libertyville hs. election of 1848 polk stepped down (one term) whigs recruit zachary taylor war...
TRANSCRIPT
THE ROAD TO CIVIL WAR:
SECTIONALISM
Libertyville HS
Election of 1848 Polk stepped down (one
term) Whigs recruit Zachary
TaylorWar heroNot interested in politics
Democrats split over slavery issuePro slavery Ds = Cass
Anti slavery Ds form Free Soil Party, nominate Martin Van Buren
Taylor: 163 ECV / 1,360,999
Cass: 127 ECV / 1,220,544
Van Buren: --- ECV / 291,263
Zachary Taylor Born in VA, moved to KY Career army officer – no
political experience Fought in War of 1812,
Blackhawk War, Second Seminole War, Mexican American War
Slave owner who was opposed to spread of slavery into territories
Nickname: “Old Rough and Ready”
Sectional Differences: Mexican Cession
Settlement raised question: allow slavery in Mexican Cession?
Four proposalsPolk: extend MO compromise
line (36° 30’) to PacificRep. David Wilmot (PA):
Wilmot Proviso = no slavery in Cession
Calhoun: Right to property + 5th Am. protected slavery everywhere
Stephen Douglas (IL) & Cass: “popular sovereignty – states have right to choose through elections
Sectional Differences: Mexican Cession
Complicating issuesTexas Debt ($10 million –
Feds pay)TX / NM border dispute Slavery in Washington, DC
(northerners offended)Underground railroad
(southerners offended)Failure of North to enforce
fugitive slave laws Trigger to crisis: CA
request for admission to union as free state, 1849
Great Debate of 1850 Senator Seward
Admit CA as free stateAdmit NM as free stateReflected President
Taylor’s wishes Southern reaction
Secession!“Fire eaters” = southern
extremistsBegan urging
secession, in TN
Clay takes Senate floor as VP FillmorePresides and Calhoun looks on
Great Compromise of 1850
Clay, Douglas worked together for its passage
ProposalAdmit CA as free stateAllow UT, NM to decide
slavery issue via popular sovereignty (state vote)
TX dropped claim for territory in exchange for debt relief
Slave trade (but not slavery) abolished in DC
Fugitive Slave Act strengthened
Compromise of 1850 View of Southerners
Opposed b/c of CA admission as free state
Opposed b/c of TX land lossOpposed abolition of slave
auctions in DC
View of NorthernersOpposed b/c no Wilmot ProvisoOpposed b/c Fugitive Slave Law
might result in regular citizens having to take part in slave patrols
Northern Democrats (“free soilers”) and Southern Whigs (border states) supported Compromise
Compromise of 1850 Major development:
during debate, President Taylor died
Millard Fillmore became president
Fillmore a strong supporter of compromise bill
Compromise passed in five separate parts
Effect of Compromise Slave issue resolved to Pacific Ocean Hardened sectional differences between North, South Whig Party disintegrated over slavery question (gave
too much away to Southerners – 1852 election) Rise of Republican Party (abolitionists, anti-slavery
Whigs) Avoided Civil War for ten years Laid seeds for disunion
Fugitive Slave LawKansas-Nebraska Law of 1854
Election of 1852 Whigs pass over
President Millard Fillmore and nominate General Winfield Scott
Democrats = Franklin Pierce, an unknown compromise candidate
Pierce: 254 ECV / 1,601,274Scott: 42 ECV / 1,386,580Hale --- ECV / 155,825
Franklin Pierce Northerner (NH), with
sympathy for southerners
Considered one of the worst presidents, everOstend ManifestoSupported Fugitive Slave
LawSupported Kansas-
Nebraska Act
Ostend Manifesto Southerners wished to annex
CubaStrengthen slave based
economySecret effort to purchase Cuba
from Spain for $120 millionIf Spain wouldn’t sell, diplomats
threatened to take Cuba by force Secret leaked, Northerners
freaked Effect
Northerners, feeling threatened by Fugitive Slave Law and “Bleeding Kansas”, pressured Pierce to reject doc
Pierce was also forced to oppose due to international outcry from European monarchies
"Cuba is as necessary to the North Americanrepublic as any of its present members, and that it belongs naturally to that great family of states of which the Union is the Providential Nursery."
~Ostend Manifesto, 1854
Fugitive Slave Law Constitution required return of
fugitive slaves North rarely enforced earlier
law Fugitive Slave Law of 1850
Made it a $1000 fine for any official who failed to arrest a runaway slave
Helping runaway slave = 6 months prison and $1000 fine
Slave owners seeking slaves only needed sworn statement to allow arrest of suspected runaway slave
Slaves had no right to trial or right to testify in court
Effect of whipping
Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 Senator Douglas wanted
to extend popular sovereignty concept
Repealed Missouri Compromise and created Kansas and Nebraska territories
Opened up huge area to popular sovereignty
Republican Party formed to oppose K-N Act
1854 newspaper map showing free states (red), slave states (gray)
And popular sovereignty areas (green)
Effect of K-N Act: “Bleeding Kansas”
1854-1859 clashes between “free-staters” and “Border ruffians” (pro-slavery) throughout Kansas Territory
With PS at stake, anti and pro slavery organizations sent 000s of settlers to contest vote
Pro slavery Missourians stole election, making Kansas pro slave territory
Fifty six people were killed in clashes; many more were injured (John Brown)
“Bleeding Kansas” Fight
Election of 1856 Pierce thrown aside in
favor of James Buchanan (PA) – D
John Fremont – GOPAnti-slavery partySlogan: "Free speech,
free press, free soil, free men, Frémont and victory!"
Fillmore – “Know Nothing” PartyIgnored slavery issueFocused on anti-
immigration policies
Buchanan: 174 ECV / 1,838,169Fremont: 114 ECV / 1,341,264Fillmore: 8 ECV / 874,534
James Buchanan Northerner (PA), with
sympathies for southerners Vowed to serve one term Pushed for admission of
Kansas as slave territory (despite evidence of corrupt election)
Lincoln’s election in 1860 and secession of statesBuchanan said secession illegalHe also said fighting secession
illegalSo he did nothing
Considered one of the worst presidents ever