 * California was made a free state
 * The Utah and New Mexico territories were created
 * The slave trade was stopped in Washington, D.C.
 * A stronger fugitive slave bill was created.

Douglas, wanting as much support as he could get, proposed creating two territories in the area. He suggested that along with Nebraska, Kansas would be created as well, however this act would repeal the Missouri Compromise Line. The settlers moving in would have the liberty of choosing whether the land was to be slave or free, according to Douglas's popular sovereignty principle. President Franklin Pierce was initially concerned with the political stance of the U.S. and how they would take this preposition, but he gave his support to Douglas and his allies. However, the "Appeal of the Independent Democrats" attacked Pierce, Douglas, and their supporters for repealing the Comrpomise.
 * The Kansas-Nebraska Act **
 * ** The Kansas-Nebraska Act was a bill that was introduced in 1854. Senator Stephen A. Douglas from Illinois wanted to have a railroad bulilt from Chicago to California. He thought that he was more likely to succeed with this[[image:stephenarnolddouglas.jpg width="163" height="244" align="right"]] preposition if Congress stepped in by "moving" the Great Plains into Nebraska and opening the land to settlers. This building project would take place north of the 36'30' latitude, and therefore said nothing about slavery. However, southerners objected and said that under the terms of the Missouri Compromise, Nebraska would become a free state.

Surprisingly, Congress passed the Act, but it's goal was not reached. When Kansas was admitted into statehood in 1861, some southern states had seceded from the Union. Northerners hadn't been happy with the act, and they had soon made a new Republican Party that was against slavery's extension into the territories. Some Independent Democrats left the new Republican Party and created an issue over whether or not the Democrats would divide even more. Arguments over things such as these did not help with the conflicts already at hand. The railroad that Douglas wanted was eventually built, but not along the route he had wanted. It was also paid for by funds that were voted on by the Republican Congress. Meanwhile, conflicts that arose between pro- and anti-slavery citizens led to the period known as Bleeding Kansas, and helped pave the way for the Civil War.
 * WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: **
 * Stephen A. Douglas repealed the Missouri Compromise line in order to have certain territory opened by popular sovereignty
 * Northerners weren't happy with the Kansas-Nebraska Act and created a new Republican party.
 * Conflicts arose between pro- and anti-slavery citizens led to Bleeding Kansas and the Civil War.

**Dred Scott ** Dred Scott was born into a slave family in 1795. When he was older, Scott and his master moved to live in Illinios and later Wisconsin, which were at the time free states. Fed up with slavery, he tried several times to escape, but failed. Scott's next attempt at freedom involved the Supreme Court. He came before the judges with the argument that because he had lived in free territories, he was no longer a slave but free like any other white man. Roger Taney, a Supreme Court justice who had always been against slavery, had a surprising reaction to this case. His answer was no. Simply because Scott had lived in free territories did not make him free. To close the case the court ruled that no blacks, free or slave, could ever be citizens, and therefore could not come before the court. They also said that the government had no right to outrule slavery anywhere, especially in the terriroties. This ruling made the North angry and pushed the nation ever closer to a war on itself.
 * WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: **
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Because the courts ruled that the Government had no right to outrule slavery, the nation was pushed closer to war.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">To close the case of Dred Scott, the court ruled that no black person could ever be citizens and couldn't come before the court.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">** Bleeding Kansas ** Bleeding Kansas s a term used to describe a period of brutal violence during the settling of the Kansas and Nebraska territories. The Kansas-Nebraska Act with the principle of popular sovereignty turned the Kansas territory into a voting opportunity; the votes were cast for whether or not slavery should expand. This vote caused pro- and anti-slavery believers to race to control Kansas. As it was, the opening of the Kansas and Nebraska territories in 1854 threw Kansas and the nation into political crisis. Nevertheless, Kansas held elections in 1854-1855, but "border ruffians" from Missouri came and cast illegal votes. This display of people intimidating one another provoked the situation so that it exploded into violence. From there, violent acts took place, one of which included a brutal pro-slavery attack on Lawrence. Over 1,000 Missourians marched to this free-state stronghold. On May 21, 1856, an army looted it as well. An attack led by John Brown was launched near Pottawatomie Creek. But the violence didn't stop there, it continued over eastern Kansas. Armies went to towns such as Black Jack, Franklin, Fort Saunders, Hickory Point, Slough Creek, and Osawatomie. After what seemed like a lifetime, territorial governor John W. Geary stopped the "border war" with help form federal troops. Despite his efforts, Kansas didn't stop bleeding. In 1850, there was more bloodshed witht the Marais des Cygnes massacre of five free-state men. Part of the bloodshed had come at the hand of abolitionist, John Brown. He led anti-slavery soldiers in Bleeding Kansas before the well-known raid on Harper's Ferry. Bleeding Kansas moved sectional problems to new heights. It also stimulated slavery defenders and northern supporters of the new Republican Party.
 * WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: **
 * At the elections held in 1854-55, Missourians came over and cast illegal votes.
 * The free-state stronghold, Lawrence was one of the many cities attacked by 1,000 Missourians.
 * John Brown led troops in an anti-slavery attacks in Bleeding Kansas before his famous raid on Harper's Ferry.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 140%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">** John Brown and His Raid on Harper's Ferry ** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">John Brown was born in Torrington, Connecticut, but grew up in Ohio. His parents were devout Calvanists so the background from early on in his life had been slavery hating. This strictly shaped his views as an adult, making him an extremist when it came to a conflict on the issue of overthrowing slavery. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Brown's initial career was in business, but that never worked out. By the time he was fourty-two he was bankrupt and had more than twenty lawsuits filed against him. His failing business caused him to "switch fields" and focus on the abolitionist aspect that he had always been passionate about. John Brown's stand against slavery was so strong that he decided to lead a raid on the aresnal at Harper's Ferry, Virginia. His goal for this raid was to gather weapons and amunition to arm slaves in a rebellion. Brown also hoped that slaves would join him in carrying out the raid but his only followers were his five sons.The six of them fought the militia for some time but then surrendered to General Robert E. Lee. After the raid, all of Brown's sons were dead and he was thrown in prison. Brown was hung on December 2, 1859. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">To many Northerners John Brown was a martyr because of his bravery and boldness in his stance against slavery. To the South, however, he was a terrorist. They saw his attempted raid as an attack on the country and their economy.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: **
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">John Brown's goal for the raid was to gather weapons to arm slaves.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">The North saw John as a martyr and the South saw him as a terrorist.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">John was an extreme abolitionist.

