Chapter 10

Chapter 10Claire FranklinPeriod-5May 4, 2010

Was the Civil War Avoidable?For years the question of if, the war was avoidable has been proposed.

I believe it was not avoidable. People were not seeing eye to eye and in my opinion it was bound to happen.

Map during time period Arguments- Uncle Toms CabinThis was a novel written by Harriet Beecher Stowe, explains just how cruel and corrupt slavery really was.It is also believed to be a factor in causing the Civil WarWhen President Lincoln said upon meeting Stowe, So this is the little lady who made this big war.

Uncle Toms Cabin Con.The novel was such a moving piece that it was compared to the Thomas Paines, Common Sense.The novel showed readers in the North just how corrupt the South and slavery was and that readers in the North bought right into.This book was an instant best-seller.5 North vs. SouthMany people believe the only difference between the North and South was slavery, although there was much more to it then that.As the years progressed the North was beginning to become much more urban and industrialized, while the South was not.Immigrants were flooding into the country, thus making the North highly populated.

North V.S. South Cont.Like the ever growing population, new technology had a heavy impact on the North. This including the railroads, which became a critical factor.This made things significantly cheaper in the North.Another important invention was the telegraph. Created in 1844, made a new way of communication. Also known as Morse Code. Annexation of TexasIn 1836, Texans gained their indepen-dence from Mexico, and voted to be annexed into the United States.A majority Southerners and Democrats supported the proposal. They were excited for their land to made into one or more slave states.The North and Whigs however, were opposed the idea. They believed it would shift the balance of power to the favor the South.

Annexation of Texas Cont.Everyone however agreed, in their fear of the possibility of going to war with Mexico.In August 1843, this fear proved true, when Mexican leader Santa Anna warned the United States that the annexation of Texas would be equivalent to a declaration of war against the Mexican Republic. Annexation of Texas ResultsAmericans however ignored the warning and in April 1844, President John Taylor signed the a treaty of annexation with Texas.In March 1845, war eventually broke out with Mexico War With MexicoThe Mexican government were the ones to initiate the war.Besides the annexation of Texas the U.S. and Mexico had been previously fighting over the border lines.The United States claimed that the Rio Grande was the official border lines.Mexico said that the Nueces River, located miles further was the border.Thus causing much controversy.

War With Mexico Cont.President Polk offered Mexico $30 million for New Mexico and California.Mexico refused.Polk sent 3,000 troops into the disputed are of southern Texas.Mexico considered this to be an invasionOn May 13, 1846 the Mexican War was declared. Mexican WarThe war was a blood battle. When Mexicos capital fell, and the defeat of solders, the Mexican government sought peace.On February 2, 1848, the Treaty of Guad- alupe Hidalgo was signed.It stated that Mexico break all ties with Texas, The U.S. paid Mexico $15 million.

The Wilmot ProvisoThe Wilmot Proviso stated that as an express and fundamental condition of the acquisition of any territory from that Republic of Mexico neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall ever exist in any part of said territory.The North put this onto every bill related to the territories, although the bill was never passed. Missouri CompromiseIn 1820, Congress put forth its first attempt to propose the question of weather or not to extend slavery into the territories.It also brought up the issue of western expansion by saying that any states to be created out of the lands north of 36 degrees 30 N latitude would be free states. Compromise of 1850The subject of slavery once again, resurfaced in 1850 when immigration in California exploded after the Gold Rush.California then request ion to join the union as a free state.This would cause a major upset to the balance on free and slave states in the Senate.

