The Union in Peril

1848-18601848-1860

Four Main Causes of the Civil War

Four Main Causes of the Civil War

Slavery Constitutional Disputes: States’ Rights vs. Federal Rights

Economic Differences: Industrialized North vs. the Agricultural South

Political Blunders and Extremism

Slavery Constitutional Disputes: States’ Rights vs. Federal Rights

Economic Differences: Industrialized North vs. the Agricultural South

Political Blunders and Extremism

Conflict over Territorial Status

Conflict over Territorial Status

Northern Democrats and the Whigs supported the Wilmot Proviso

Were they abolitionists? They supported the exclusion of ALL blacks from the Mexican Cession.

Northern Democrats and the Whigs supported the Wilmot Proviso

Were they abolitionists? They supported the exclusion of ALL blacks from the Mexican Cession.

The Free-SoilersThe Free-Soilers

They did not demand the end of slavery, just the extension of it.

They wanted to keep the West for whites only so there would be no competition with slaves OR free blacks.

Party slogan: “free soil, free labor, and free men”

Advocated free homesteads and internal improvements

They did not demand the end of slavery, just the extension of it.

They wanted to keep the West for whites only so there would be no competition with slaves OR free blacks.

Party slogan: “free soil, free labor, and free men”

Advocated free homesteads and internal improvements

Southern PositionSouthern Position

Disliked abolitionists and Free-Soilers.

Moderates: wanted an extension of the Missouri Compromise line westward

Disliked abolitionists and Free-Soilers.

Moderates: wanted an extension of the Missouri Compromise line westward

Popular SovereigntyPopular Sovereignty

Proposed by Lewis Cass (MO-D) Slavery should be determined by popular vote.

Proposed by Lewis Cass (MO-D) Slavery should be determined by popular vote.

The Election of 1848The Election of 1848

Lewis Cass (Democrat): platform was popular sovereignty

Zachary Taylor (Whig): took no position on slavery in the new territories

Martin Van Buren (Free-Soil): Consisted of “conscience” Whigs and anti-slavery Democrats

Taylor defeated Cass because the Free-Soil party took away many Democrats’ votes

Lewis Cass (Democrat): platform was popular sovereignty

Zachary Taylor (Whig): took no position on slavery in the new territories

Martin Van Buren (Free-Soil): Consisted of “conscience” Whigs and anti-slavery Democrats

Taylor defeated Cass because the Free-Soil party took away many Democrats’ votes

The Compromise of 1850The Compromise of 1850

1849: CA Constitution banned slavery President Taylor supported the free admission of CA and NM

Taylor’s actions sparked talk of secession Henry Clay proposed the following:

Admit CA as a free state Divide rest of Mexican Cession in UT and NM: allow popular sovereignty to decide the issue

Disputed land in TX and NM to be given to the new territories in exchange for the assumption of TX $10 million debt

Ban slave trade in DC but still allow whites to hold slaves

Adopt and enforce a new Fugitive Slave Law

1849: CA Constitution banned slavery President Taylor supported the free admission of CA and NM

Taylor’s actions sparked talk of secession Henry Clay proposed the following:

Admit CA as a free state Divide rest of Mexican Cession in UT and NM: allow popular sovereignty to decide the issue

Disputed land in TX and NM to be given to the new territories in exchange for the assumption of TX $10 million debt

Ban slave trade in DC but still allow whites to hold slaves

Adopt and enforce a new Fugitive Slave Law

Compromise DebateCompromise Debate

Henry Clay (KY): for compromise Daniel Webster (MA): argued for compromise to

save the Union and alienated his abolitionist supporters

John C. Calhoun (SC): argued against compromise and for states’ rights

William H. Seward (NY): against the compromise and argued that there was a higher law than the Constitution

Stephen A. Douglas (IL): prepared the components of the compromise for separate passage

President Fillmore, succeeding Taylor, signed the compromises into law.

Henry Clay (KY): for compromise Daniel Webster (MA): argued for compromise to

save the Union and alienated his abolitionist supporters

John C. Calhoun (SC): argued against compromise and for states’ rights

William H. Seward (NY): against the compromise and argued that there was a higher law than the Constitution

Stephen A. Douglas (IL): prepared the components of the compromise for separate passage

President Fillmore, succeeding Taylor, signed the compromises into law.

Fugitive Slave LawFugitive Slave Law

Northerners were obligated to return escaped slaves to the South

Fugitive slave cases were placed under the jurisdiction of the federal government

They were denied the right of trial by jury

Northerners were obligated to return escaped slaves to the South

Fugitive slave cases were placed under the jurisdiction of the federal government

They were denied the right of trial by jury

Underground RailroadUnderground Railroad

Not dominated by white abolitionists

Northern free blacks and ex-slaves were the main “conductors”

Harriet Tubman: 19 trips and helped 300 slaves escape

Frederick Douglass and Sojourner Truth also took an active role

Not dominated by white abolitionists

Northern free blacks and ex-slaves were the main “conductors”

Harriet Tubman: 19 trips and helped 300 slaves escape

Frederick Douglass and Sojourner Truth also took an active role

LiteratureLiterature

Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852) by Harriet Beecher Stowe; promoted abolitionism in both the North and in Europe

Lincoln: “So you’re the little woman who wrote the book that made this great war.”

