Slavery Acts leading to the Civil War

Fugitive Slave ActKansas-Nebraska Act

Fugitive Slave Act

• Part of the Compromise of 1850

• What did it do?– Required all citizens to help catch runaway slaves– Anyone who aided a fugitive could be fined or

imprisoned• Southerners thought it would force Northerners

to recognize their rights– It actually convinced more of the North how horrible

slavery really was

Fugitive Slave Act• Results of the Act– Southerners tried their hardest to catch runaways-sometimes they even took FREE African Americans and forcedthem into slavery– Some Northerners refused to cooperate with the

law because it was not moral• Some even raised money to buy freedom for slaves!

– Underground Railroad helped runaways make their way to freedom

Kansas-Nebraska Act

• 1853-President Franklin Pierce wanted to enforce the Fugitive Slave Act

• 1854-Stephen Douglas proposed the Kansas-Nebraska Act– A plan to expand the nation– Organize the region west of Missouri and Iowa as

the territories of Kansas and Nebraska

Kansas-Nebraska Act

• Kansas and Nebraska would be free states because they were North of the 36-30 line– Douglas knew that the South would object. Why?

• Douglas proposed to get rid of the Missouri Compromise all together!

• Popular Sovereignty would be how slavery was decided in these territories– Allowing the people to decide

Kansas-Nebraska Act

• Northerners protested because slavery would now be allowed in places that were free for 30 years

• Southerners supported the Act because they thought slave holders in Missouri would populate Kansas and vote to keep slavery legal

• President Franklin Pierce supported it, which helped it pass through Congress

Kansas-Nebraska Act• Results– Conflict in Kansas: Pro-slavery and Anti-slavery people

flooded into Kansas in an attempt to claim it– Kansas voted in a pro-slavery legislature. Border

ruffians were thousands of supporters from Missouri came into Kansas just to vote in favor of slavery.

– Anti-slavery people refused to follow the slavery laws and held their own elections

– 1856: Two opposing governments existed!

Kansas-Nebraska Act

• Results– “Bleeding Kansas”• Violence broke out with the opposing sides• May 1856-Pro-slavery attacked the town of Lawrence

and the antislavery side soon took action• John Brown-enthusiastic antislavery supporter led a

group of people to Pottawatomie Creek and killed 5 pro-slavery people• Armed groups soon roamed the territory• October 1856-Kansas governor sent in federal troops

Kansas-Nebraska Act• Results– Violence even in Congress!• Senator Charles Sumner opposed pro-slavery forces

and criticized pro-slavery senators like Andrew P. Butler• As a result, Butler’s cousin (a Representative) beat

Sumner with a cane • Sumner was unconscious and bleeding all over the

Senate floor