Drifting Towards Drifting Towards DisunionDisunion

1854-18601854-1860

Incendiary LiteratureIncendiary LiteratureHarriet Beecher Stowe & Harriet Beecher Stowe & Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852)Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852)

Portrayed the evils of Portrayed the evils of slavery (physical slavery (physical abuse/splitting of families)abuse/splitting of families)

Helped start the war & Helped start the war & helped win ithelped win it

Uncle Tom’s Cabin

1852

Uncle Tom’s Cabin

1852 Sold 300,000

copies inthe first year.

2 million in a decade!

Sold 300,000 copies inthe first year.

2 million in a decade!

Harriet Harriet Beecher Beecher StoweStowe

““So you’re the little woman who So you’re the little woman who wrote the book that made this wrote the book that made this

great war.”great war.”- A. Lincoln (1862)- A. Lincoln (1862)

Hinton H. Helper (1857) Hinton H. Helper (1857) The Impending Crisis of the The Impending Crisis of the SouthSouth

Tried to prove that non-Tried to prove that non-slaveholding southerners slaveholding southerners suffered the most from suffered the most from slaveryslavery

““Bleeding Kansas”Bleeding Kansas”Southerners believed that Southerners believed that agreement had been agreement had been reached that Kansas reached that Kansas would be slave & would be slave & Nebraska would be freeNebraska would be free

Kansas-Nebraska Act, 1854Kansas-Nebraska Act, 1854

New England Emigrant New England Emigrant Aid Company Aid Company

Northern abolitionists & Northern abolitionists & free-soilers fought this free-soilers fought this assumption by sending assumption by sending pioneers westwardpioneers westward2000 settlers many armed 2000 settlers many armed with “Beecher’s Bibles” - with “Beecher’s Bibles” - the new Sharps riflethe new Sharps rifle

1855: Pro-Slavery “border 1855: Pro-Slavery “border ruffians” crossed west ruffians” crossed west from Missouri into Kansas from Missouri into Kansas on election day to elect on election day to elect the new governmentthe new government

Free-soilers elected their Free-soilers elected their own government at own government at TopekaTopeka

May 21, 1856: Pro-slavery raiders invaded the free soil town of Lawrence & burned part of the town

May 24, 1856: Pottawatomie Creek

John Brown & his followers hack 5 pro-slavers to death with swords

border-ruffians

John Brown:

Madman, Hero or Martyr?

John Brown:

Madman, Hero or Martyr?

Mural in the Kansas Capitol building

by John Steuart Curry (20c)

Mural in the Kansas Capitol building

by John Steuart Curry (20c)

““Bully” BrooksBully” Brooks (1856) (1856)

Senator Charles Sumner Senator Charles Sumner makes a speech in the makes a speech in the Senate denouncing Senate denouncing southern slavery & southern slavery & insulting Senator Butler of insulting Senator Butler of South CarolinaSouth Carolina

Congressman Preston Congressman Preston Brooks of SC attacks & Brooks of SC attacks & beats Sumner on the floor beats Sumner on the floor of the Senate - whips him of the Senate - whips him with a canewith a cane

Incident underscored the Incident underscored the inflamed passions arising inflamed passions arising from the issue of slavery & from the issue of slavery & free-soilfree-soil

“The Crime Against Kansas”“The Crime Against Kansas”

Senator Charles Sumner(R-MA)

Senator Charles Sumner(R-MA)

Congressman Preston Brooks

(D-SC)

Congressman Preston Brooks

(D-SC)

Lecompton Constitution Lecompton Constitution (1857) (1857)

Created by Pro-Slavery forcesCreated by Pro-Slavery forces

Election forced voters to Election forced voters to choose between the choose between the constitution with slavery or constitution with slavery or without slavery - slaves in the without slavery - slaves in the state would be protected no state would be protected no matter whatmatter what

Free-soilers boycotted the Free-soilers boycotted the election & constitution election & constitution passes with slaverypasses with slaveryPresident Buchanan backs President Buchanan backs the Lecompton Constitutionthe Lecompton ConstitutionDouglas is against itDouglas is against itEntire constitution is Entire constitution is submitted to a vote - free-submitted to a vote - free-soilers defeat itsoilers defeat it

Kansas does not gain Kansas does not gain statehood until 1861statehood until 1861

Buchanan & Douglas Buchanan & Douglas forces split the forces split the Democratic Party along Democratic Party along sectional linessectional lines

