Airhead101's+Events+Up+To+Civil+War+(Paragraphs)

Airhead101's Events Up To Civil War Paragraphs

 * Topics:**
 * Kansas-Nebraska Act
 * Fugitive Slave Act
 * Uncle Tom's Cabin
 * The Dred Scott Decision
 * Leaving the Union
 * The Election of 1860
 * The Raid on Harpers Ferry
 * Expansion of Slavery


 * 1.)** Read about topic
 * 2.)** Write about topic - What were they about? [Who? What? When? Where? Why?]
 * 3 + 4.)** How do these topics cause a seperation of the United States? Why were these events so important?
 * 5.)** What is the abolitionist movement?


 * 1.) The Kansas-Nebraska Act**
 * In January of 1854 during a meeting in Congress, Stephen Douglas introduced the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which proposed to divide the remainder of the Louisana Purchase into two territories. Kansas and Nebraska. The reason for this act was that Douglas want to build a railroad that began in Chicago, Illinois that would stretch to the Pacific. Congress proposed a southern route, but Congress said that they would abondon that plan unless Missori could be open to slavery. This act would also eliminate the Missori Compromise's restricitions. Many people, mostly the south did not like the idea, so they rebeled against Douglas by sending petitions to Congress.


 * 2.) The Fugitive Slave Act**
 * As part of the Compromis of 1850 and under government laws, it was considered a crime to help a fugitive (runaway) slave. Whether you were in free slave or slave states you would be put into jail for 6 months and fined with $1,000. If you brought back a slave or attemped to find the owner was given a reward. About 10 years after the law had been passed for the first time abiut 343 fugitive slave cases had come through, and all of those causes, only 11 of the accused slaves were let free. Many people including Afican-Americans were beginning to worry about the consequences that could occur. Due to the fact that some slaves did not deal with this act, they fled to Canada to avoid it. Abolitionists were opposed by the Fugitive Slave Act, they were very involved. Which at one point could lead to violence.


 * 3.) //Uncle Tom's Cabin//**
 * **//Uncle Tom's Cabin//** written by Harriet Beecher Stowe sparked a lot of controversy in the South. She was born in Connecticut, then later moved to Ohio. Lots of abolitionists, such as her, wrote about stories about fugitive slaves; some that actually lived during the time period. In her book, that was published in 1852 was about a man and how his experience was during the war. Being beaten to death and other things. Stowe wrote the narritive to inform northerners about how slavery was actually like. Southern people would criticize the book saying that the "foul imagination which could invent such scenes." The book in its first year in printing sold 300,00 copies. About 10 years later, the book had solld over 2 million copies.


 * 4.) The Dred Scott Decision**
 * Dred Scott, the slave of Dr. John Emerson. Emerson was an army surgeon. Emerson had passed away and Scott was left to Emerson's widow. In 1846, Scott sued for his freedom, stating that since he lived on free soil, he should be free. Scott's case reached court and there were issues that the South were bringing up. The verdicit was written Chief Justice Roger B. Taney. He told the court that since Dred Scott is not a citizen of the U.S, he had no right to sue in court. Since Scott came back to Missori, a slave state he is not considered a free slave. Also, it was declared that Congress could not ban slavery in any federal territory.


 * 5.) Leaving The Union**
 * Many southers were very worried about, when Lincoln would be in power the would have to abolish slavery. Lincoln told the southeners that he would not touch the law of slavery, but the law will be on the road to abolished. The southeners were happy but, had enough with that put into place. Right after President Lincoln's election, the state of Ssouth Carolina held a convention about having thoughts about seccession or complete withdrawl from the other states. The Constitution did not clearly touch up about secession but, says that the states must have a convention that ratify the Constitution, SC though you could do the same thing to get out of the Union.


 * 6.) The Election of 1860**
 * In 1860, the country was getting ready for a new election. The Constiutional Party, as everyone knows elected President Lincoln. The Democrats had various problems trying to pick their perfect candidate to put into the race. Though, who ever the Democrat's picked they would not be able to stand up to Lincoln. who in the end won the election by a land slide. Therefore, Abraham Lincoln became the President of the United States. The southerners were very displeased with the election's outcome.


 * 7.) The Raid On Harpers Ferry**
 * The Raid On Harpers Ferry was in 1858, when John Brown was planning to seize weapons from an arsenal in Virginia. Brown succeeded in seizing the arsenal there and then encouraged blacks to come to Harpers Ferry but, none actually came. The blacks knew that they would get severe punishment if they helped out with Brown's plan. At Harper's Ferry. Colonol Robert E. Lee ordered marines into a firehouse where Brown was. two men were killed and the other were captured, including Brown. Brown was later convicted for treason, conspiracy, slave rebellion and more.


 * 8.) Expansion of Slavery**
 * After the win of the mexican war, which ended in an addition the country. To a certain latitude, slavery was either prohibited or allowed in certain parts of the country. One president wanted to extend that line to the Pacific Coast but, most people did not like the idea of it. A law was propose known as the Wilmot Proviso which stated "neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall ever exist in any part of [the] territory." Lots of people agreed but, the law collapsed because of the Senate, where the South had mroe control.


 * 3 + 4.)**
 * These topics caused the seperation in the United States. In most of these conflicts the South had different points of view on the war. Whenever the North or South proposed an idea, the other side would find negatievs about it and rebel. These issues are imporant because the events that took place and the controversy between the North and South caused the Civil War to start and end with the win by the North.


 * 5.)**
 * An abolisionist movement is when a person against slavery goes against the people who believe in slavery and "fight" persay about their differences and the war and slavery in paticular