People:
Abraham Lincoln: former Congressmen from Illinois who won the Republican nomination for President in 1860. Lincoln’s view on slavery was considered moderate; he opposed the spread of slavery but promised not to support abolishing it where it already existed.
John Brown: abolitionist who participated in the violent actions of “Bleeding Kansas” where he swore to “strike terror in the hearts of pro-slavery” people. In October of 1859, Brown attempted to start a slave revolt in Virginia by attacking a federal arsenal in Harper’s Ferry Virginia.
Frederick Douglas: former slave that became one of the leading abolitionists in the United States as well as in Europe. His autobiography detailed his life as a slave and became one of the best selling books in the U.S.
William Lloyd Garrison: prominent abolitionist who founded the anti-slavery newspaper The Liberator in 1831. Helped form the American Anti Slavery Society that became the largest abolitionist organization in the country.
Dred Scott: former slave of an army surgeon that was originally stationed in St. Louis. When his owner was transferred to Illinois, Scott believed that he should be free. In 1846, Scott sued for his freedom, saying that he had become free when he lived in a free territory. Scott’s case would reach the Supreme Court in 1856.
John C. Fremont: the first Republican presidential nominee. Fremont vocally opposed the spread of slavery, and was widely opposed in the South. The Governor of Virginia predicted, “If Fremont is elected, there will be a revolution”.
Eli Thayer: abolitionist from Massachusetts and a member of the House of Representatives from 1857 to 1861. In 1854, Thayer organized the Massachusetts Emigrant Aid Company to send anti-slavery settlers to the Kansas Territory.
Harriet Beecher Stowe: as an abolitionist and an author, Stowe impacted millions of people regarding slavery. Her most famous novel, Uncle Tom’s Cabin was written as a response to the Fugitive Slave Act and became one of the top selling novels of the 19th Century.
Roger B. Taney: a long serving member of the U.S. government, Taney had served as both the Secretary of Treasury and Attorney General under Andrew Jackson. As Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Taney delivered the ruling on Dred Scott’s case.
Harriet Tubman: a former slave and abolitionist. Took part in thirteen missions to rescue more than seventy slaves from bondage. Tubman’s work on the Underground Railroad made national headlines and made her a wanted criminal.
Stephen Douglas: member of the House of Representatives and U.S. Senator from Illinois. Douglas initially proposed the Kansas-Nebraska Act in order to secure Chicago’s bid to be the hub of the Transcontinental Railroad. In 1858, Douglas and Abraham Lincoln engaged in a series of debates that gained national attention.
Henry Clay: known as “The Great Compromiser”, Clay served as a member of the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate from Kentucky. Clay was the driving force behind both the Missouri Compromise and the Compromise of 1850.
John C. Calhoun: member of the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate from South Carolina. Calhoun was a strong advocate for state’s rights and believed that any state had the right to nullify any federal law that they deemed was unconstitutional. Calhoun rejected the Compromise of 1850, and warned that the North would use its size and strength to dominate the South.
Charles Sumner: U.S. Senator from Massachusetts and an outspoken critic of slavery. Sumner attacked the Fugitive Slave Act and the Kansas-Nebraska Act of the Senate floor. Representative Preston Brooks from South Carolina attacked in the Senate Chamber sparking rallies of outrage across the North.
Lydia Maria Child: was an author, editor, and abolitionist who served on the executive committee of the American Anti-Slavery Society. Her 1833 book, An Appeal in Favor of That Class of Americans Called Africans called for an immediate emancipation of slaves.
Harriet Ann Jacobs: was an American writer, abolitionist, and reformer who escaped slavery. Jacobs became a member of the Anti-Slavery and spoke to audiences about the evils of slavery. In 1861, Her autobiography, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl was published in 1861 and created a storm of controversy.
Sam Houston: U.S. Senator from Texas from 1846-1859. Houston spoke out against the growing sectionalism in the country, warning that the nation was on the brink of breaking apart. During the debate of the Compromise of 1850, Houston said, “a nation divided against itself cannot stand.” He opposed the Kansas-Nebraska Act, warning that it would further divide the nation.
Daniel Webster: U.S. Senator from Massachusetts. Webster was known to be a fierce opponent of slavery while serving in the Senate. Henry Clay sought out Webster’s support in order to have the Compromise of 1850 passed.
David Wilmot: member of the House of Representatives who attempted to stop the spread of slavery into territories that were gained from the Mexican-American War. Wilmot’s Proviso brought the controversy of expanding slavery into the national debate and impacted the Presidential Election of 1852.
John Quincy Adams: the sixth President of the United States, Adams was later elected to the House of Representatives. While serving as a Congressman, Adams became an outspoken critic of slavery and the slave trade. In 1841, Adams represented the African slaves of the Amsitad in their court case.
Events:
The Annexation of Texas
The Publication of Uncle Tom’s Cabin
The Missouri Compromise
The Fugitive Slave Act
The Dred Scott Decision
The Compromise of 1850
Bleeding Kansas
The Kansas Nebraska Act
John Brown’s Raid on Harpers Ferry
The Formation of the Republican Party
The Election of 1860
The Lincoln-Douglas Debates: debates between U.S. Senator Stephen Douglas and Senate candidate Abraham Lincoln. The debates between Lincoln and Douglas gained national attention.
The Ostend Manifesto: a plan that called for the United States to annex Cuba and further expand slavery.
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