Election of 1856Election of 1856Democrats Democrats nominate James nominate James Buchanan over Buchanan over Douglas & PierceDouglas & Pierce

Both have too Both have too much political much political baggage from the baggage from the Kansas-Nebraska Kansas-Nebraska ActAct

Republicans Republicans nominatenominateJohn C. John C. Fremont, Fremont, “The “The Pathfinder” - Pathfinder” - over “Higher over “Higher Law” SewardLaw” Seward

Republicans for free-soilRepublicans for free-soilDemocrats for popular Democrats for popular sovereigntysovereigntyAmerican Party (“Know-American Party (“Know-nothings”) nominated ex-nothings”) nominated ex-President Fillmore President Fillmore

Also endorsed by few Also endorsed by few remaining Whigsremaining Whigs

1856 Presidential Election1856 Presidential Election1856 Presidential Election1856 Presidential Election

James Buchanan John C. Frémont Millard Fillmore Democrat Republican American James Buchanan John C. Frémont Millard Fillmore Democrat Republican American

Southerners threatened Southerners threatened that a Republican victory that a Republican victory would be a declaration of would be a declaration of warwar

Buchanan won the Buchanan won the electoral vote without electoral vote without gaining a majority of the gaining a majority of the popular votepopular vote

1856Election Results

1856Election Results

Republican loss was a Republican loss was a gain for the Northgain for the North

Secession in 1856 would Secession in 1856 would have been easier for the have been easier for the SouthSouth

The Dred Scott DecisionThe Dred Scott Decision Dred Scott, Dred Scott, having lived having lived in the North in the North for 5 years, for 5 years, sued for his sued for his freedomfreedom

Chief Justice Chief Justice Roger B. Taney Roger B. Taney ruled that Scott ruled that Scott was a black was a black slave & not a slave & not a citizen, citizen, therefore could therefore could not suenot sue

Pro-southern majority Pro-southern majority went further ruling that went further ruling that slaves, as property, slaves, as property, could be taken into any could be taken into any territory & held in territory & held in slavery thereslavery there

The 5The 5thth Amendment Amendment denies Congress the denies Congress the power to deprive citizens power to deprive citizens of their property without of their property without due processdue process

The Missouri The Missouri Compromise, repealed by Compromise, repealed by the Kansas-Nebraska Act, the Kansas-Nebraska Act, was now ruled was now ruled unconstitutionalunconstitutionalNorthern free-soilers Northern free-soilers called the ruling merely an called the ruling merely an “opinion” & refused to “opinion” & refused to abide by itabide by it

Southerners considered Southerners considered the unlikelihood of the unlikelihood of maintaining the bonds of maintaining the bonds of Union with states that Union with states that would not abide by would not abide by rulings of the Supreme rulings of the Supreme CourtCourt

Assess the moral arguments and Assess the moral arguments and political actions of those opposed political actions of those opposed to the spread of slavery in the to the spread of slavery in the context of TWO of the following:context of TWO of the following:

Missouri CompromiseMissouri CompromiseMexican WarMexican WarCompromise of 1850Compromise of 1850Kansas-Nebraska ActKansas-Nebraska Act

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ICK

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ITE

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The Panic of 1857The Panic of 1857Causes:Causes:

Inflation caused by goldInflation caused by gold

Overproduction of grain Overproduction of grain caused by the Crimean Warcaused by the Crimean War

Over speculation in land & Over speculation in land & railroadsrailroads

Results:Results:Northwestern grain Northwestern grain growers hit the hardestgrowers hit the hardestHigh cotton prices kept the High cotton prices kept the South safe from recessionSouth safe from recessionPower of the southern Power of the southern economy reinforced economy reinforced southern ideas that cotton southern ideas that cotton was “king”was “king”

Increased westerners’ Increased westerners’ demands for free landdemands for free land

Demand for higher tariff Demand for higher tariff ratesrates

Homestead ActHomestead ActNortherners increased Northerners increased demands for laws giving demands for laws giving away government land as away government land as 160 acre farms160 acre farms

Easterners opposed in fear Easterners opposed in fear that free land would drain that free land would drain off the labor forceoff the labor force

South opposed it because South opposed it because 160 acres was too small 160 acres was too small for slave farmsfor slave farms

Buchanan would veto a Buchanan would veto a homestead bill in 1860homestead bill in 1860

The Illinois Rail SplitterThe Illinois Rail SplitterIllinois Senate election of Illinois Senate election of 1858 pit Republican 1858 pit Republican Abraham Lincoln against Abraham Lincoln against Democrat Stephen Democrat Stephen DouglasDouglas

Lincoln… Lincoln… born in a log cabin born in a log cabin

self-educatedself-educated

married Mary Todd married Mary Todd

became a trial became a trial lawyerlawyer

served one term in served one term in Congress (1847-49: Congress (1847-49: “Spotty” Lincoln)“Spotty” Lincoln)

““A house divided A house divided against itself against itself

cannot stand. I cannot stand. I believe this believe this government government

cannot endure, cannot endure, permanently half permanently half

slave and half slave and half free.”free.”

