By Kaitlin Ryan and Grace Peterson
Period 2
The Civil War started in 1861. There were many causes leading up to this war, which is considered the bloodiest conflict in American history. Three events that heavily affected the Civil War were the Dred Scott Case, the Missouri Compromise, and the Fugitive Slave Law. The Dred Scott Case particularly led up to the Civil War. In this lawsuit, a black slave named Dred Scott argued that since he had spent time in a free territory in his past, he technically was a free person and not a slave. Unfortunately, Dred Scott lost his case, empowering the South and enraging the North. The Missouri Compromise also affected the Civil War, because it started the issue of slavery between the North and South and increased tension. The Fugitive Slave Law, though, was one of the factors that contributed to the Civil War. This law required anyone, if they saw a runaway slave, to have that slave captured and returned to their owners. Penalties were inflicted on anyone that was caught helping a slave run away. This led to abolitionist movements such as the Underground Railroad. Based on these events, the Civil War was influenced by slavery and tension between the states.