That took us to war, took us to war, took us to war.

[verse1]

The Missouri Compromise of 1820, Missouri Compromise of 1820.

This law created an imaginary line through the Louisiana territory.

All states north would be free states.  All states south would be slave states.

This worked until 1850, when California asked to be

part of the United States.  This upset the balance of free and slave states.

Then came the Compromise of 1850,

allowing territories to decide on slavery.

The North had to obey the slave law fugitive (Fugitive Slave Law)

A law the put California to the Union.

The Fugitive Slave Law required police in free states

to help capture escaped slaves.

And free Americans can be caught and sold into slavery, sold into slavery.

The Kansas and Nebraska act, act.

1854, law, law.

Allowed Kansas and Nebraska territories to decide if they want slavery.

Then came Dred Scott.

1857 decision from Supreme Court.

Dred Scott was enslaved.

Asked the court for his freedom since his owner lived in a free state.

The court said no, he was private property

and the owner can take anywhere, his private property.

Then came the John Brown raid.

When John Brown and his followers invaded

a building in Virginia, that was used to store government weapons.

They were all arrested.

John Brown was an abolitionist with hopes to rebel, end slavery with his actions.

That took us to war, took us to war, took us to war.

[chorus]

Many things, like political things, slavery things, expansion things, economic things.

That took us to war, took us to war, took us to war.

[verse2]

The election of 1860, they knew Abraham Lincoln stood against slavery.

During this election he was the only candidate out of four that stood against slavery.

Lincoln agreed if he was President, he’d leave slavery alone where it already exists.

The problem was, if no new states became slave states, government majority would go to the free states.

In the south, this angered them.

They threatened to secede if Lincoln won.

By March 1861, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Texas, Georgia, and Louisiana,

and South Carolina had formed a new country called the Confederate States of America.

Known as the confederacy, and Jefferson Davis was picked for their presidency.

When Lincoln took office, March 4, 1861, more problems begun.

Lincoln promised to occupy and control all federal land in the south.

The south said no.

In Charleston, South Carolina, The Union army occupied Fort Sumter.

Confederate army shot through Sumter’s walls,

and that was the first battle of the civil war.

After Fort Sumter, North Carolina, Arkansas, Virginia, Tennessee left the union.

After Fort Sumter, North Carolina, Arkansas, Virginia, Tennessee left the union.

[chorus]

Many things, like political things, slavery things, expansion things, economic things.

That took us to war, took us to war, took us to war.