Causes Misssouri Compromise: The issue of slavery had remained controversial in America since 1787.

. In 1819, half of America's twenty two states were free states (northern), and half were slave states (southern). Because the free states had larger populations, they controlled the House of Representatives. Free and slave states shared equal representation in the Senate. The admission of Missouri as a free state or slave state would upset the balance. Antislavery members of Congress argued that slavery should be prohibited in new states, while Pro-slavery members of Congress argued that the state should have the right to determine if slavery was legal or illegal within its borders. Nat Turner Rebellion: The Nat Turner Rebellion was a slave insurrection that occurred in Southampton County Virginia in 1831. The insurrection was started by Nat Turner, a highly educated and religious man who had taught himself to read and write. Turner was prone to receiving visions, which he thought were messages from God. His visions gradually became more and more violent and led him to believe that his purpose was to dispatch of the evils of slavery and the White man. Other slaves referred to him as Prophet, and he often gave rousing sermons. On February 12, 1831, Turner witnessed a solar eclipse. He interpreted the eclipse as a sign from God that he should take it on and fight against the Serpent. The Serpent represented the White man and the practice of slavery. Turner soon recruited other slaves and planned a massive insurrection. Compromise of 1850: The Compromise of 1850 was primarily about the issue of slavery in America's new territories acquired after the Mexican War, though other, less important issues were included as well. The slavery issue quickly became a crisis that threatened the Union. In an attempt to maintain a balance between free and slave states, Henry Clay offered the famous compromise. Although the Compromise of 1850 was a good temporary solution, its precedent led to future violence in Kansas, and ultimately, could not prevent the onset of the Civil War eleven years later. John Brown Rebellion: In 1855, John Brown followed five of his sons to "Bleeding Kansas", where a number of abolitionists had recently been murdered. Brown and his sons subsequently murdered five slavery advocates at Pottawatomie, Kansas on May 24, 1856. Brown and his sons immediately became fugitives and withstood a mob of attacking Missourians at Osawatomie. Brown's actions, together with his stand at Osawatomie, made him a legendary figure and a nationally recognized opponent of slavery. formulated a plan to free slaves by force. He had financial support from many wealthy abolitionists in the northeast.

Effects Emancipation Proclamation: the Battle of Antietam provided an opportunity for president Lincoln to free all slaves still subjugated in the South. Five days after the battle, on September 22, 1862, Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation which freed all slaves in "enemy territory" as of January 1, 1863. The announcement was hailed by abolitionists (people who opposed slavery).

Division of Virginia: West Virginia, originally called "Kanawha" was created after the state of Virginia seceded from the United States in 1861. Citizens in the western portion of Virginia opposed secession and subsequently formed their own government called the "Loyal Government of Virginia" which gave legitimacy to the formation of one state within another. President Lincoln approved the formation in 1862 and West Virginia officially became a state June 20, 1863. Reconstruction: the southern states were in disarray. Not only were many towns and cities burned, looted and destroyed, but the southern states were still not part of the United States. Reconstruction aimed to mix the southern states back into the Union while ensuring such states were ready to obey the new laws and measures resulting from the war. The period of Reconstruction transformed southern society and culture. Many northerners, who were referred to as Carpetbaggers, moved to the south to participate in southern governments. The cultural transformation resulted in considerable racial tension. Violent racist organizations such as the Ku Klux Klan were formed in an attempt to intimidate black people. Jim Crow Laws - After the Civil War, the federal government passed the 13th (prohibiting slavery), 14th (due process to all citizens), and 15th (the right to vote for all citizens) amendments, as well as The Civil Rights Acts of 1866 and 1875. These amendments and acts were specifically designed to protect the civil rights of black people. After 1877(when the government stopped enforcing civil rights), the southern white people in power (known as Redeemers) immediately sought to take away the civil rights of black people that had been granted by twisting the language of the new laws to subjugate black people. Such laws mandated racial discrimination and became known as Jim Crow Laws