Causes of the Civil War timeline key terms

What event triggered the Civil War?

The attack on Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861, marked the start of the Civil War.

What was the Missouri Compromise?

A 1820 agreement that allowed Missouri to enter as a slave state and Maine as a free state.

True or false: The Compromise of 1850 favored the North.

False, because it included the Fugitive Slave Act which angered many in the North.

Difference between the abolitionist movement and the Free Soil movement.

Abolitionists sought to end slavery entirely, while Free Soilers opposed the expansion of slavery into new territories.

What did the Dred Scott decision declare?

In 1857, the Supreme Court ruled that African Americans could not be citizens and that Congress could not ban slavery in territories.

Fill in the blank: The ________ Act of 1850 enforced harsh penalties on runaway slaves.

Fugitive Slave

Who authored 'Uncle Tom's Cabin'?

'Uncle Tom's Cabin' was written by Harriet Beecher Stowe in 1852, highlighting the moral issues of slavery.

What was the impact of the Kansas-Nebraska Act?

Passed in 1854, it led to violent conflicts known as 'Bleeding Kansas' over the issue of slavery in new territories.

True or false: Secession was an immediate response to Lincoln's election.

True, because Southern states feared Lincoln would restrict slavery, leading to their secession.

What was John Brown's raid?

In 1859, John Brown led a raid on Harper's Ferry to initiate a slave uprising, which heightened tensions.

Comparison: Free Soil vs. Abolitionism

Free Soil focused on preventing slavery's expansion, while abolitionism aimed for total eradication.

What year did the Civil War officially begin?

The Civil War commenced in 1861 with the attack on Fort Sumter.

What was the significance of the Gadsden Purchase?

Acquired in 1854, it aimed to facilitate a southern transcontinental railroad, impacting slavery debates.

Who was the first state to secede?

South Carolina was the first state to secede from the Union in December 1860.

True or false: The Underground Railroad was a network to assist enslaved people.

True, it was a secret network helping enslaved people escape to freedom in the North.

What did the Wilmot Proviso propose?

Introduced in 1846, it aimed to ban slavery in territories acquired from Mexico, but it failed to pass.

What was the main outcome of the Election of 1860?

Abraham Lincoln's election prompted several Southern states to secede from the Union.

Fill in the blank: The ________ debates were pivotal for Abraham Lincoln's political career.

Lincoln-Douglas

What did the term 'Bleeding Kansas' refer to?

It described the violent clashes in Kansas between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions in the mid-1850s.

Who were the border ruffians?

Pro-slavery activists from Missouri who crossed into Kansas to influence the slavery debate through violence.