THE UNION IN PERIL

Sectionalism

Differences between the north and south led to sectionalism – placing your own region’s interests ahead of the interests of the nation as a whole.

The issue of slavery was the biggest problem.

Wilmot Proviso

David Wilmot, a congressman from Pennsylvania proposed the Wilmot Proviso.

The Wilmot Proviso was legislation that would outlaw slavery in any territory taken from Mexico at the end of the Mexican War.

It would close California, Utah and New Mexico to slavery.

The Northern states liked it, but the Southern states did not.

Compromise of 1850

In 1848 Zachary Taylor was elected 12th President of the United States.

He died in 1849 and Millard Fillmore became the 13th President.

Slavery in the new states was an issue.

Henry Clay developed the Compromise of 1850 to help settle the problem.

Compromise of 1850 – allowed California to join the Union as a free state (no slavery) but included the Fugitive Slave Act.

The Fugitive Slave Act - required all states to catch and return runaway slaves to the original owners.

It also allowed for popular sovereignty – the right of residents of a state to vote for or against slavery – in New Mexico and Utah.

Fugitive Slaves and the Underground Railroad

Fugitive slaves were slaves who had run to a free state to stay.

Harriet Tubman had helped many slaves escape through the Underground Railroad.

The Compromise of 1850 made the Underground Railroad illegal.

Fugitive Slave Act Posters_____1. On the Reward Poster – who are they searching

for? a. A freed slave b. An escaped slave c. A man

_____2. On the Reward Poster – which description best describes the person being hunted?

a. 16 years old, black, healthy, girlb. 17 years old, white, healthy, boyc. 17 years old, black, healthy, girl

_____3. Why is the reward higher if you find her in Ohio?

a. Because Ohio was farther away than Kentuckyb. Because Ohio was a free state and might not return

slavesc. Because Ohio was a slave state and often returned

slaves

_____4. The Warning Poster is written for what audience?

a. Escaped slaves onlyb. All colored peoplec. The Police

_____5. On the Warning Poster – who does it say is NOT to be trusted?

a. The Policeb. The Watchmenc. A and B

_____6. When was this poster printed?a. 1850b. 1851c. 1854

_____7. What have the Police Officers and Watchmen been employed to do?

a. Kidnapping Slavesb. Catching slavesc. A and B

_____8. Where is this taking place?a. Top Eyeb. Bostonc. Caution

_____9. These two posters were printed _____.a. Before the Fugitive Slave Act was passedb. After the Fugitive Slave Act was passedc. At the same time the Fugitive Slave Act was

passed

_____10. Which statement sounds true?a. The Reward Poster was printed by proslavery

groupsb. The Caution Poster was printed by proslavery

groupsc. Both posters were printed by proslavery groups

Uncle Tom’s Cabin

In 1852 Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote the novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin.

The novel was an angry response to the Fugitive Slave Act.

It focused on slaves and their hard lives.

It encouraged abolitionists to fight to end slavery and helped spark the Civil War.

Kansas-Nebraska Act

In 1854 the Kansas-Nebraska Act would divide the land west of the Mississippi into two territories (Kansas and Nebraska)

These states were supposed to enter the Union as free states, but the Kansas-Nebraska Act gave them popular sovereignty – the state would decide for itself to be a free or slave state.

Pro-slavery and Anti-slavery settlers rushed to settle the new land.

1850s Legislation Map – Name:_____________________________________Date:____________________Color in the map above following these directions. Color the slave states YELLOW Color the free states BLUE Color the states who follow popular sovereignty GREEN

Bleeding Kansas The Sack of Lawrence – a group of proslavery

men attacked an antislavery township.

John Brown’s Raid – John Brown was an antislavery supporter. In response to the Sack of Lawrence, he attacked a proslavery settlement in Pottawatomie Creek. Here he pulled 5 men out of bed, chopped off their hands and stabbed them. He also led a raid on an armory in Harper’s Ferry, Virginia. The slaves did not help him and the settlers killed or captured John Brown and his supporters. John Brown was executed for the raid.

In the end more than 200 people had died.

The fighting was so bad that the area became known as “Bleeding Kansas”

Dred Scott Decision of 1857

Dred Scott was a slave. He belonged to a military surgeon – Dr. Emerson.

Dr. Emerson moved with the military.

He took Dred Scott with him to many states including the free states of Illinois and Wisconsin.

After Dr. Emerson’s death, Dred Scott sued Mrs. Emerson for his freedom, because he had lived on free soil.The Supreme Court decided that a slave could not be considered a citizen.

Election of 1860

Abraham Lincoln was a member of the newly formed Republican party who opposed slavery.

Stephen Douglas was a democrat who stated his belief in popular sovereignty for slavery issues. This became known as the Freeport Doctrine.

After several debates and several examples of violence between proslavery and antislavery supporters the election was held.

Abraham Lincoln won the election and became the 16th President of America.

The New Era

With a new antislavery President, tensions in America became worse as the possibility of war increased.