The Civil War: the Path to Disunion

Missouri Applies for Statehood- 1819


In 1819, Missouri wanted to join the Union, although in the North, as a


slave state. In would make the balance of power in the Congress unequal.


Many Northerners were opposed to the idea. Northerners in Congress refused


to pass the bill. Northerners proposed that Missouri be slave and that no


more slaves were to be brought in and all slave children would be free at


the age of 25, so Missouri would become a Free State.




Missouri Compromise- 1820


Southerners were opposed to the idea brought up by Northerners. The


Congress was in debate for many months. Henry Clay proposed that Maine


enter the Union as a Free State. Also, prohibiting slavery north of the


36030’, the southern boundary of Missouri. The South agreed since


Plantations would not be able to thrive further North of that line. Many


concerned Americans thought that the slavery issue was resolved.




Tariff Issue- 1828


In 1828, A Tariff was passed to help try to protect New England


Manufactures. The tariff was as high as 45% to 50% of the original


European price. Opponents of the tariff called it the Tariff of


Abomination. Southerners were opposed to the tariff because they exported


cotton and other materials to Europe in exchange European goods were


imported to America. Southerners claimed it was an indirect tax on their


region of the United States. Southerners began to ask for states right.


South Carolina even went as far as to ask for the tariff taken off the


books or they would succeed.   The tariff was lowered by Congress.




Abolitionism- 1800’s


Abolitionism was around before the 1830’s but, it became a more radical


during this time. Before 1830, Benjamin Lundy ran a anti-slavery


newspaper. In 1829, Lundy hired William Lloyd Garrison. Garrison went...