Secession

Introduction The decision of the Supreme

Court on the Dred Scott Case will allow for the spread of slavery across all of the territories of the United States

Despite this win for slave states, events like John Brown’s Raid and the Election of Lincoln in 1860 will push them toward secession

Secession: To formally withdraw from the Union

Uncle Tom’s Cabin

Written by Harriet Beecher Stowe, Uncle Tom’s Cabin◦Top Selling book of

the 19th Century (except Bible)

Book describes slavery in the South in dramatic detail

Uncle Tom’s Cabin

Stowe’s book was fiction, she never traveled to the South

Significance: Southerners will see this as an attack on their livelihood while Northerners become more aware of slavery

The Travels of Dred Scott

Slave State

Free State

Free Territory

The Dred Scott DecisionSupreme Court Response

◦Three key issues that the Supreme Court had to decide1. Was Scott a citizen of the U.S.?2. Does time spent on free soil cause

freedom?3. Do State governments or the National

government have the right to decide where slavery can exist?

The Dred Scott DecisionThe court ruled against Dred

Scott (6-3), many of the justices were Southern◦Decision by the Court:

1. African Americans (free or slave) were not citizens and thus did not have rights

2. Slaves are considered property so their owners can take them anywhere and they will remain a slave

3. the National Government does not have the right to ban slavery because it violates property rights

John Brown’s Raid

John Brown was an abolitionist who wanted to end slavery by any means necessary

In Kansas, Brown killed many slave owners during “Bleeding Kansas”

Brown believed that by arming slaves he would start a slave rebellion and end slavery

John Brown’s RaidBrown targeted a

federal weapons arsenal in Harper’s Ferry, Virginia◦ The plan: Steal the

weapons and give them to slaves

◦ The slaves never showed up, Brown was surrounded by soldiers led by Robert E. Lee

After a brief fight, Brown and his men surrendered

John Brown’s Raid

Brown is convicted of murder and treason and is executed

Significance: Northerners viewed Brown as a hero while Southerners saw him as a traitor and worry other Northerners will try to violently free slaves

The Election of 1860

Democratic Party split into two◦ North wanted

Stephen Douglas◦ South wanted John

C. BreckinridgeConstitutional

Union Party: John Bell

Republican: Abraham Lincoln

The Election of 1860Ultimately, Lincoln won only 40%

of the popular vote◦Lincoln did not carry a single

southern state◦If the Democratic Party did not split,

Lincoln might have lostMany Southerners feared that

Lincoln would abolish slavery

Confederate States of America In response to Lincoln’s

election, the Southern states begin to secede.

On December 17, 1860, South Carolina secedes (1st state)

Within two months Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas secede from the US.

These states form the Confederate States of America◦ Elect Jefferson Davis

president