Causes of the Civil War
By: Jon El Kordi-Hubbard
1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
and Wilmot Proviso
• Treaty ends the Mexican War and the
United States obtains much of the
southwestern states from Mexico.
• With this new land meant the decision to
make the territory pro or against slavery.
• David Wilmot a decides to take it upon
himself to ban slavery in the new territory.
However with slavery being dependent on
slavery the bill failed to get two-thirds vote.
• This bill further made many angry and
showed the strong divisions in the country.
1849 Compromise of 1850 and
• Compromise was set to resolve slavery in
the new territory. Made Texas the new
border, California was admitted into the
Union as a free state, Fugitive Slave Act
slaves we to be returned to their owners,
and the Mexican cessation of territory.
• The treaty was between the U.S. and
Britain concerning the promise not to
occupy land in America. This meant that
from here on out Britain would have no
influence in America or its land.
1852 Uncle Tom’s Cabin
• Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote this book
that humanized slaves and demonized
• This was the 1st
time that an African
American was a hero in literature.
• Many that had slaves were not fond of this
book, Abe Lincoln stated that she was the
lady that started this “little war”.
1853 Gadsden Purchase
• The U.S purchased Arizona and New
Mexico for $10M.
• With new land meant further dispute of
whether the territory should be free or pro
1854 Kansas-Nebraska Act
• This act defined and created Kansas and
• It also allowed white settlers to decide if
the territory would admit slavery.
• The North v. the South. As many thought
this was a good idea it led to one of the
most brutal events in our modern era
1855 Bleeding Kansas
• This was a four year period where anti-
slavery North fought with the pro-slavery
• The south won the dispute in which 56
• This meant a greater dived in the opinions
of the N and S and Kansas was admitted
as a slave state.
1857 Dred Scott Case and Panic of
• Dred Scott was a slave in Illinois whose
master freed him to work in another state.
However he is brought onto trial and the
government says that because he is black
he has no rights. This nearly pushed the
north to its limits and they wanted slavery
out more than ever.
• The Panic of 1857 was a dramatic
downturn in the economy. Over 5,000
businesses failed and left many
unemployed with no money. Having the
economy if this state left it vulnerable to a
war so it would have to rebound quickly.
1858 Lincoln-Douglas Debates and
• These series of seven debates were for an
Illinois seat in the Senate. Douglas won
but Lincoln refocused him for the defining
moment in his life. To be the president of
the Unites States.
• The Doctrine stated that the government
should let the people decide not just the
elected officials. This being a bright spot in
this time allowed people to have a greater
say in the government.
1859 John Brown’s raid on
• John Brown was the first white man to
advocate violent aggression to stop
• Brown led a small team of blacks and
whites to Harper’s Ferry. A federal army
became visible and he decides to raid the
armory to get more weapons to attack .
• The next day he was captured. Many
believe this was an act of desperation but
it showed a man who was willing to die for
a cause that enlightened many.
1860-1861 Lincoln elected and Fort
Sumter is Attacked
• Lincoln becomes President in 1860 but he
received no votes from the south.
• Says the country cannot survive being
half-slave and half free. South Carolina
mad at all the surrounding situations
• In 1861 seven states from the south
create the Confederate States of America
and attack Fort Sumter in South Carolina
which begins the Civil War.