Missouri was to enter as a slave state and Maine a free state. The 36' 30" line was suppose to decide whether slavery would be allowed in certain territories or not. The compromise was effective for 30 years. By the 1850's the compromise started to become less and less effective.
Free Soil Party
A new party was formed in Buffaloe, New York. It was formed by Northerners who wanted to discuss the issue of slavery. This was the first party formed that was a "sectional party."
Compromise of 1850
California was to enter as a free state. Area from the Mexican Cession divided into Utah and New Mexico. Slavery was to be decided by POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY. It ended the slave trade in Washington D.C. It made a strict fugitive slave law. It also settled the border problems between New Mexico and Texas.
Fugitive Slave Law
This law was part of the Compromise of 1850. It required citizens to catch runaway slaves. If a person did not comply , they could be fined up to $1000 or put in jail for six months. Judges recieved $10 if they returned a slave and $5 if they freed them. Many blacks who were free were captured and sent back into slavery. Northerners hated this law because it forced them to become a part of the system of slavery.
Uncle Tom's Cabin
This was a novel written by Harriet Beecher Stowe. It was wriiten to show the evils of slavery by telling the story of an older slave who was whipped to death by his owner. After reading it many Northerners began to change their view of slavery. Southerners claimed the book was full of lies.
Kansas-Nebraska Act
It divided lands into Kansas and Nebraska territories. It decided that slavery would be decided by popular sovreignty. It led to violence in the senate. Pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers in one area lead to conflict. Northerners believed this repealed the Missouri Compromise.
Dred Scott Decision
Dred Scott was a slave. He had lived in a free territory with his owner. His owner moved back into a slave state. While there, the owner died. Scott had abolitionist attorneys file a law suit for him. It went to the supreme court but he lost. The court ruled he was not a citizen but rather property and therefore he could not file a law suit. They also ruled that congress could not ban slavery in any of the territories. This repealed the Missouri Compromise. Southerners loved the ruling whioe Northerners hated it. It mieant slavery could spred into all the territories.
Raid On Harper's Ferry
John Brown led five blacks and thirteen whites into Harper's Ferry. They planne to start a slave revolt. The only prolem was here was no slaves hat rose to help. Many of Browns' men died, and Brown later was arrested by Robert E. Lee. Brown was tried and found guilty of murder and treason. He was later hanged. The Northerners look at him as a Martyr.