Growing tensions (AQA GCSE History): Revision Notes

Growing tensions (1820-1859)

Introduction

During the period between the 1820s and 1859, serious problems continued to develop between the Northern and Southern states as more territories sought to join the Union. These mounting tensions over the issue of slavery expansion would eventually lead to the outbreak of the Civil War. Rather than being caused by a single issue, the conflict resulted from a combination of long-term problems that made the tense situation progressively worse from the 1820s onwards.

Key events that increased tensions

Missouri Compromise (1820)

The Missouri Compromise represented an early attempt to manage the growing dispute over slavery's expansion into new territories. When Missouri applied to join the Union as a slave state, it created a major controversy about maintaining the balance between free and slave states.

The compromise established a clear geographical boundary by drawing a line through the Louisiana Territory. North of this line, slavery would be prohibited except in Missouri itself. To maintain balance, Maine was admitted as a free state at the same time Missouri joined as a slave state. This solution temporarily eased tensions but established a dangerous precedent of trying to solve the slavery question through geographical divisions.

Nat Turner's Rebellion (1831)

In August 1831, a significant slave uprising occurred that sent shockwaves throughout the South. Nat Turner, an enslaved person, organised and led a rebellion alongside six other enslaved people. The revolt involved taking horses and weapons, and tragically resulted in the deaths of 51 white people.

This incident had profound consequences for the relationship between North and South. The rebellion terrified Southern slaveholders and created much deeper divisions between slave owners and anti-slavery campaigners throughout the South. In response, Southern states passed much harsher laws restricting the movements and rights of enslaved people, further entrenching the system of slavery.

The Compromise of 1850

Following the Mexican War (1846-1848), America gained significant new territories, reigniting debates about slavery's expansion. The 1850 Compromise attempted to address these issues through several key provisions.

The agreement allowed California to join the Union as a free state, which pleased Northern abolitionists. However, it also included the controversial Fugitive Slave Act, which made it much easier for slave owners to recapture people who had escaped slavery. Additionally, the compromise created the Utah Territory and ended the slave trade (though not slavery itself) in Washington, D.C.

While this compromise temporarily reduced tensions, the Fugitive Slave Act particularly angered many Northerners who were now legally required to assist in capturing escaped slaves.

Publication of Uncle Tom's Cabin (1852)

Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin" became one of the most influential books of the era. The story depicted the harsh realities of slavery through the experiences of enslaved characters, bringing the horrors of the Southern slave system to life for many Northern readers who had little direct experience with slavery.

The book achieved extraordinary success, selling 270,000 copies and becoming known as "the greatest book of the age." Its impact on public opinion was enormous - it significantly changed many people's attitudes about slavery and made tensions between slave states and free states much worse. Some historians believe this book contributed directly to the outbreak of the Civil War by hardening anti-slavery sentiment in the North.

Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854)

The Kansas-Nebraska Act marked a crucial turning point that effectively destroyed the Missouri Compromise. Since Kansas and Nebraska were located north of the line established in the Missouri Compromise, they should have automatically become free states.

However, the Act introduced the concept of "popular sovereignty," allowing people in these territories to decide for themselves whether to allow slavery. This approach completely undermined the geographical solution established in 1820 and led to increased tensions and widespread violence as pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers rushed to these territories to influence the outcome.

The breakdown of the Missouri Compromise removed one of the few remaining frameworks for managing the slavery dispute peacefully.

John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry (1859)

In October 1859, the abolitionist John Brown launched an armed attack on the American military weapons store at Harpers Ferry in Virginia. Brown planned this raid as the first stage of a larger scheme to establish a refuge for freed slaves in the mountains of Virginia.

However, the plan failed when Brown was captured, convicted of treason, and executed. The raid had significant psychological effects on both North and South. Southern fears of slave rebellions intensified dramatically, while the incident greatly increased tensions between Northern and Southern states. Many Southerners viewed Brown's actions as evidence that Northerners were willing to use violence to end slavery.

Timeline of key events

• 1820: Missouri Compromise draws line limiting slavery expansion
• 1831: Nat Turner's Rebellion kills 51 white people, leads to harsher slave laws
• 1850: Compromise of 1850 includes controversial Fugitive Slave Act
• 1852: Publication of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" changes Northern public opinion
• 1854: Kansas-Nebraska Act destroys Missouri Compromise through popular sovereignty
• 1859: John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry increases fears on both sides

Primary source evidence

Contemporary advertising for "Uncle Tom's Cabin" described it as being "FOR SALE HERE" and promoted it as "The Greatest Book of the Age." The poster's widespread distribution demonstrates how the book reached ordinary Americans and influenced public opinion about slavery across the nation.