Lincoln-Douglas Debates
The Lincoln–Douglas Debates of 1858 were a series of seven debates between Abraham Lincoln, the Republican candidate for Senate in Illinois, and Senator Stephen Douglas, the Democratic Party candidate both trying to win the Senate seat of Illinois. The debates revolved around the topic of slavery.
Harper's Ferry
On October 16, 1859, John Brown led a small army of 18 men into the small town of Harper's Ferry, Virginia. His plan was to instigate a major slave rebellion in the South. Browns plan didn't work because no slaves wanted to help him rebel. The end result was browns men either being arrested or killed.
Lincolns Election
The election of Abraham Lincoln to the presidency in 1860 is commonly viewed as the beginning of a chain of events that lead to the civil war in April 1861.On Tuesday November 6th, 1860 Abraham Lincoln was elected the sixteenth President of the United States. Most southerners were afraid that because an abolitionist was elected president they would have give up their slaves so they rebelled.
Fort Sumter
On April 12, 1861 General P.G.T. Beauregard in command of the Confederate forces around Charleston Harbor opened fire on the Union garrison holding Fort Sumter. The Battle of Fort Sumter was the start of the civil war.