Road to Civil War

Harriett Beacher Stowe

abolitionist who wrote Uncle Toms Cabin that depicted the harsh realities of slavery that later helped the movement against slavery and fueled the Civil War

Stephen Douglas

a pro-slavery american politician and lawyer who is often popular for his debates against Abraham Lincoln. he favored popular sovereignty and helped place the Kansas-Nebraska Act. He ran as the Northern Democratic President but lost to Lincoln

Kansas Nebraska Act

The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 was a law that created two new territories—Kansas and Nebraska—and allowed the settlers in those territories to decide for themselves whether or not to allow slavery. This concept was known as popular sovereignty.

Know-Nothings

political party known for its anti-immigrant stance and secrecy. also known as the American party. Millard Filmore who was a former president was the main leader and ran again as part of the party in 1856

Whigs

as more acts among slavery they began to collapse and divide between the north and south and beliefs of slavery. many in the north fell into he republican party with Lincoln and others in the south in the democratic party

Free Soil Party

group that contained not necessarily abolitionist nor pro-slavery people they believed that slavery shouldn’t expand into any new territories but the ones who already have it are fine. they believed it hurt white laborers from becoming wealthy. Martin Van Buren and John P Hale were two canditates who ran under this party. they helped raise awareness of the slavery issue

Republican Party

anti-slavery political party in the more northern party of the US. was created in response to the Kansas Nebraska Act. It included Lincoln abolitionists, whigs, free soil people, and anti-slavery democrats. opposed the expansion of slavery and the need to have good slave labor to be wealthy. they took part in the violence in Bleeding Kansas and John C Freemont ran for this party but lost and then later Lincoln won under this party.

Bleeding Kansas

violent conflict in Lawrence, Kansas over the rise of view on slavery. starts with Douglas repealing the Missouri compromise and allowed popular sovereignty to vote on if Kansas would become a free or slaved state. soon pro and anti-slavery people rushed into to Kansas to illegally vote and then two rial gov’t were formed rising tension. then in sack of Lawrence pro-slavery attacks abolitionists at Lawrence, then in response the pottawamee massacre occurred where John Brown and his men murder people including 5 pro-slavery people in front of their families.

New England Emigrant Aid Society

anti-slavery party that sends aboltionists into to Kansas to illegally vote it as a free state

Popular Sovereignty

the idea that people in the US could vote themselves if slavery should be allowed in territories. it was more common on the democratic side

Border Ruffians

pro-slavery people who rushed into Kansas from Missouri to illegally vote Kansas as a slave state

John Brown

abolitionist who led a group of men to murder innocent people in response to the mob sent on Lawrence. known as the pottawomie massacre. he then also led an attack on harpers ferry which failed and he was captured by Robert E Lee

Sack of Lawrence

pro-slavery men attack the anti-slavery town of Lawrence, destroyed thing burned down buildings. nobody was killed but raised a lot of anger and violence. it was a part of the bleeding Kansas.

Pottawatomie Massacre

an anti-slavery man John Brown and his followers kill 5 pro-slavery settlers. they drew them from their homes to the creek. Brown was angry from the sack of Lawrence and wanted revenge.

Charles Sumner

anti-slavery senator that made a fiery speech against the violence preformed by pro-slavery people in Kansas and he mocked SC senator Andrew Butler that resulted in his nephew Preston Brooks beating Sumner with a cane almost killing him.

Preston Brooks

Senator Andrew Butlrs Nephew who beated Charles Sumner with a can after he mocked his uncle in his speech

Dred Scott

enslaved man crossed into free territories so he should’ve legally been a free man but his owner didn’t free him so he sues him and the case reaches the supreme court

Roger B. Taney

The chief justice at the time that believed slaves weren’t US citizens so they didn’t have the right to sue including dred Scott. he played a big role in that case and the rights Scott had.

Abraham Lincoln

the 16th president who promoted anti-slavery and was a part of the Republican party. he became popular especially through his debates with Stephen A Douglas on the views of slavery. he was an abolitionist but generally just didn’t want slavery to expand into new territories

Freeport Doctrine

a statement by Douglas that explained popular sovereignty and how slavery can be prohibited it even if Congres said slavery cant be banned in territories. this split the Democratic party into the Northern and Southern Democrats. it said that society together could choose to stop slavery but the danger of slavery was still out there so people like Lincoln believed it didn’t fully recognize or help stop slavery

Harpers Ferry

when John brown led men to raid on Harpers ferry, Virginia. he bleived slavery could only end with violence so he seized weapons and got enslaved people to try and start a slave revolt. it had failed when Brown was captured by Robert E Lee.

Describe the differences between Douglas and Lincoln.

Douglas was huge on popular sovereignty and having less gov’t power when it came to deciding where slavery is allowed. he wants to balance the interests and the north and south but it ended up doing the opposite. however Lincoln believed in limiting slavery and preserving the union. he believed popular sovereignty wasn’t actually solving the issue of slavery and that the gov’t should be involved in stopping it. he believed that slavery was morally wrong but allowed for slavery to continue where it is already being practiced like the south.

Why did Douglas want the Kansas-Nebraska Act? Why wasn’t he worried about slavery in the west?

because he wanted to build a railroad across the US especially through Illinois. he also believed in popular sovereignty and to reduce conflict over slavery.

How did Douglas convince the South to vote for the Kansas-Nebraska act?

because it gave them hope that slavery could happen and expand in the territories.

Why did Kansas become referred to as “Bleeding Kansas”?

because of the violent conflict that erupted in Kansas between pro-slavery and anti-slavery people over whether or not Kansas should be a free or slaved state.

Why was the Sumner Affair important?

because it highlighted and pointed out the hostility and violence that has grown between the north and south over slavery.

How did the Dred Scott decision impact sectionalism and popular sovereignty?

it deepened the divide between the north and south bc it favored salary and that us was almost protecting the south and slavery which angered the north who opposed slavery. it hurt popular sovereignty because the decision said that it wasn’t legal to prohibit slavery which weakens the idea that citizens can decide whether slavery could be prohibited or not.