<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">media type="custom" key="9484554" width="100" height="80" align="left"

<span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"> <span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 150%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">**Uncle Tom's Cabin** <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Unlce Tom's Cabin was written by Harriet Beecher Stowe in 1852. The inspiration for this story came to her in a vision while she was sitting in church one Sunday morning. In her vision, a slave named Uncle Tom had angered his<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"> master to the point of no forgiveness. As punishment his master whipped him continuosly over and over until he was dead. Another part of the vision was of a woman named Eliza and her son. To avoid being sold away from her child, she decided to take her chances and run. Harriet emphasized the cruelty of the slaveholders and what the slave catchers would have done if they had caught Eliza. <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Uncle Tom's Cabin first appeared as an article in an anti-slavery newspaper. Publishing writing like this was a bold move that infuriated the South and caused more seperation. Some historians say that this was the last straw that finally pushed the nation all the way over the brink of war. Whether or not this is true, President Lincoln acknowleged Harriet as "the little lady who started this big war."
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: **
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">The inspiration for writing Uncle Tom's Cabin came to Harriet Beecher Stowe in a vision.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">The vision was of a slave being wwhipped and a wooman running away with her son.
 * <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Uncle Tom's Cabin was the last straw that pushed the nation all the way over the brink of war.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #0066cc; display: block; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 16px; text-align: left; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: auto;"><span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #ff0000; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 110%; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: auto;">**Secession** Almost every southerner opposed Lincoln and was against him being president. So three days after the election, South Carolina held a state convention to decide whether or not they would seceed. On December 20, the vote to seceed was unanimous. The declaration they wrote stated that "We the people of South Carolina in convention, do declare and ordain... that the Union now subsisting between South Carolina and other States, under the name of 'the United States of America' is hereby dissolved." This officially made South Carolina a free and independent country. One woman by the name of Mary Chesnut even wrote, "We are divorced, North and South, because we hate each other so." Several other states including Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and Texas all followed South Carolina's lead and seceeded by March of 1861. A month later the first shots of the war were fired on Fort Sumter. The troops in the fort surrendered. When the North heard that the South had fired on their own flag, they went ballistic. The Civil War had officialy begun. **Underground Railroad** The Underground Railroad was a system consisting of many individuals who helped slaves escape to freedom. Some were white but the majority were blacks ( they were more partial to the cause.) When the steam railways were invented they even adopted railway terms. "Stations" were places where fugitives could go to eat and rest until it was safe for them to leave. "Stockholders" were people who contributed money and goods and "Conductors" were responsible for getting slaves from one "Station" to another.
 * WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: **
 * South Carolina held a state convention three days after the election and decided to suceed from the Union.
 * Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida and Texas all suceeded by March 1861.
 * In April 1861, shots were fired on Fort Sumter. The South had fired on their own flag.

Traveling the Underground Railroad wasn't easy. First the slave had to find their own way off their master's property and to the first station. Because the stations were ten, sometimes twenty miles apart, fugitives hid in barns and other out-of-the-way places, choosing to travel mostly at night. Some did travel by boat or train, but this was exspensive and had to be paid for, so most walked.

A lot fewer fugitives would have made it to freedom if it hadn't been for the committees established to help them out along the way. They provided them with food and clothes (a black person in ragged old clothes would have looked very suspicious.) They would also get them settled in their new lives by helping them find a job and sending letters of recomendation.
 * WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: **
 * The Undergound Railroad adopted railway terms such as "Stations," "Stockholders," and "Conductors."
 * Traveling on the Underground Railroad was difficult and very risky.
 * Committees helped the escaping slaves along their journeys. They gave them food and clothing, helped them find jobs, and sent letters of recomendation.

**The Fugitive Slave Act** The Fugitive Slave Act was put in place to satisfy politicians from slave states when another free state (California) made the ratio of slave to free uneven. The act would enforce rules that empowered the pursuit of any runaway slaves, making sure they were returned to their owners. It would give slave catchers the power to provide incentive for citizens to help with the capture of fugitives. Citizens who refused to cooperate faced fines and even imprisonment. Slave catchers were even paid a fee of ten dollars for every slave they returned. This angered the North so much that several states passed laws designed to hinder any slave catching activites. However the U.S. Supreme Court deemed these laws unconstiutional and threatened to send soldiers if order was not immediately restored.
 * WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW: **
 * The Fugitive Slave Act was put in place to satisfy politicians when California made the ratio of slave to free uneven.
 * Citizens who refused to help capure fugiives would face fines and imprisonment.
 * Several Northern states passed laws designed to hinder any slave catching.