Trigger Events of the Civil War

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What was the Missouri Compromise of 1820?

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An agreement admitting Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state, preserving Congressional balance and dividing territories along the 36°30' parallel into free and slave regions.

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What was Nat Turner’s Rebellion?

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An 1831 slave uprising in Virginia led by Nat Turner, resulting in the deaths of around 60 white people and the execution of Turner and 55 others.

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What was the Wilmot Proviso?

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A proposed legislation to outlaw slavery in territories acquired from the Mexican-American War, sparking serious discussions of secession despite its failure.

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What was the Compromise of 1850?

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An agreement admitting California as a free state, strengthening the Fugitive Slave Act, and postponing hostilities between North and South.

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Why was Uncle Tom’s Cabin significant?

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Harriet Beecher Stowe’s book highlighted the horrors of slavery, polarized North and South, and became the second-best-selling book in 19th-century America.

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What was Bleeding Kansas?

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A violent conflict from 1854 to 1859 over slavery in Kansas, sparked by the Kansas-Nebraska Act and popular sovereignty, leading to guerilla warfare and over 50 deaths.

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What was the Dred Scott Decision?

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A Supreme Court ruling in 1857 declaring slaves as property without legal rights, intensifying polarization and challenging territorial limitations on slavery.

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What were the Lincoln-Douglas Debates?

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Seven debates in 1858 between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas on slavery, propelling Lincoln to national prominence and alienating Douglas from Southern Democrats.

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What was John Brown’s Raid?

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An 1859 armed insurrection led by John Brown at Harpers Ferry to incite a slave rebellion, ending in his capture and execution.

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What was the significance of Abraham Lincoln’s election in 1860?

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Lincoln’s election as a Republican alarmed Southerners, leading to South Carolina’s secession and the eventual secession of six more states.