The Union in Peril Activity

1. The Union in Peril Activity

2. Compromise of 1850 Date – 1850 Cause – Many issues including California’s statehood were being disputed by northern and southern Congressmen Details – California admitted as a free state, popular sovereignty in NM & UT, TX/NM boundary dispute resolved, slave trade banned in DC, Fugitive Slave Act strengthened Reaction – North upset about Fugitive Slave Law, South upset about no slavery in California Impact – Compromise did not really solve any problems and tension between the North and South remained

3. Fugitive Slave Act Date – 1850 Cause – Southern Congressmen demanded this as part of the Compromise of 1850 Details – fugitive slaves were not given a trial, and could not testify on their own behalf, federal commissioners were given $ for returning slaves, anyone helping escaped slaves faced fines and/or jail time Reaction – South liked the law, North resisted with personal liberty laws & Underground RR Impact – many slaves still escaped and South was angered that the North did not properly enforce the law

4. Uncle Tom’s Cabin Date – published in 1852 Cause – Harriet Beecher Stowe wanted to inform people what life was like for slaves Details – Novel gave gruesome accounts of the life of a slave family and how they were beaten, bought & sold, & tried to escape Reaction – abolitionists increased their protests against slavery, South claimed that details were false and simply meant to attack the South Impact – brought even more attention to controversial issue of slavery, further divisions between North and South

5. Kansas-Nebraska Act Date – May 1854 Cause – Senator Stephen Douglas and other Congressmen believed that people living in western territories should be allowed to decide whether their territory allowed slavery or not Details – separated territories of Kansas & Nebraska, repealed MO Compromise and established popular sovereignty for both areas Reaction – Northerners were furious that MO Compromise was repealed, Southerners were happy with Act Impact – Pro & Antislavery forces had many violent disputes over issue of slavery in KS & NE

6. Bleeding Kansas Date – March 1855 – End of Civil War Cause – Elections for slavery decision led to many people illegally voting for both sides and many violent encounters Details – Pro-slavery men attacked antislavery city of Lawrence, John Brown led abolitionists to Pottawatomie Creek and killed 5 men from a proslavery settlement Reaction – dozens of violent episodes between pro & antislavery forces occurred in Kansas Impact – around 200 people were killed and divisions continued between North & South

7. Founding of the Republican Party Date – July 6 1854 Cause – Northern Whigs, Antislavery Democrats, & Free Soilers were looking for a political party to oppose the expansion of slavery Details – This new party opposed the KS/NE Act and wanted to keep slavery out of the territories Reaction – many people of diverse political beliefs joined this party, it gained national prominence very quickly Impact – Republican party rises to become one of the two major parties; Whig, Know-Nothing, & Free-Soil parties all dissolve

8. Dred Scott v. Sanford Date – March 6, 1857 Cause – Dred Scott sued for his freedom because his owner had taken him into a free state (IL & WI) Details – Chief Justice Roger Taney ruled that slaves cannot file a law suit, Scott had no claim to freedom, & the Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional Reaction – Southerners cheered, Northerners believed this would allow slavery to expand and were furious Impact – More people joined the Republican Party and the abolitionist cause

9. Lincoln-Douglas Debates Date – Summer of 1858 Cause – Both men were running for Senator from Illinois and had different beliefs about slavery Details – Douglas supported popular sovereignty for all territories while Lincoln wanted laws to be passed to outlaw slavery in the territories Reaction – people followed the debates nationwide and northerners supported Lincoln while southerners supported Douglas Impact – Douglas won the election but Lincoln gained a lot of national attention and people began to want him to run for president

10. Raid on Harper’s Ferry Date – October 16, 1859 Cause – John Brown believed God wanted him to lead a slave uprising Details – Brown and 21 men raided the federal arsenal at Harper’s Ferry VA to capture the weapons and distribute them to slaves; Brown and his men were stopped and Brown was hanged for high treason on December 2, 1859 Reaction – Southerners cheered after Brown’s hanging while Northerners believed he was a martyr for the freedom of slaves Impact – slaveholders become fearful of future slave uprisings and call for secession

11. Election of 1860 Date – November 1860 Cause – We hold a national election for president every four years Details – Abraham Lincoln won the election by winning all of the northern states, 3 other candidates split the southern electoral votes Reaction – Southerners realized that they had very little voice in the national government so states began to seriously discuss secession Impact – Beginning with SC in Dec. 1860, 11 southern states seceded from the Union and joined together to form the Confederate States of America