South Carolina and other states secede

Many of the states including South Carolina decided to secede from the union. They decided to secede because they did not like what was happening in the country at this time. South Carolina was very happy to secede because they were now a free and independent nation and did not conform to what the rest of the nation was doing at that particular time. Many other states followed South Carolina because they to wanted to make their own laws and do what they wanted to do. This was a huge part in how this Civil War came about.

The states that were in the Union at that time were happy and some were not. South Carolina was one state that did not like what was happening in the country and decided to become independent. This was a huge contributor into how every state thought and what they wanted. The states in the country was having a difficult time conforming to what was happening in the country. These were huge contributors on why some of the many states in the United States decided to secede from the union.

Ft. Sumter Falls

There was the confederacy during this time that wanted the fort to surrender. The fort then refused. Early in the morning the next day guns of South Carolina opened fire on the fort. The union had supply ships that that arrived but did not attempt to reach the fort. After 34 hours of continuous bombing the fort eventually surrendered. There was nobody killed however at the fort which was good. Lincoln did not think that this was going to happen and thought by having this be done he could avoid another war on the country.

This was a huge relevance to the happening of the Civil War. This bombing on the fort made for a difficult time for Lincoln to make decisions on what to do on the situation. Ft. Sumter really had to option but to surrender or else people would die and the fort may have been destroyed completely. The way this happened was extremely violent and it was a miracle that nobody died and that everything went down okay. Lincoln made overall the right decision when it came to this.

Election of 1860

Democrats met in Charleston, South Carolina so select their candidate for the upcoming election. The northerners felt that Stephen Douglas had the best chance to defeat the black republicans. The southerners considered him a traitor on the idea of popular sovereignty. The Southern Democrats elected vice president John C. Breckenridge.  There were four states during this election that needed someone who could carry them. They were New Jersey, Illinois, Indiana, and Pennsylvania. During this election many people started liking Abraham Lincoln and eventually ended up nominating him for president. After the election in the end Lincoln had 40% of the popular votes along with 180 electoral college votes which was just enough to win the election. Lincoln was America's new president!

This election marked one of the most important elections to date today. This election made one of the greatest leaders of our time come into the American picture. Without Abraham Lincoln who would be the man on our 5 dollar bill? overall, he was one of the greatest leaders of our country ever. With this election it was clear that America knew who he was and was steadfast about who they wanted to run their country.

John Brown's Raid on Harper's Ferry

John Brown's Raid on Harper's Ferry was a attempt by a white abolitionist by the name of John Brown to start an armed slave revolt by seizing a United States arsenal at Harper's Ferry. His attempt was shot down by the U.S. marines led by a man named Robert E. Lee. Although this plan failed he asked many other famous slaves to join him but they declined because of either a sickness for thinking that his plan was not going to work. It turns out they were being smart because this didn't do anything for anyone.

This armed revolt angered many Americans about the slaves and just made the tensions rise higher and higher each time. during this revolt man people including the military were upset and put this armed revolt to sleep immediately. Many of the people who were for slavery did not like the revolt taking place and did not want the slaves dealing with anything other then doing some major work for the white people. This is why this was such a huge part in leading up to the Civil War.

Kansas's Lecompton Constitution

The territorial legislature composed mostly of slave-owners me at a capital known as Lecompton. Free states were the side of things that were very against this particular idea. This new proposed constitution made slavery in the proposed states set in stone and protected the rights of the 43% of white families that were slaveholders. This constitution provided for a loop-hole that allowed the many voters the right of allowing more slaves to enter their particular territory,

This was a huge aspect in leading up to the causes of the Civil War. This proposed a huge part of how slavery would end up during the particular leading up to the Civil War. Many of the slaveholders were upset about the fact that they could not possess anymore slaves and could in fact allow more onto their territory. The slave holders were actually happy about this actually after all.

Dred Scott Decision

Dred Scott was a slave during the slave times that unsuccessfully sued for his freedom. His case was on the fact that him and his wife and two daughters were being kept as slaves even though his particular state was not a slave state and all slaves are supposed to be free. He lost because the court said that no African-American could go to Civil Court and try and claim for citizenship. There were many more slave issues that resulted from this and this angered many anti-slavery people in the states. He lost the case even though many people at that time thought he should have won.

