The Road to the Civil War
Directions: Using the PowerPoints, fill in the boxes below to get a better understanding of the events that led to the Civil War. Each of
the events below played an important role in the Southern United States decision to succeed. As we all know, this decision was not
irrational as each of the Southern states felt threatened by the Northern for specific reasons.
Please make sure that you EXPLAIN what happened during each event and EXPLAIN how that fueled the South’s decision to succeed
from the United States in 1860.
I have provided you an example below of what my expectation is for each box. Please make sure that you try your best to follow my
example if you would like to receive full credit.
Event
Date
What Happened?
How did this fuel the Civil War?
Compromise of 1850
1850
● California applied for statehood,
Congress initially did not want to
approve it.
● This would upset the balance
between slave and free states
● Series of compromises that would
keep the balance
● California was admitted, New
Mexico and Utah territory would
decide issue on slavery Fugitive
Slave Law strenghtened
Bought the north and south some
time through compromises to avoid
secession and war, but would
eventually upset the south and their
belief that their states rights were
being violated.
Fugitive Slave Act
1850
● The Law enforcement was required
to arrest runaway slaves anywhere
in the U.S. and return them to their
owners
● Runaway slaves were identified
purely by their owner and runaways
received no trial
● Any free black was now in dan
Uncle Tom’s Cabin is
published
Kansas Nebraska
Act/Bleeding Kansas
1852
●
New Political Parties Emerge
(The Know Nothing and
Republican Party)
1854
The Dred Scott Decision
1857
Lincoln Douglas Debates
1858
Sumner Butler Fight
1858
John Brown’s Raid in
1859
● Written by Harriet Beecher Stowe in
1852
● Sold 300,000 copies in its first year
of publication
● Made more people aware of the
reality of slavery
● Allowed the 2 new territories to
exercise popular sovereignty to decide
the issue of slavery
● The act repealed the Missouri
Compromise
● Initially successful, but short-lived
since its members were divided
over slavery
● Nativist party that opposed
immigration
● Brooks attacked Sumner with
a cane on the floor of the
Senate, savagely beating him
until the cane broke
● Brooks would resign his seat
and be fined $300 for
assault, but went otherwise
unpunished
Harpers Ferry
Election of 1860
1860