The Oregon Trail and Westward Expansion

Missouri Compromise and the Fugitive Slave Act

• The politician responsible for the Missouri Compromise was Henry Clay.
• The Fugitive Slave Act required citizens to assist in the capture and return of runaway slaves.

Impact of the Fugitive Slave Act

• The passage of the Fugitive Slave Act led to widespread outrage and increased tensions between the North and South.

Harriet Beecher Stowe and Uncle Tom's Cabin

• Harriet Beecher Stowe was catalyzed to become more involved in the abolitionist cause after the passage of the Fugitive Slave Act.
• Stowe wrote the novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin", which detailed the injustices of slavery.
• The novel portrayed characters such as Uncle Tom, Eliza, and Topsy.
• The book enlightened millions to the plight of enslaved people and had a profound impact on its readers, evoking strong emotions and sparking controversy.

The Abolitionist Movement and the 1850s

• Conditions in the United States in the 1850s created a highly polarized and tumultuous atmosphere.
• The political elite in the South during the 1850s were primarily slave owners and their sympathizers.
• Abolitionists, like Stowe, played a crucial role in the movement, and some were willing to take the fight to the South through political maneuvering and overt violence.
• Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel helped to galvanize public opinion against slavery, perpetuating stereotypes and archetypes, such as the "Mammy" and the "Tragic Mulatto".