The Dred Scott Decision was a huge part in leading up to the Civil War. This huge decision angered not only the anti-slavery people living in the North, but angered many slaves that were having the same thing happen to them. This made for tensions to happen during this time and not have everything go as planned according to the way Congress wanted the country to be ran. This overall was a huge part of the Civil War efforts.

Uncle Tom's Cabin

Uncle Tom's Cabin was a anti-slavery novel written by the author of Harriet Beecher Stowe. This book was published in 1852 and helped lay the ground work for the Civil War. This novel featured a long suffering black slave who's story evolved many others and was told form his point of view. This book was about the realness and the suffering that was involved with slavery and also that by being close to god can overcome the obstacles that are brought on by the issue of slavery. This was also the best selling novel of the entire 19th century.

This novel was read by many slaves and made them in some ways have hope and know that there is some ways that they can be free. This gave many of them something to rely on and something to pray for. Along with many people from the South who read this novel and were deeply offended by it. The people living in the South were very for slavery and were angered by the idea of the selling being so high on this particular novel.

Gadsden Purchase

President Franklin Pierce sent James Gadsden to Mexico City with high hopes in buying the Mexico land from the south that is now Texas. When he arrived in Mexico City the President would not even look at the proposal he had and was not interested whatsoever in selling the United States the Mexico Territory. Eventually we would get the territory of Texas in the Gadsden Purchase. The United States paid 10 million dollars for the territory which is now present-day Texas and parts of New Mexico.

This was a very relevant part in how the U.S. would eventually form. This purchase gave the country many more ways of importing and exporting goods along with overall making the eventual population of the country increase dramatically. This purchase made many more goods more accessible to the United States and helped with the goods that were not easily exported throughout our nation. Overall, this purchase made the sixe of the country increase dramatically.

Lincoln-Douglas Debates

These were held for the U.S. senate of the state of Illinois. These debates were held at 7 different locations in that particular state and had a huge effect on the way our country would eventually be shaped. Douglas was a Democrat and he was the man who helped to enact the Compromise of 1850. Lincoln on the other hand was not very well known at the start of these debates like Douglas was. Lincoln predicted that the United States could not survive with the even slave and free states. Even though Lincoln lost the first election he would later beat Douglas and be elected president.

These debates were a very relevant part in how the United States was shaped. This is how Lincoln became known and is now known as one of the best leaders of our country we have ever had. These debates got very heated at times These debates would eventually shape the way the United States is known today.

Compromise of 1850

The Compromise of 1850 was a series of five bills that were designed to keep the many territories of the United States interested in the idea of having a balance between free and slave states. During this time the people of the U.S. did not know if the new territory that is present-day Texas was going to be counted as a free or a slave state. This compromise stated that Texas would relinquish the land dispute but would then be given 10 million dollars. This money would later be used to pay off their debt with Mexico.

The Compromise of 1850 was a very relevant part of the Civil War. When the United States gained the Texas territory from Mexico there were many disputes on what was going to happen with the land once we claimed it. This compromise settled that and made the U.S. overall a lot bigger and eventually a lot more powerful. Without this compromise we might still be fighting over who and what would happen with the territory of Texas.

Underground Railroad/Harriet Tubman

The undergorund railroad was one that helped many slaves escape to the North from the South and also help them in going to Canada. Between the years of 1810-1815 the South is said to have lost nearly 100,000 slaves to the efforts caused by the Underground Railroad. There were stations where the slaves would stay during their time trying to escape, and was a very effective system during this time when this system was in full effect.

Harriet Tubman was originally brought over from Africa and was sent here to become a slave. Shewas famous because she was the woman who helped over 300 slaves escape from the South by helping them go to the North. In the year of 1849 she escaped her own plantation and was successful. Shortly after though she returnd to the plantation for many reasons. She eventually win her freedom and was a huge contributor in many slaves keeping their lives and eventually becoming free because of her.

Transcontinental Railroad

The Transcontinental Railroad linked the south side of the country and the eastern coast to the fast growing state of California. There were many people who traveled through this and it became a very popular mode of transportation among the people back then. This was important because it linked Califronia to the rest of the union during the Civil War. This is considered by some people to be one of the greatest technological advances of the entire 19th century. This railroad replaced the slower and more dangerous wagon and stage coaches that were the original modes of transporation.

