EVENTS LEADING TO THE CIVIL WAR

1845-1860

Sectionalism and States Rights

Sectionalism

North SouthWest

•Factories•Fishing•Whaling•Railroads•Large Population•Cities

•Pioneer•Farms•Hunting•Mining•Lumber•Ranching•Indian Issues

•Farming•Cash Crops•Slave Labor•Ranching•Cotton•Class Differences

Popular Sovereignty in the West

Let the people decide if they want slavery or not in the western territories

Started by Senator Stephen Douglas of Illinois

Compromise of 1850

Admits California as a free state Abolishes slave trade in Washington, D.C. Popular sovereignty in western territories Fugitive slave law***

Abolitionists

Quakers William Lloyd Garrison Frederick Douglass Henry David Thoreau Sarah and Angelina Grimke

Uncle Tom’s Cabin

Novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe Focuses on slave life in Kentucky and

Louisiana Uncle Tom is a good and complacent soul Simon Legree is the evil slave driver Eliza flees to freedom by crossing the icy

Ohio River Lincoln called Stowe the “little lady who

started the Civil War”

Published in 1852

Underground Railroad and Fugitive Slave Law

Fugitive slave law—federal violation for aiding runaway slaves

Secret escape routes to Northern free states

Harriet Tubman— “Moses” Quakers

Kansas-Nebraska Act-1854

Popular sovereignty in Kansas and Nebraska territories (let the people decide through voting for or against slavery)

Led to “Bleeding Kansas” Abolitionists led by John Brown

Kansas-Nebraska Act

Dred Scott v. Sanford

The Dred Scott Case

Supreme Court Decision in 1857 Dred Scott sued his master for freedom after

Sanford had taken him to a free state Chief Justice Taney wrote the ruling that slaves

were property, not citizens and could not sue Slaves could be taken into any state and are

still slaves Only a constitutional amendment could

overrule this momentous decision Southerners rejoiced and Northerners were

outraged

Abolitionist Activity

Brooks-Sumner Incident

Massachusetts Senator Charles Sumner gave abolitionist speech in 1856

He insulted slave owner Andrew Butler, uncle of Preston Brooks—both from South Carolina

Three days later, Congressman Brooks decided that Sumner was beneath dueling since he was no gentleman

He beat Sumner with a cane, seriously injuring him

Brooks was censured and Sumner became a strong advocate of Radical Reconstruction

The attack on Sumner was applauded across the South

John Brown and Harpers Ferry--1859

John Brown led a “holy war” of escaped slaves against the white race

He captured the arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia (today, West Virginia)

Colonel Robert E. Lee was sent to capture the rebels

Many rebels were killed including some of Brown’s sons

Brown was captured, tried and hanged Songs and pictures showed Brown as a hero

to the abolitionist cause

John Brown—Hero or Criminal?

Other Terms:

Gag rule—1835-1844—no anti-slavery discussion in Congress allowed—J. Q. Adams said this violated 1st amendment

Free Soil Movement—3rd party 1848-54—against slavery in western territories

Wilmot Proviso—1845—proposal to ban slavery in lands won from Mexico—FAILED

Nullification Crisis—Jackson vs. SC over protective tariff—do states have a right to nullify federal law?

Presidents

Zachary Taylor—Whig

Millard Fillmore—Whig

Franklin Pierce--Democrat

James Buchanan--Democrat

The Republican Party

Formed in 1854 in Wisconsin Principle: against the spread of slavery

into the western territories John C. Fremont (Western trailblazer) ran

as a Republican for President in 1856 (lost)

Abraham Lincoln, a Whig, joined the party and became the first Republican President

The party dominated 19th and early 20th century presidencies

The Lincoln-Douglas Debates

Seven debates for the two candidates for U.S. Senate from Illinois—1858

Democrat Stephen Douglas (“the little giant”) vs. Republican Abraham Lincoln (“the rail splitter”)

“A house divided against itself cannot stand.” (Abraham Lincoln)

Douglas promoted popular sovereignty Douglas won the election to Senate

Lincoln vs. Douglas

Election of 1860

Douglas—Democrat—12 electoral votes—29.4% popular vote

Breckenridge—National Democrat (Southern)—72 electoral votes—18% popular vote

Bell—Constitutional Union—39 electoral votes—12% popular vote

Lincoln—Republican--180 electoral votes--39.8% popular vote*After the election, S.C. seceded*

Create a Circle Graph“Slavery: Statistics vs. Myths”

¾ % owned over 50 slaves 2.5% owned 20-49 slaves 4% owned 10-19 slaves 5.75 % owned 5-9 slaves 7% owned 2-4 slaves 5% owned 1 slaves 75% owned no slaves

Why, then, did the South fight so hard to keep this institution?

Quick Check

1. Make a chart entitled Events Leading to The Civil War

2. Include three categories: political, social and economic

3. List 12 events under the three categories with at least 3 in each