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Slavery Acts leading to the Civil War. Fugitive Slave Act Kansas-Nebraska Act. Fugitive Slave Act. Part of the Compromise of 1850 What did it do? Required all citizens to help catch runaway slaves Anyone who aided a fugitive could be fined or imprisoned
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Slavery Acts leading to the Civil War Fugitive Slave Act Kansas-Nebraska Act
Fugitive Slave Act • Part of the Compromise of 1850 • What did it do? • Required all citizens to help catch runaway slaves • Anyone who aided a fugitive could be fined or imprisoned • Southerners thought it would force Northerners to recognize their rights • It actually convinced more of the North how horrible slavery really was
Fugitive Slave Act • Results of the Act • Southerners tried their hardest to catch runaways-sometimes they even took FREE African Americans and forced them into slavery • Some Northerners refused to cooperate with the law because it was not moral • Some even raised money to buy freedom for slaves! • Underground Railroad helped runaways make their way to freedom
Kansas-Nebraska Act • 1853-President Franklin Pierce wanted to enforce the Fugitive Slave Act • 1854-Stephen Douglas proposed the Kansas-Nebraska Act • A plan to expand the nation • Organize the region west of Missouri and Iowa as the territories of Kansas and Nebraska
Kansas-Nebraska Act • Kansas and Nebraska would be free states because they were North of the 36-30 line • Douglas knew that the South would object. Why? • Douglas proposed to get rid of the Missouri Compromise all together! • Popular Sovereignty would be how slavery was decided in these territories • Allowing the people to decide
Kansas-Nebraska Act • Northerners protested because slavery would now be allowed in places that were free for 30 years • Southerners supported the Act because they thought slave holders in Missouri would populate Kansas and vote to keep slavery legal • President Franklin Pierce supported it, which helped it pass through Congress
Kansas-Nebraska Act • Results • Conflict in Kansas: Pro-slavery and Anti-slavery people flooded into Kansas in an attempt to claim it • Kansas voted in a pro-slavery legislature. Border ruffians were thousands of supporters from Missouri came into Kansas just to vote in favor of slavery. • Anti-slavery people refused to follow the slavery laws and held their own elections • 1856: Two opposing governments existed!
Kansas-Nebraska Act • Results • “Bleeding Kansas” • Violence broke out with the opposing sides • May 1856-Pro-slavery attacked the town of Lawrence and the antislavery side soon took action • John Brown-enthusiastic antislavery supporter led a group of people to Pottawatomie Creek and killed 5 pro-slavery people • Armed groups soon roamed the territory • October 1856-Kansas governor sent in federal troops
Kansas-Nebraska Act • Results • Violence even in Congress! • Senator Charles Sumner opposed pro-slavery forces and criticized pro-slavery senators like Andrew P. Butler • As a result, Butler’s cousin (a Representative) beat Sumner with a cane • Sumner was unconscious and bleeding all over the Senate floor