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Cause When (year) & Where Who – who are the major players? What was their role? What – what happened? Details of event. Why – why is this important? How did it lead to the Civil War? ESPN

Compromise of 1850 1850

California wanted to enter the union
Fugitive Slave Act 1849-1850

Runaways who escaped the South
Abolitionists/Northerners This act allowed, runaway slaves who had escaped to the North could be arrested and sent back to the South into slavery again. It required all citizens to turn into runaway slaves. You could be fined $1000 and imprisoned for aiding a slave. However, instead of turning in slaves most northerners would help hide them from kidnappers. It is important because it is
Uncle Tom’s Cabin

Harriet Stowe She wrote a novel
Kansas- Nebraska Act

Stephen A Douglas
Cause When (year) & Where Who – who are the major players? What was their role? What – what happened? Details of event. Why – why is this important? How did it lead to the Civil War? ESPN
Bleeding Kansas

1855-59



Abolitionists and slavery supporters After the Kansas-Nebraska Act both
Dred Scott Decision
1857

Dred Scott Dred Scott, an enslaved man, moved with his owner from Missouri (slave state) to Illinois and Wisconsin (free states). He realized he could be freed. He married… and took a case all the way to the Supreme Court in 1857. Northerners were shocked at Justice Roger B. Taney’s ruling and ruled that Scott was still a slave and further “justified” the slavery issue by ruling that all black people are inferior to whites etc., etc. South cheered on the ruling while the Noth looked on in horror the North spurted into action they were convinced that the South wanted to extend slavery so they became abolitionists.
This is important because it shows just how far and willing the Supreme Court Justice went to show that slavery was a good thing. How this led to the Civil War is that Scott put a name to slaves and put a fight.
John Brown’s Raid October 1859

John Brown was a radical abolitionist, murdered pro-slavery supporters during bleeding Kansas. Brown concocted a plan to raid the federal arsenal at Harper’s Ferry, VAA. His plan was to steal weapons, give those weapons to slaves who would then rise up and start a widespread revolt. Brown tried to recruit other abolitionists and slavesjfdldsja
Election of 1860
1860

1 answer

Here's a detailed overview of the key events leading up to the Civil War, formatted in the specified ESPN style:

Compromise of 1850

  • Cause: California wanted to enter the Union.
  • When (year) & Where: 1850, Washington D.C.
  • Who – Major Players:
    • Henry Clay: Proposed the compromise to ease tensions.
    • Stephen A. Douglas: Supported the compromise and helped passage through Congress.
    • John C. Calhoun: Opposed the compromise, emphasizing states' rights and the South's interests.
  • What – What Happened: California was admitted as a free state, while the South received a stronger Fugitive Slave Act. The compromise aimed to balance slave and free states in Congress.
  • Why – Importance Leading to Civil War: The compromise temporarily averted conflict but highlighted the deepening divide over slavery. The Fugitive Slave Act angered many Northerners, pushing them towards abolitionism.

Fugitive Slave Act

  • Cause: The need for stronger measures to return runaway slaves.
  • When (year) & Where: 1849-1850, Nationwide (specifically affecting Northern states)
  • Who – Major Players:
    • Abolitionists: Opposed the act and worked to assist runaway slaves.
    • Northern Citizens: Often defied the laws to help escaped slaves.
  • What – What Happened: The act mandated that escaped slaves be returned to their owners and penalized anyone aiding their escape with fines and imprisonment.
  • Why – Importance Leading to Civil War: It intensified Northern opposition to slavery and increased support for abolitionist movements, illustrating the moral and legal conflicts surrounding slavery.

Uncle Tom’s Cabin

  • Cause: Growing abolitionist sentiment in the North.
  • When (year) & Where: Published in 1852, Northern states.
  • Who – Major Players:
    • Harriet Beecher Stowe: Author of the influential novel.
  • What – What Happened: The novel depicted the harsh realities of slavery and humanized enslaved people, sparking outrage in the North while angering the South.
  • Why – Importance Leading to Civil War: The book galvanized Northern attitudes against slavery and brought the issues of human rights and morality to the forefront of public consciousness.

Kansas-Nebraska Act

  • Cause: Need to organize territories for the construction of the transcontinental railroad.
  • When (year) & Where: 1854, Kansas and Nebraska territories.
  • Who – Major Players:
    • Stephen A. Douglas: Advocated for the act, believing in popular sovereignty.
  • What – What Happened: The act allowed the territories to decide on slavery through popular sovereignty, leading to violence and conflict in Kansas.
  • Why – Importance Leading to Civil War: It led to "Bleeding Kansas," a violent struggle between pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers that foreshadowed the violent conflicts of the Civil War.

Bleeding Kansas

  • Cause: Tensions from the Kansas-Nebraska Act.
  • When (year) & Where: 1855-1859, Kansas Territory.
  • Who – Major Players:
    • Abolitionists: Settled in Kansas to oppose slavery.
    • Pro-Slavery Supporters: Moved to Kansas to influence the vote on slavery.
  • What – What Happened: Violent clashes occurred as both groups tried to assert control over Kansas' decision on slavery, resulting in widespread bloodshed and political turmoil.
  • Why – Importance Leading to Civil War: This conflict demonstrated the extent to which North and South would go over the issue of slavery, highlighting that compromise was no longer viable.

Dred Scott Decision

  • Cause: A legal challenge regarding citizenship and rights of enslaved people.
  • When (year) & Where: 1857, Supreme Court of the United States.
  • Who – Major Players:
    • Dred Scott: Enslaved man who sued for his freedom.
    • Roger B. Taney: Chief Justice who ruled against Scott.
  • What – What Happened: The Supreme Court ruled that Scott had no right to sue, declaring that African Americans were not citizens and the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional.
  • Why – Importance Leading to Civil War: The decision inflamed sectional tensions, with the North viewing it as evidence of the South's attempt to expand slavery. It mobilized more people towards abolitionism.

John Brown’s Raid

  • Cause: Radical response to the injustice of slavery.
  • When (year) & Where: October 1859, Harper’s Ferry, Virginia.
  • Who – Major Players:
    • John Brown: Abolitionist leader who orchestrated the raid.
  • What – What Happened: Brown led a raid on the federal arsenal in Harper's Ferry, intending to arm enslaved people for a revolt. The raid was quickly suppressed, and Brown was captured.
  • Why – Importance Leading to Civil War: The raid freaked the South out, leading to fears of widespread uprisings. It galvanized both sides, leading to increased militarization and preparing for conflict.

Election of 1860

  • Cause: Growing dissent over slavery and the national landscape.
  • When (year) & Where: 1860, Nationwide.
  • Who – Major Players:
    • Abraham Lincoln: Republican candidate advocating against the expansion of slavery.
    • Stephen A. Douglas: Northern Democrat advocating popular sovereignty.
    • John C. Breckinridge: Southern Democrat supporting slavery.
    • John Bell: Constitutional Union candidate proposing unity over sectional issues.
  • What – What Happened: Lincoln won the presidency without carrying a single Southern state, leading to fears of abolitionist policies in the South.
  • Why – Importance Leading to Civil War: His election prompted Southern states to secede, believing their interests were threatened, ultimately leading to the outbreak of the Civil War.

This table gives a comprehensive overview of significant events and their implications, crucial for understanding the complexities that led to the U.S. Civil War.