Caning of Charles Sumnar/Bleeding Kansas

Chalrs Sumnar was a sentor from the state of Mass. He was the leader of the anti-slavery movement during his time. When Charles Sumnar adressed the issue regarding which of Nebraska and Kansas was going to become a free or a slave state he was frowned upon for it. There was one particular man upset about his opposition his name was Preston Brooks. He did not believe in Sumnar being a gentlemen so he did not challenge him in a dual. Instead, he chose a cane that was used to punish unruly dogs that he beat Charles Sumnar with.

Bleeding Kansas refers to the time when much violence was taking place because it was being decided weather Kansas was going to become a free or a slave state. There were many people known as "border ruffians" who would rush into the state and try to make the pro-slavery campaign have a greater effect on the states official decision. These were very divided sides and people hated the facy that Kansas was going to be able to choose their state being a free or slave on because of popular sovereignty.

Both of these were very important in leading up to the Civil War. For example, bleeding Kansas made pro and anti-slavery people hate each other even more which greatered the hatred for each other within the nation. This would be a huge contributor in eventually our nation having a Civil War. The caning of Charles Sumnar angered many people that were for him and made them overall hate the way things went down.

    

Kansas-Nebraska Act

The Kansas-Nebraska Act was something that was going to determine weather slavery would be present in Kansas or Nebraska. This decision would be chosen through Popular Sovereignty. Of course many of the people for slavery wanted them to be slave states, and the people against slavery wanted the states of Kansas and Nebraska to be free states. The issue of popular sovereignty played a role because the people of these two states would eventually vote on if these states of Kansas and Nebraska were to be free or slave states.

The Kansas-Nebraska Act would play a major role in leading up to the Civil War. These two states were to be kept one of each a slave and free state in order to keep the slave and free state ratio even in the country. This made a lot of people both mad and made them undertstand why at the same time. Kansas ended up becoming the slave state, while Nebraska ended up being the free state among the two. This is why this act was such a huge contributor to the Civil War.

Fugitive Slave Act, 1850

The Fugitive Slave Act made the people in the North fear the slave power conspiracy. The Fugitive Slave Act said that all of the runaway slaves at that time were to be brought directly back to their masters. This act was put into place because of so many slaves escaping their owners and "running away". By so many of these slaves running away from their owners it made slavery an almost impossible acts within the borders of the states. The Fugitive Slave Act made all of the runaway slaves that escaped to a free state, that the people living in that free state had to return the slaves to their masters.
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The Fugitive Slave Act angered many people and helped many people in leading up to the early stages of the Civil War. The slave owners were very excited for this to happen because they knew that if their slaves were to escape then they would more then likely be returned back to the owners themselves. The many people who were against slavery did not like having to return the runaway slaves back to their owners because they did not believe in slavery themselves.

Popular Sovereignty

Popular Sovereignty is the principle of how real a state is and how the state is is sustained by the will or even by the consent of the people. Popular Sovereignty was something that was going to let the states themelves decide where slavery shuold be permitted. Some of the country wanted the slavery that was presented mostly in the South and most other people like people in the north did not want anything to do with slavery of the slightest.

This became a huge debate leading up to the Civil War.  Slavery was one of the major factors that determined how the Civil War was going to  be fought. Popular Sovereignty was a huge part in making the different parts of the country debate over the subject of slavery. Overall, slavery was by far one of the biggest issues that brought about the Civil War and by this happening made the North and the South despise each other to say the least.

1846, Wilmot Proviso

The Wilmot Proviso provided an appropriation of $2 million to have the president at this time negotiate a deal for the current territorial settlement of Mexico. The man that pronouced this was a man by the name of David Wilmot. He introduced a bill that stated that no territory gained from Mexico should be open to slavery. This angered many of the Southerners that were fully open to slavery. This proposal did pass the house but then was rejected by the Senate. There were many debates between the north and south to do this or not which led to a lot of conflict eventually leading up to the Civil War.

Between the north and south one being for slavery and other side being opposed there were many conflicts between the two regions in leading up to the Civil War. These two sides would eventully collide and a huge reason for these two sides of the country going to war was in fact because of the Wilmot Proviso.