Causes of the Civil War: Key Events and Figures

The Missouri Compromise was a law passed in 1820 that aimed to settle the issue of slavery in the newly acquired territories.

Missouri was admitted as a slave state.

Maine was admitted as a free state.

A horizontal line drawn at 36°30'N latitude divided the Louisiana Purchase into free and slave territories.

James Monroe was the President of the United States during the Missouri Compromise.

Henry Clay was the politician who proposed the Missouri Compromise.

The Whig Party was a political party formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson.

The complete elimination of slavery from the United States.

Abolition was a movement primarily confined to the Northern states.

Uncle Tom's Cabin was a novel written by Harriet Beecher Stowe that depicted the realities of slave life in the South.

Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote the influential anti-slavery novel, Uncle Tom's Cabin.

James K. Polk was the President of the United States during the Mexican-American War.

The Democratic Party was the political party of President James K. Polk.

The annexation of Texas refers to the process of incorporating Texas into the United States.

Manifest Destiny was the belief that the United States was destined to expand its territory across the North American continent.

James K. Polk was a proponent of slavery. He supported its expansion.

The Mexican-American War was a conflict between the United States and Mexico over the disputed territory of Texas.

The Wilmot Proviso was a proposal that would have excluded slavery from any territories acquired from Mexico. This proposal failed to be enacted.

The Wilmot Proviso proposed that Texas would be admitted as a slave state, but the remaining acquired territories would be free.

The Wilmot Proviso failed to pass through Congress due to strong opposition and political divisions.

The Free-Soil Party was a political party formed in the 1840s that opposed the expansion of slavery into new territories.

Popular sovereignty was the idea that the people of a territory should decide whether or not to allow slavery.

The Compromise of 1850 was a series of laws that attempted to resolve the issue of slavery in the territories acquired from Mexico.

Henry Clay, Stephen Douglas, John C. Calhoun, Daniel Webster, William Seward, and Jefferson Davis were the politicians involved in the drafting of the Compromise of 1850.

California was admitted as a free state.

New Mexico and Utah territories were created without specifying a stance on slavery.

The Texas border was finally established, resolving a long-standing dispute.

The Fugitive Slave Act mandated the return of escaped slaves to their owners.

The slave trade was outlawed in Washington D.C. although slavery was still allowed.

The Fugitive Slave Act was the most controversial element of the Compromise of 1850. It fueled tensions between North and South.

The Kansas-Nebraska Act, proposed in 1854, allowed for the use of popular sovereignty in determining the status of slavery in Kansas and Nebraska territories. This meant the residents would vote on whether to allow slavery.

The Kansas-Nebraska Act repealed the Missouri Compromise of 1820, sparking a major political conflict.

The Republican Party emerged as a new political party, born from the merger of Whigs, Free-Soilers, and Abolitionists.

The Republican Party platform centered around preventing the expansion of slavery into new territories, making it a significant force in the years leading up to the Civil War.

Bleeding Kansas was a period of violence that erupted in Kansas over the issue of slavery.

Border Ruffians were pro-slavery Missouri residents who crossed the border into Kansas to try and influence elections in favor of slavery.

The Pottawatomie Massacre was a brutal event in Bleeding Kansas where pro-slavery settlers were killed by anti-slavery forces led by John Brown.

John Brown, an abolitionist driven by radical beliefs, played a central role in the Pottawatomie Massacre. This event marked a turning point in the escalating tensions surrounding slavery.

Dred Scott v. Sandford was a landmark Supreme Court case that involved a slave seeking his freedom based on his residence in free territory.

The Supreme Court ruled against Dred Scott, declaring that enslaved people were not citizens and had no right to sue in federal court. Additionally, the ruling invalidated the Missouri Compromise, signifying a major victory for pro-slavery forces.

Roger B. Taney was the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court during the Dred Scott case.

Missouri was admitted as a slave state, adding to the power of slave states in Congress.

Maine was admitted as a free state, counterbalancing Missouri's entry.

A horizontal line was drawn at 36°30' North latitude, dividing the Louisiana Purchase into territories where slavery was allowed or prohibited.

James Monroe, the President during the Missouri Compromise, helped to negotiate the agreement.

Henry Clay, known as the 'Great Compromiser', proposed the Missouri Compromise to appease both sides.

A political party formed in opposition to the policies of President Andrew Jackson, which included a lot of support from the North.

The complete elimination of slavery from the United States. It was a major cause of division between the North and South.

The anti-slavery novel Uncle Tom's Cabin was a powerful depiction of slave life and had a significant impact on public opinion.

Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote the influential anti-slavery novel Uncle Tom's Cabin.

James K. Polk, the President during the Mexican-American War, pushed for westward expansion and supported slavery.

The annexation of Texas refers to the process of incorporating Texas into the United States, which was a significant event in westward expansion.

The belief that the United States was destined to expand across the North American continent, often used to justify westward expansion, which often meant expanding slavery.

The Mexican-American War was a conflict between the United States and Mexico over disputed territory.

The Wilmot Proviso was a proposal aimed at preventing the expansion of slavery into territories acquired from Mexico.

The idea that the people of a territory should decide whether or not to allow slavery.

The Compromise of 1850 was a series of laws designed to resolve the issue of slavery in territories acquired from Mexico.

The Fugitive Slave Act mandated the return of escaped slaves to their owners, heightening tensions between the North and South.

The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 allowed for popular sovereignty to determine the status of slavery in the territories of Kansas & Nebraska, which had major consequences.

The Republican Party formed from former Whigs, Free-Soilers, and Abolitionists, uniting against the expansion of slavery. They became a major force in the country.

Bleeding Kansas was a period of violence in Kansas, fueled by the debate over slavery, demonstrating just how divisive the issue had become.

Border Ruffians were pro-slavery Missouri residents who crossed the border into Kansas to try and influence elections in favor of slavery.

The Pottawatomie Massacre was a brutal event where a group of anti-slavery forces killed pro-slavery residents in Kansas, further escalating the conflict.

John Brown, a radical abolitionist, was responsible for the Pottawatomie Massacre, further escalating the conflict over slavery.

Dred Scott v. Sandford was a landmark Supreme Court case that involved a slave who sued for his freedom after residing in free territory.

The Supreme Court ruled against Dred Scott, declaring enslaved people were not citizens, thus denying them the right to sue.

Roger Taney was Chief Justice of the Supreme Court during the Dred Scott case, a decision that had lasting ramifications, further dividing the North and South.