1820 - Missouri Compromise

Agreement made to keep the balance of slave states and free states. Missouri became a slave state and Maine became a free state.

Think of a slave state like your parents constantly controlling you. A free state is when you can do whatever you want and when you want.

1850 - Compromise of 1850

Slavery was forbidden in Washington DC, California was a free state and Utah and Mexico got to decide if they allowed slavery or not.

Forbidden means something isn't allowed.

1854 - Kansas-Nebraska Act

Wanted the territory to be divided into Nebraska Territory and Kansas Territory. He wanted the south's votes so he said slavery would be decided by popular vote.

How would you feel if your home was divided into two and you had to vote to keep the family pet.

1855 - Bleeding Kansas

Battles that resulted after extremists entered Kansas and altered voting on slavery. This made two different governments. One supported slavery and one did not.

If your friend promised something and then took it back, how would that make you feel? Would you react the same way the two governments did?

1857 - The Dred Scott Decision

A Missouri slave was sued for his freedom. The U.S supreme court decided that he couldn't sue in federal court as he was property, not a citizen.

How would you feel if your parents or older brother said you couldn't do something because of your age? Its not exactly the same situation however this is similar to what Dred Scott went through.

1858 - Lincoln-Douglas Debates

Douglas wanted slavery to be determined by popular sovereignty while Lincoln accepted where slavery was currently and didn't want it to expand.

Think of popular sovereignty as a popular vote or decision

1859 - John Brown Raid at Harper's Ferry

A group of men attacked Harper's Ferry in Virginia. Their plan was to seize weapons to give to slaves to start a rebellion. John Brown was captured and sentenced to death.

1861 - Civil War Begins

The confederates bombarded Union soldiers at Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861. This occurred because of slavery, sectionalism and the argument of state rights vs federal rights