Impending Crisis of the South (1857) by Hinton Helper showed that slavery hurt the Southern economy

Southerners argued that slavery was sanctioned by the Bible.

George Fitzhugh argued that the northern capitalist wage system was worse than slavery.

Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852) by Harriet Beecher Stowe; promoted abolitionism in both the North and in Europe

Lincoln: “So you’re the little woman who wrote the book that made this great war.”

Impending Crisis of the South (1857) by Hinton Helper showed that slavery hurt the Southern economy

Southerners argued that slavery was sanctioned by the Bible.

George Fitzhugh argued that the northern capitalist wage system was worse than slavery.

Election of 1852Election of 1852

General Winfield Scott (Whig): ignored the issue of slavery and concentrated on internal improvements.

Franklin Pierce (Democrat-NH): acceptable to the South because he supported the Fugitive Slave Law

The Democrats won all but 4 states.

General Winfield Scott (Whig): ignored the issue of slavery and concentrated on internal improvements.

Franklin Pierce (Democrat-NH): acceptable to the South because he supported the Fugitive Slave Law

The Democrats won all but 4 states.

Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854)

Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854)

Democrat Stephen Douglas wanted to win support to build a transcontinental railroad.

He obtained southern approval by introducing this bill.

Two states would be formed and popular sovereignty would decide the issue.

Both territories were located North of the Missouri Compromise line.

Renewed the sectional controversy. A new antislavery party was born: the Republicans.

Democrat Stephen Douglas wanted to win support to build a transcontinental railroad.

He obtained southern approval by introducing this bill.

Two states would be formed and popular sovereignty would decide the issue.

Both territories were located North of the Missouri Compromise line.

Renewed the sectional controversy. A new antislavery party was born: the Republicans.

New PartiesNew Parties

Know-Nothing Party: opposition to Catholics and immigrants

Republican Party Founded in 1854 in Racine, WI Direct reaction to the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act

Coalition of free-soilers, antislavery Whigs and Democrats made up the party

Asked for a repeal of the Kansas-Nebraska Act and the Fugitive Slave Law

Abolitionists would join later

Know-Nothing Party: opposition to Catholics and immigrants

Republican Party Founded in 1854 in Racine, WI Direct reaction to the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act

Coalition of free-soilers, antislavery Whigs and Democrats made up the party

Asked for a repeal of the Kansas-Nebraska Act and the Fugitive Slave Law

Abolitionists would join later

Election of 1856Election of 1856

Republican: John C. Fremont (CA)

Know-Nothings: former President Millard Fillmore

Democrats: James Buchanan Democrats won, but Fremont carried 11/16 free states

Republican: John C. Fremont (CA)

Know-Nothings: former President Millard Fillmore

Democrats: James Buchanan Democrats won, but Fremont carried 11/16 free states

Bleeding KansasBleeding Kansas

Settled by antislavery farmers from the Midwest Slaveholders from MO set up homesteads New England Emigrant Aid Society: paid for the transportation of antislavery settlers

Proslavery Missourians created a proslavery legislature in Lecompton, KS

Antislavery settlers created own legislature 1856: proslavery forces attacked the town of Lawrence, killing 2

John Brown and his sons killed 5 on an attack on a proslavery settlement

Democrats became even more divided between the North and South

Settled by antislavery farmers from the Midwest Slaveholders from MO set up homesteads New England Emigrant Aid Society: paid for the transportation of antislavery settlers

Proslavery Missourians created a proslavery legislature in Lecompton, KS

Antislavery settlers created own legislature 1856: proslavery forces attacked the town of Lawrence, killing 2

John Brown and his sons killed 5 on an attack on a proslavery settlement

Democrats became even more divided between the North and South

The CaningThe Caning

Senator Charles Sumner attacked the administration about its handling of “Bleeding Kansas”

Included personal attacks on SC Senator Andrew Butler

Butler’s nephew, Congressman Preston Brooks beat Sumner over the head with a cane

Northerners were angry and voted for censure, but Southerners sent Brooks numerous canes to replace his broken one

Senator Charles Sumner attacked the administration about its handling of “Bleeding Kansas”

Included personal attacks on SC Senator Andrew Butler

Butler’s nephew, Congressman Preston Brooks beat Sumner over the head with a cane

Northerners were angry and voted for censure, but Southerners sent Brooks numerous canes to replace his broken one