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The Battle of Gettysburg had the largest number of casualties in the American Civil War
A timeline of events leading up to the American Civil War describes the events which historians recognize as contributing to the American Civil War.[1] Many of these events lead back to the founding of the country. The United States Constitution makes only a few mentions of slavery leaving it largely up to the individual states to govern it. As the Northern and Southern United States developed along separate lines, slavery eventually disappeared from the North.[1] It became an institution in the South.[1] As new parts of the country opened up to settlement the issues over slavery started a long-standing controversy between North and South.[2] It became a burning issue and led to secession of several Southern states.[2] This in general led to the Civil War.[2]
About 2,000 of the 40,000 inhabitants of colonial Virginia are imported slaves. White indentured servants working for five years before their release are three times as numerous and provide much of the hard labor.[4]
1688
In February, Quakers in Pennsylvania wrote the first protest against slavery in the colonies.[5] Called the Germantown protests they argued slavery, as it was being practiced in America, was unchristian.[5]
A New York slave insurrection caused significant property damage and resulted in severe punishment or execution of the rebels.[6]
1719
Non-slaveholding farmers in Virginia think slave labor threatens their livelihoods. They persuade the Virginia General Assembly to discuss a prohibition of slavery or a ban on importing slaves. In response, the assembly raises the tariff on slaves to five pounds, which about equals the full price of an indenture, so as not to make importation of slaves as initially attractive or preferable to a mere indenture for a term of years.[7]
1739
In South Carolina, the Stono Rebellion (or Cato's Conspiracy or Cato's Rebellion) was the largest slave uprising in the British mainland colonies, with 21 whites and 44 blacks killed.[8]
1741
New York City: another insurrection of slaves causes significant property damage; slaves are severely punished or executed.[9]
Under the provisions of the Northwest Ordinance, in March 1803 Ohio becomes the seventeenth state and is a free state.[3]
1804
In 1804 New Jersey passes "An Act for the Gradual Abolition of Slavery."[11] Any female slaves born after July 4, 1804, would be free upon reaching 21 years of age.[11] Any male slaves born after that date would be free at age 25.[11] However, slave children could be placed in private homes and the state paid $3 a month for their care. They were still treated as slaves by a few who made large amounts of money from this legal loophole.[11]
1807
In March Congress passes law banning importing of new slaves into the United States. The law becomes effective on January 1, 1808.[3]
1812
On April 30, Louisiana becomes the eighteenth state.[12] It joins the Union as a slave state.[12]
1816
In December Ohio becomes the nineteenth state.[3] It joins the Union as a free state.[3]
1817
Mississippi becomes the twentieth state in December.[3] It joins the Union as a slave state.[3]
1818
In December Illinois becomes the twenty-first state in the Union.[3] It joins as a free state.[3]
1819
Alabama becomes the twenty-second state in December. It joins the Union as a slave state.[3]
1820
On March 3, the Missouri Compromise is passed.[13] It was an agreement was between the pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions in the United States Congress, involving primarily the regulation of slavery in the western territories.[13] It admitted Missouri as a slave state to please the South and it also admitted Maine as a free state to please the North.[13] It kept the balance of power in the United States Senate between the free states and slave states. The plan also called for slavery to be banned from the Louisiana Territory north of the parallel 36 degrees 30' north (also known as the Missouri Compromise Line), except within the boundaries of the proposed state of Missouri.[13]
May, the House passes the first of several gag rules that automatically keep any petitions regarding slavery from being heard.[14]
In June Arkansas becomes the twenty-fifth state. Per the Missouri Compromise it joins the Union as a as a slave state.[3]|-
1837
In January Michigan becomes the twenty-sixth state. It joins the Union as a free state.[3]
1844
The House of Representatives finally repeals the gag rules concerning slavery issues on December 3.[14]
1845
Frederick Douglass publishes his autobiographyNarrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass about his life as a slave. In March, Florida is the twenty-seventh state of the Union and joins as a slave state. In December, Texas also joins as a slave state becoming the Texas the twenty-eighth state of the Union.[3]
1846
In December Iowa becomes the twenty-ninth state and joins as a free state.[3]
1848
Wisconsin becomes the thirtieth state in the Union as a free state.[3]
1849
Harriet Tubman escapes slavery in Maryland. She is credited as returning numerous times bringing out over 300 slaves.[3]
Bleeding Kansas was the immediate result of the Kansas-Nebraska act. It overturned the Missouri Compromise of 1820 in that it allowed the settlers of the new territories to decide for themselves whether slavery would be allowed or not.[16] It caused a rush of pro-slavery and anti-slavery groups into Kansas to try to influence the voting.[16] It turned into an uglywar between groups of people who held strong opinions both for and against slavery.[17]
November 6 - Abraham Lincoln is elected President of the United States.[20] November 10 - Both United States Senators from South Carolina resign from the Senate.[20] December 20 - South Carolina declares secession from the Union.[20]
↑ 14.014.1"The House "Gag Rule"". History, Art and Archives. United States House of Representatives. Archived from the original on 8 September 2016. Retrieved 30 October 2016.
