Before the Civil War, slaves worked hard for no pay. They were treated unfairly, like objects, rather then people. Many arguments, compromises, and decisions made about slavery tore the United States apart and divided the country. As you read the Before the Civil War section of our website, you will learn the truth about what really caused the Civil War and how it affected our nation.

During the time of the Civil War, slaves had very harsh lives. They were beaten, whipped, killed, hung, and were treated badly in many other ways. To learn more about the lives of slaves, click the "Life of a Slave" button at the bottom of the page.

The North and South had many differences. Their differences in climate and geography eventually led to different life styles and arguments called the sectional division. Because of all these differences and arguments, the country drew closer and closer to the Civil War. If you would like to know more about the sectional division, click the button at the bottom of the page.

Three disagreements before the Civil War frustrated the North and South, causing them to become enemies. They got closer and closer to separating into two countries. What caused the arguments between the North and South? How would the disagreements be solved? Click on the "Compromises" button at the bottom of the page to get more details on three different compromises that led to the Civil War.

In 1854, tensions rose between the North and South as each side tried to gain control of Kansas. The big question that had everyone talking was whether Kansas and Nebraska would be slave states or free states. What happened in the end? To find out what happened and get more information about the Kansas-Nebraska Act, click the button at the bottom of the page.

One of the most important Supreme Court decisions in U.S. history was the Dred Scott Decision. Dred Scott was a slave born in Missouri who stood up for what he believed. He thought he should be free because he was once in a free state. Find out whether or not the Supreme Court gave him his freedom. To get more information about the Dred Scott Decision, click the button at the bottom of the page.

In a farmhouse a few miles from U.S. Weapon storehouse, an "army" of 20 men were preparing to attack Harpers Ferry, Virginia. They were going to raid the weapon storehouse guns, weapons, and ammunition to give to runaway slaves. The leader of these abolitionists was John Brown. He and his men were prepared to live or die to give freedom to slaves. To get more information on John Brown’s Raid, click the button at the bottom of the page.

Abraham Lincoln both helped cause and end the Civil War. He approved two very important decisions that impacted the slaves. The results of these two decisions were that all people should be free. Not everyone agreed with these ideas. To find more information about how Abraham Lincoln helped free slaves and end the Civil War, click the button at the bottom of the page.