Illinois History

Slavery and Black Codes in Illinois through Illinois in the Civil War

Slavery and Black Codes in Illinois

The First Slaves

• The 1st slaves in IL were brought in by the French.

• Most were brought in to work in the lead mines in the northwest part of the state.

Two Types of Slaves

• Those who had no say in their bondage.

• Those who signed up for the work.– Indentured servants– Usually a 7 year contract

The Ordinance of 1787

• States from the Northwest Territory will be free states.

• But many of the people moving into IL. were from Kentucky and brought their slaves with them.

• Many wanted IL to be developed as a slave state.

Slaves and Salt

• The Govt. salt mines were mainly manned by slaves & the fear was that their removal would hurt the state’s economy.

• As many as 2,000 slaves worked in the salt mines.

Compromise

• To prevent the closing of the salt mines a deal was struck.

• No new slaves allowed

• Existing slaves were not freed

• Indentured servants would finish out their contracts– Their children are freed at age 21

1819 Black Codes

• Freed men had to carry papers proving their freedom.

• Register at the county seat

• Southern slave agents would frequently come to IL and kidnap blacks & sell them in the South.

Codes

• Illegal for Whites to hire Blacks that did not have a certificate.– $1.50 fine a day

• Illegal to bring slaves to IL in order to free them.– $200.00 fine per slave

Governor Coles

• Former slave owner from Virginia

• Abolitionist

• Won the governorship by 50 votes

• His Lt. Gov. and both houses of the Gen. Assembly were controlled by pro-slavery people.

• Both houses passed a resolution for the people to vote on a Const. Convention

Vote on Convention

• The hope was a Const. Convention would open the door for IL to become a slave state.

• Coles financed the campaign to educate Illinoisans about the immorality and cruelty of slavery.

• The proposal was defeated 6,640 to 4,972. NO SLAVERY IN IL.

The First Martyr

• The slave issue died down until Elijah P. Lovejoy moved to Alton and began printing anti-slavery articles.

• On the night of Nov. 7, 1837, Lovejoy was killed.

• This brought the slave issue back to the attention of everyone.

1853 Black Codes

• A new set of Black Codes were enacted

• The harshest in any of the free states

• Slave owners could not move to IL if they were planning on freeing their slaves.

• Blacks could not come to IL to live.

• Punishment for Blacks fine or servitude

• Punishment for Whites fines & imprisonment

The Underground Railroad

• Network of people working together to help runaway slaves reach the North– Final destination was Canada

• Used many rail road terms to describe parts & positions-

Underground Railroad Routes

Harriet Tubman

• Black Moses• Like Moses she led her

people to freedom• $40,000 reward for her

capture• Ruthless / No turning

back• 1896, she founded the

National Association of Colored Women-

Henry Box Brown

John Jones

• Freed man living in Chicago trying to end the Black Codes in IL.

• 1871 he became the first Black to be elected as Cook Co. Commissioner.

The Lincoln-Douglas Debates

The Major Issue

• In the mid 1800s, slavery was the hot issue

• Illinois was divided into 2 camps

• North opposed slavery

• South or Egypt was in line with the Southern states and in favor of slavery.

Debates

• Abraham Lincoln a Whig turned Republican was challenging Stephen Douglas a Democrat for the IL Senate position.

• They traveled around IL giving speeches and debating each other

Stephen A. Douglas

• Little Giant • 5’4”• Trying to straddle the fence on the issue of

slavery.– Appease the Democrats in the North & South

• Introduced the Kansas-Nebraska Act in 1854.– Ended the Missouri Comp. of 1820.– Let the states decide on the issue of slavery.

Abraham Lincoln

• Rail Splitter • 6’4”• Opposed to the Kansas-Nebraska Act

– A way to expand slavery

• The Whigs failed to be a strong voice of opposition to the K-N Act. This led to Lincoln becoming a Republican.– Republicans formed as a group opposed to

slavery.

Debates• The debates between Douglas & Lincoln

were in Ottawa, Freeport, Jonesboro, Charleston, Galesburg, Quincy, & Alton.

• Lincoln consistently stuck to his view that slavery was wrong.

• Douglas straddled the fence trying to appease both southern & northern Democrats by saying the people should decide.

Lincoln-Douglas

• June 16, 1858, during the IL. Senatorial debates Lincoln shocked the state & country by stating, “I believe this government cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free.”

• The bar is being raised

The Election in 1858

• Lincoln won the popular vote but the General Assembly chose Douglas to continue on as the state’s Senator.

• Even though Douglas won, many Democrats were not happy with the views of Douglas.

• 2 years later Lincoln & Douglas vie for the Presidency.

