Download Compromise of 1850 and the Road to the American Civil War: A Timeline and more Quizzes United States History in PDF only on Docsity! TERM 1 Compromise of 1850 DEFINITION 1 dealt with land acquired from Mexico creates more tension, not less "popular sovereignty" only supposed to apply to Mexican acquired land TERM 2 Kansas - Nebraska Act DEFINITION 2 Stephen A Douglas - (Democratic senator from Illinois) - proposes (1852) a law to apply popular sovereignty to Kansas and Nebraska these were supposed to be free under the Missouri Compromise (1820) Douglas believes that the people should vote on slavery not all Democrats agree, believe that slave owners will try to make all states into "slave states" law passes TERM 3 Bleeding Kansas DEFINITION 3 1854 - Kansas votes on whether to become a slave or free state. Thousands of people from Missouri vote in Kansas, Kansas becomes a slave state in opposition to the desires of those who live there president Buchanan refuses to step in there is fighting, violence, towns are burned, several hundred die TERM 4 Whigs in the 1850s DEFINITION 4 slavery is a volatile issue Whigs are more concerned with building industry, have no opinion on slavery issue. Their popularity begins to decline. TERM 5 Know-Nothings DEFINITION 5 compete with the Whigs in the 1850s primary goal to limit the influence (rights) of immigrants, feel that they are a threat to the country, fear influence of Catholicism popular in NY, northeast TERM 6 Free-Soilers DEFINITION 6 still around in the 1850s don't want slavery in the West TERM 7 Formation of the Republican Party DEFINITION 7 Election of 1856 - Whigs & Free Soilers join forces to become Republicans Democrats win the election, Republicans join with Know- Nothings to raise their numbers TERM 8 Dred Scott Case DEFINITION 8 1857 - Missouri slave Dred Scott was taken by his master to free states (Illinois, Indiana) - pleads that he is now free Supreme Court declares that: only whites can be citizens and use the courts Because Scott returned to Missouri, he forfeited his freedom Northwest Ordinance and Missouri Compromise were Unconstitutional (Congress does not have authority to declare free and slave states) TERM 9 impact of Dred Scott Case DEFINITION 9 Scott and his wife are sold to another owner that set them free North feels threatened that slavery might spread to them; more tension between North and South; abolition becomes more urgent TERM 10 Lincoln - Douglas Debates DEFINITION 10 1858 - Illinois senatorial election Lincoln (Republican) and Stephen Douglas (Democrat) campaign across the state for their parties immensely popular debates - thousands attend dominant topic is slavery