Clays Compromise ProposalWanted to solve matters with words not blood. 73 year old Clays plan for compromise over slavery was seeking for common ground on the slavery debate, He proposed 5 laws some favoring both sides desires. Clays later becomes known as, Compromise of 1850.Congress would allow California to become a free stateThe people of New Mexico and Utah would decide themselves whether slavery would be legal.Congress would abolish the sale of slaves, but not slavery, in Washington, D.C.Texas would give up claims to New Mexico for $10 million.A Fugitive Slave Act would order all citizens of the U.S. to assist in the return of enslaved people who had escaped from their owners. It would also deny a jury to slaves.Calhouns Compromise Proposal John Calhoun, from South Carolina, was a dynamic speaker.Calhoun, believed that all the power of government was in the North due to its population. He wanted to make things more equal in the sense of power throughout the nation.Webster Favors CompromiseAfter Calhouns speech, Daniel Webster gave his own speech three days later.He opposed slavery in the territories in the past.In his speech he stated that he favored Clays proposal.This was a big surprise. Decline of the WhigsIn 1852, the Whigs redundantly discarded President Fillmore because he supported the Compromise of 1850.The Whigs then after dramatically decreased and by the end of the 1850s they had all but disappeared.They also vanished due to dated issues that had divided political parties in the 1830. Rise of the Know- NothingsIn 1846-1854, a large number of European immigrants came into the country. Mostly Catholics, the Protestants were outraged, and forms a society called, the Order of the Star-Spangled banner.With in a few years, the number of member rose to around a million.Members of the group used secret words and hand shakes to identify each other. They answered all questions about the organization by saying, I know nothing.In 1846, nativists went to the public by forming a political organization. Kansas- Nebraska ActIntroduced by Stephan Douglass, to Congress in January 1854.Supported letting the people in the territory decide whether to allow slavery there, instead of restricting the decision-making power to Congress.After 9 months of debate, Congress passed the Act.Northerners were surprisingly outraged.Creation of the Republican PartyIn the summer of 1854, Northerners spent this time protesting the Kansas-Nebraska bill. A Senator from Michigan suggested that the North create their own political Republican Party.Members of the new Party, were dedicated to stopping the Slave Power, as they called the South.They demanded that the Kansas-Nebraska Act and the Fugitive Slave Act be repealed.Bleeding Kansas/ free-soilersFree- soilers, worked to end slavery in the territories. On the night of May 24, John Brown led several New Englanders to a proslavery settlement near Pottawatomie Creek. There, Brown took five men from their beds, and killed them in front of their families. Bleeding Sumner (Charles Sumner)On May 20, Charles Sumner of Massachusetts had given a fiery speech later titled The Crime Against Kansas. As a leading Republican, and one of the most powerful antislavery voices in Congress, bitterly attacked Southerners for forcing slavery on the territories. He made bold insults against Senator Andrew Butler of South Carolina. Bleeding Sumner (Preston Brooks)Was both a member of the House of Reps. And Butlers nephew was angered by Sumners remarks and determined to defend the honor of the South. Tow days after Sumners speech, Brooks approached Sumner at his Senate desk and beat him with his cane. Sumner was badly injured, and never recovered to full health. Election of 1856Democrats nominated James Buchanan, at their convention on Cincinnati.Republicans chose John C. Fremont, and experienced politician and Mexican War hero.The Know-Nothings, nominated Millard Fillmore.Democrat nominee James Buchanan won.

The Dred Scott DecisionThis was when Dred Scott a free slavery, was captured and forced to become a slavery when in fact he has been free living in the North all his life.The Lecompton ConstitutionIn the fall of 1857, a small proslavery group in Kansas elected members to a convention to write the constitution required to attain statehood, known as the Lecompton Constitution.It was a proslavery as its namesake, the proslavery capital.Most of Kansas were opposed to slavery and refused to voted in a referendum on the constitution because both options on the ballot would have protected slavery in Kansas.It was never passed, and Kansas remained a territory but in reality the free-soilers prohibited slavery there.The Lincoln-Douglas DebatesIn 1858, both men were running for the spot of Senator of Illinois.The men competed in a series of seven debates, known as, the Lincoln- Douglas Debates.The debates highlighted two important principles in American government, majority rule, and majority rights. The Lincoln- Douglass Debates Cont.Douglass supported popular sovereignty.Lincoln would not forbid slavery in the South because he believed that the federal government did not have that power. Although, Lincoln like millions of other Northerners knew slavery was wrong.Although, in the end Douglass won the election.

John Browns RaidOn October 16, 1850, fears were traum-atically raise. Although with good reason.Three years after his first raid, John Brown attacked the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia.Brown and his followers were hoping to seize weapons and give them to the enslaved people so they could rebel. After this Brown was sentenced to hang. He accepted his sentence.

The Election of 1860Northern and Southern Democrats could not decide who to nominate. So they nominated two different candidates.Northern Democrats Stephan DouglassSouthern Democrats- J.C. BreckindgeRepublicans- Abraham LincolnConstitutional Union- John BellAbraham Lincoln won with 180 electoral votes.

Lower SouthConsisted of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina.The Lower South was heated by the results of the election. SecessionThe South decided to secede from the Union. They argued that since the stated had voluntarily joined the United States, they also could choose to leave it.Lincoln officially left the Union on December 20,1860.Six other states dropped out of the Union to form, the Confederate States of America. Last-Minute CompromisesAs the Country was on the brink of failure people scrambled to come up with last minute plans to save the crumbling nation.

Lincoln even gave an Inaugural address begging people to unite as on nation Fort SumterA federal fort on an island in Charlestons harbor.A federal ship sent t supply the fort in January had been forced to turn back when Confederate forces fired on it.Fort Sumter stood as a vital symbol of the Union he had sworn to preserve.Everything ended really badly. The Upper SouthConsisted of Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Arkansas.They had now seceded and joined the Lower South in the Confederacy.The fighting at Fort Sumter in April 1861 proved that the division between North and South could not be settled peacefully.Which would lead to the Civil War.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFm7ixyG5I8The End!