Bleeding Kansas

• The idea that the people would decide on the issue of slavery caused considerable conflicts within Kansas Btw. Pro & Anti slave groups.– John Brown was a leading abolitionist in

Kansas

John Brown• John Brown retaliated

against pro-slavery people, killing five

• As a result, raids were made against abolitionists

• Bleeding Kansas described the debate over the slavery issue

The Presidential Election of 1860

• The election became a 4 way race with the Democrats divide by region.

The Election of 1860

• Republican Nominee was Abraham Lincoln

The Election of 1860

• Constitutional Union Nominee was John Bell

The Election of 1860• Democrats were divided

Northern Dem. Nominee was Stephen Douglas

Southern Dem. Nominee was John Breckinridge

The Election of 1860

• Northern voters split their votes between Douglas and Lincoln

• Southern voters split their votes between Breckinridge and Bell

Lincoln wins with 180 Electoral Votes.

• 40% of the Northern votes

• Only 5,000 votes in S. IL.

• Almost no support from Southern voters

Moving Toward WAR!

• Southerners were angry at the idea of a Republican President

• Southerners felt they had no control over the Federal Government

• Planters that backed slavery threatened to leave the Union– Secessionists said each state entered the

Union voluntarily, and they could leave it also

SECESSION

• South Carolina secedes in December 1860

• States of the Lower South secede also– Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama,

Florida, and Georgia

• February 1861 southern delegates met in Montgomery, Alabama– Formed the Confederate States of America

The Civil War

• As the Southern states left the Union, many in southern IL. looked at separating & creating a new state (Egypt).

Lincoln’s Inauguration

• Lincoln was inaugurated on March 4, 1861

The Attack on Fort Sumter

• April 12, 1861 Confederates fire on Fort Sumter– Commanded by

Robert Anderson

• 24 hours later the fort is surrendered

• Lincoln calls for volunteers to help put down the rebellion

Results of the Call to stop the Rebellion

• The upper South responds to Lincoln’s call for volunteers by seceding also

• The Upper South included: Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Arkansas Fort Sumter

Manassas / The First Bull Run

• July of 1861• First major battle of

the civil war• Union army tried to

march to Richmond, Virginia

• Many civilians followed the Union troops as they marched south

Results of the First Bull Run

• The Union forces were beaten by the fresh Confederate troops

• The Union retreated (ran for their lives) right through the picnicking civilians

• 5,000 soldiers were killed in the battle

Trouble In The North

• The Democrats in the North that supported the South were known as Copperheads.– Many times they would try to sabotage Union

efforts.

• The Copperheads were continuously calling for an end to the war.

• Tried to undermine Lincoln’s efforts for victory.

Illinois

• Industry increased to meet the demands of the Union Army.

• Farmers met the needs of both the Union Army & Europeans

John A. Logan

• Logan was one of the IL. Congressmen who had followed the Union troops to watch the battle.– Private retreating

• Logan was given a commission as a Colonel in the Union Army.

• Sent to Marion to recruit volunteers to fight.

Logan

• Logan went on to fight in the Western campaigns.– Belmont– Fort Donelson

• Wounded & thought to be dead in the battle for Fort Donelson.– Given the rank of Brigadier General

Logan Cont’d.

• Later Logan was promoted to Major General (2 stars)

• He was a powerful figure on the battlefield while sitting on his horse Slasher.

• At the end of the war he was offered a brigadier general position with the Army.

• Campaigned for Lincoln’s re-election in 1864.

Ulysses S. Grant

• Born in Point Pleasant, Ohio.

• Entered West Point at age 17.– Name was changed in W.P.

• Settled in IL after the end of the Mexican War.

• He rejoined the Army after Lincoln called for volunteers

Grant

• Given the position of the assistant quartermaster of the IL regiments.

• Later promoted to brigadier general – In charge of the troops in Cairo

• Grant led the Union forces in the Western Campaign

• Later placed in charge of trying to take Richmond.

The Emancipation Proclamation

• Passed in September 1862

• Took effect January 1, 1863

• Freed slaves in areas of open rebellion

Problems With the Emancipation Proclamation

• It affected the slaves that were in states of open rebellion

• These states did not recognize the laws of the United States anymore

• The slaves could flee to areas held by Union troops to be considered Contraband

Slaves as Contraband

• Slaves who became contraband were seen as property of the Union– Then the Union would then declare they were

free

• 85% of the slaves who were freed stayed with Union troops to fight in the war

Lee Surrenders

• April 9, 1865 Lee surrenders to General Grant at Appomattox Court House in Virginia– McLean House

surrender site

Lincoln’s Assassination

• April 14, 1865 Lincoln is shot by John Wilkes Booth– Ford’s Theater

• April 15, 1865 Lincoln dies

No More Slavery.

• The 13th Amendment abolished slavery in the U.S.

• Illinois was the 1st state to ratify the new amendment.

The Cost

• 259,000 Illinoisans had fought in the war.

• 35,000 had died w/. the last being Lincoln.