A Dividing Nation Timeline: Causes of the Civil War, 1820-1859
Event & Summary Image
Date
Missouri
Compromise
Date:
1820
As the United States expanded Westward, the country
debated whether new states should allow slavery, or
ban it. In 1820, the country was divided with 11 slave
states and 11 free states , which evenly split any votes
about slavery in the Senate. The territory of Missouri
wanted to become a slave state, which would upset this
balance in the Senate. To preserve the balance, the
Missouri Compromise was created stating that the
territory of Maine would become a free state at the
same time Missouri became a state, and all the territory
north of latitude 36° 30’ would be free of slavery.
“A Founding Father on the
Missouri Compromise, 1819 |
Gilder Lehrman Institute of
American History.” Gilder
Lehrman Institute of American
History |,
[Link]
g/history-resources/spotlight-
primary-source/founding-
father-missouri-compromise-
1819. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
Compromise
of 1850 In the years after the Mexican-American War ended in
1848, there was a debate over should slavery be
Date: allowed in the Mexican Cession territories, or not. When
1850
California applied to become a free state, Southerners
objected because this would upset the balance of slave
and free states and threatened to leave the Union. The -
Compromise of 1850 was created as an attempt to solve
the conflict: California became a free state, New Mexico
and Utah would decide whether to allow or ban slavery
(This is called popular sovereignty,) the slave trade was
banned in Washington, D.C., and finally, stronger
fugitive slave laws were created. Many Northerners were
outraged by the Fugitive Slave Act and refused to
enforce it, enraging Southerners. Adding to the fire was “Congressional Scales. A True
Balance - Color Film Copy
a popular new book, Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Transparency) | Library of
Beecher Stowe, which described the horrors of slavery. Congress.” The Library of
Congress,
[Link]
/cph.3g04552/. Accessed 23
Apr. 2025.
Kansas-
Nebraska To help build a railroad, Senator Stephen Douglas
Act helped create the Kansas-Nebraska Act in 1854. This act
abolished the Missouri Compromise by stating that
Date: settlers in Kansas and Nebraska could vote on whether
1854 to permit slavery in their territories; this policy is called
popular sovereignty .The possibility of slavery spreading
to new territories outraged Northerners .
Drexler, Ken. “Introduction -
Kansas-Nebraska Act:
Primary Documents in
American History - Research
Guides at Library of
Congress.” Home - Research
Guides at Library of Congress,
[Link]
nebraska-act. Accessed 23
Apr. 2025.
Brooks violent, Sumner
Bleeding
Kansas &
Violence When the Kansas-Nebraska act was passed many people
in moved to Kansas looking to either oppose or support slavery.
Congress Slavery supporters from Missouri attacked the capital of the
anti-slavery government in Kansas. After this attack John
Date: Brown plotted revenge for days he went and attacked and
killed five men by cutting them up with swords. Not only did “Bleeding Kansas: From the
1856 Kansas-Nebraska Act to
the danger not stop in the states, there was a violent attack in
congress. Senator Sumner began to suggest that Douglas Harpers Ferry | Civil War on
plotted to increase slavery, not only did he suggest that he the Western Border.” Home
decided to help abuse on Pro-Slavery senators. A relative of Page | Civil War on the Western
one of the senators Sumner had abused named Preston Border,
Brooks attacked him with his steel-tipped cane. [Link]
[Link]/articles/bleeding-
kansas-kansas-nebraska-act-
harpers-ferry. Accessed 25
Apr. 2025.
The Dred
Scott A slave named Dred Scott was taken by his owner to a
Decision territory where slavery was banned by the Missouri
Compromise. Later he sued for his freedom since he
Date: had lived in a place where slavery was illegal. The
1857 Supreme Court debated the court case and then released
a bombshell decision:
1. Slaves couldn’t sue for their freedom because
African Americans weren’t citizens.
2. The Missouri Compromise was
unconstitutional because, by banning slavery,
it violated a citizen’s constitutional right to
own property (meaning owning slaves.) U
rofsky, Melvin. “Dred Scott
The reaction to the Dred Scott Decision was divided: Decision.” Encyclopædia
Southerners were elated and Northerners were Britannica, Encyclopædia
enraged. Britannica,
[Link]
vent/Dred-Scott-decision.
Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
John John Brown hatched a plot to take over Harpers Ferry
Brown's and give weapons to slaves to start a rebellion to end
Raid on slavery. On the day of this violence many people were
Harpers killed or arrested John Brown got charged with treason
Ferry and sentenced to death.
Date:
1859
“Harpers Ferry Raid.”
Encyclopædia Britannica,
Encyclopædia Britannica,
[Link]
vent/Harpers-Ferry-Raid.
Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