- Lincoln’s - Lincoln’s nomination nomination

speechspeech

Lincoln Lincoln challenged challenged Douglas to a Douglas to a series of series of debates at debates at various various locations from locations from August to August to October 1858October 1858

The Lincoln-Douglas Debates, 1858 (Illinois Senate)The Lincoln-Douglas Debates, 1858 (Illinois Senate)

At Freeport, Lincoln At Freeport, Lincoln challenged Douglas to a challenged Douglas to a dilemma:dilemma:

““If the people of a territory If the people of a territory voted against slavery who voted against slavery who would prevail --the courts would prevail --the courts or the people?”or the people?”

The Freeport DoctrineThe Freeport DoctrineDouglas answered that Douglas answered that court or no court, the court or no court, the people would ultimately people would ultimately decide the fate of slavery decide the fate of slavery in the territoriesin the territories

Douglas defeated Lincoln Douglas defeated Lincoln - but because of the way - but because of the way Senators were elected - Senators were elected - Lincoln actually carried Lincoln actually carried more popular votemore popular vote

Douglas’s victory, in Douglas’s victory, in defiance of the Dred defiance of the Dred Scott decision, further Scott decision, further split him from southern split him from southern DemocratsDemocrats

John Brown & Harper’s FerryJohn Brown & Harper’s FerryJohn Brown began John Brown began developing a plan to developing a plan to invade the South, start a invade the South, start a slave uprising, & establish slave uprising, & establish a black free statea black free state

JOHN JOHN BROWNBROWN

October 1859 - Brown & October 1859 - Brown & 20 followers seized the 20 followers seized the federal arsenal at federal arsenal at Harper’s Ferry in Western Harper’s Ferry in Western VirginiaVirginia

PENNSYLVANIAPENNSYLVANIA

VIRGINIAVIRGINIA

Harper’s Ferry

DC

Colonel Robert E. Lee & Colonel Robert E. Lee & the U.S. Marines captured the U.S. Marines captured Brown & 4 survivorsBrown & 4 survivorsBrown is tried for treason Brown is tried for treason & hanged& hangedHis death note warned that His death note warned that slavery would be purged slavery would be purged only by “much bloodshed”only by “much bloodshed”

The South saw in Brown The South saw in Brown their worse fears - that the their worse fears - that the North was dominated by North was dominated by “Brown-loving” “Brown-loving” Republicans seeking to Republicans seeking to steal their propertysteal their property

South begins organizing South begins organizing militias for defensemilitias for defense

““John Brown’s John Brown’s body lies a body lies a mold’ring in the mold’ring in the grave…”grave…”

John Brown's zeal for the John Brown's zeal for the cause of freedom was cause of freedom was infinitely superior to mine. infinitely superior to mine. Mine was the taper light; his Mine was the taper light; his was the burning sun. I could was the burning sun. I could live for the slave. John Brown live for the slave. John Brown could die for him.could die for him. -- Frederick Douglass-- Frederick Douglass

The Fateful Election of 1860The Fateful Election of 1860Democrats meet in Democrats meet in Charleston, SC Charleston, SC

Southern anti-Douglas Southern anti-Douglas delegates walk out delegates walk out

Douglas fails to get 2/3Douglas fails to get 2/3rdsrds vote needed for nominationvote needed for nomination

Democrats meet again in Democrats meet again in BaltimoreBaltimore

Southerners again walk but Southerners again walk but Douglas gets nominationDouglas gets nomination

Democratic platform is for Democratic platform is for popular sovereignty & popular sovereignty & enforcement of the enforcement of the Fugitive Slave lawsFugitive Slave laws

Southern Democrats meet Southern Democrats meet & nominate John C. & nominate John C. Breckinridge of KentuckyBreckinridge of Kentucky

Platform favored extension Platform favored extension of slavery & the annexation of slavery & the annexation of Cubaof Cuba

Former Whigs & “Know Former Whigs & “Know Nothings” form the Nothings” form the Constitutional Union Party Constitutional Union Party

Nominate John Bell of Nominate John Bell of Tennessee Tennessee ““The Union, the The Union, the Constitution, and the Constitution, and the enforcement of Laws”enforcement of Laws”

Republicans meet in Republicans meet in ChicagoChicago

William Seward had too William Seward had too much baggagemuch baggage

Lincoln gets the Lincoln gets the nomination on the 3nomination on the 3rdrd ballot ballot

Republican platform Republican platform included: included:

non-extension of slaverynon-extension of slaveryprotective tariff protective tariff no abridgment of immigrants no abridgment of immigrants rights rights northern transcontinental northern transcontinental railroadrailroadinternal improvementsinternal improvementsfree homesteadsfree homesteads

18601860PresidentialPresidential

ElectionElection

18601860PresidentialPresidential

ElectionElection

Abraham LincolnRepublican

Abraham LincolnRepublican

John BellConstitutional

Union

John BellConstitutional

Union

Stephen A. DouglasNorthern DemocratStephen A. DouglasNorthern Democrat

John C. Breckinridge

Southern Democrat

John C. Breckinridge

Southern Democrat

1860 Election: A Nation Coming Apart?!1860 Election: A Nation Coming Apart?!

Southern secessionists Southern secessionists warned that the South warned that the South would secede if Lincoln would secede if Lincoln were electedwere elected

Lincoln won the electoral Lincoln won the electoral vote by a bare plurality of vote by a bare plurality of the popular votethe popular vote

South Carolina South Carolina secessionists rejoiced at secessionists rejoiced at Lincoln’s victory - they Lincoln’s victory - they now had their excusenow had their excuse

Southern voting did not Southern voting did not show a strong sentiment show a strong sentiment toward disuniontoward disunion

South still had the votes South still had the votes to protect slavery from a to protect slavery from a constitutional amendmentconstitutional amendment

1860Election Results

1860Election Results

SecessionSecession4 days after the election 4 days after the election South Carolina votes to South Carolina votes to hold a special convention hold a special convention to debate secessionto debate secession

Failure of CompromiseFailure of CompromiseDecember 18, 1860: John J. December 18, 1860: John J. Crittenden of Kentucky Crittenden of Kentucky proposed amendments to proposed amendments to appease the South:appease the South:

Extend the Missouri Extend the Missouri Compromise line to the Compromise line to the PacificPacificPopular sovereignty for Popular sovereignty for future statesfuture states

President-elect Lincoln President-elect Lincoln flatly rejected the flatly rejected the Crittenden AmendmentsCrittenden Amendments

December 20, 1860: South December 20, 1860: South Carolina votes to secede Carolina votes to secede from the Unionfrom the Union

Secession! SC Dec. 20, 1860

Secession! SC Dec. 20, 1860

Reasons for SecessionReasons for SecessionLoss of political balanceLoss of political balance

Republican partyRepublican party

Free-soil, abolitionism (J.B.)Free-soil, abolitionism (J.B.)

Thought they’d be unopposedThought they’d be unopposed

End to dependence on NorthEnd to dependence on North

Moral high groundMoral high groundCompact theoryCompact theory

John Locke & DOIJohn Locke & DOI

Members of the Buchanan Members of the Buchanan cabinet begin to quit in cabinet begin to quit in protest over his inactionprotest over his inaction

Buchanan held that the Buchanan held that the southern states had no southern states had no right to secede, but that he right to secede, but that he had no right to make them had no right to make them stay by forcestay by force

Fort Sumter in Charleston Fort Sumter in Charleston harbor is held by Major harbor is held by Major Robert AndersonRobert Anderson

SC formally calls for the SC formally calls for the removal of all federal forces removal of all federal forces from their territoryfrom their territory

Lincoln is unable & Lincoln is unable & unwilling to do anything in unwilling to do anything in this lame-duck periodthis lame-duck period

Fort SumterFort Sumter

January 1861: Miss, Fla, Ala, January 1861: Miss, Fla, Ala, GA, & LA meet in GA, & LA meet in Montgomery, Alabama & form Montgomery, Alabama & form the Confederate States of the Confederate States of AmericaAmerica

Jefferson Davis elected Jefferson Davis elected PresidentPresident