Motives for Expansion Motives for Expansion and Western Settlement and Western Settlement

Chapter 6Chapter 6

Section 3Section 3

Stephan A DouglasStephan A Douglas

Stephen A. Douglas was the senator Stephen A. Douglas was the senator from Illinois who encouraged southern from Illinois who encouraged southern hopes by proposing that settlers in hopes by proposing that settlers in Kansas and Nebraska decide for Kansas and Nebraska decide for themselves whether or not to allow themselves whether or not to allow slavery in their territories in which slavery in their territories in which Congress ended up voting in favor for.Congress ended up voting in favor for.

Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854)Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854)

The terms of the Missouri The terms of the Missouri Compromise no longer applied to Compromise no longer applied to Kansas and Nebraska. Kansas and Nebraska.

Instead, the people of these territories Instead, the people of these territories would exercise popular sovereignty would exercise popular sovereignty by voting on whether or not to allow by voting on whether or not to allow slavery.slavery.

Violent OutcomeViolent Outcome

In Kansas, after the passage of Senator In Kansas, after the passage of Senator Douglas’s bill, fighting broke out Douglas’s bill, fighting broke out between southern, proslavery settlers, between southern, proslavery settlers, and northern, antislavery settlers. and northern, antislavery settlers.

Armed clashes between northerners Armed clashes between northerners and southerners in “Bleeding Kansas” and southerners in “Bleeding Kansas” warned of the nationwide civil war that warned of the nationwide civil war that would soon follow.would soon follow.

Disintegration of the Whig PartyDisintegration of the Whig Party

From the early to mid-1800s, the Whig From the early to mid-1800s, the Whig party was one of the two major parties party was one of the two major parties of the United States.of the United States.

The Whig part supported High Tariffs The Whig part supported High Tariffs to protect business, a national bank to to protect business, a national bank to control the currency, and internal control the currency, and internal improvements on roads and canals. improvements on roads and canals.

With supporters in both the North and With supporters in both the North and the South , the Whig party at first took the South , the Whig party at first took no stand on the issue of slavery.no stand on the issue of slavery.

Rise of the Republican PartyRise of the Republican Party

The Republican Party would replace the The Republican Party would replace the Whigs as they declined in popularity.Whigs as they declined in popularity.

Founded in 1854, the Republican Party Founded in 1854, the Republican Party drew all its support from the North and drew all its support from the North and the West.the West.

The Republican Party was looked upon The Republican Party was looked upon with suspicion and hostility as an with suspicion and hostility as an antislavery, anti-southern party from the antislavery, anti-southern party from the South’s point of view. South’s point of view.

As stated in the Republican platforms of As stated in the Republican platforms of 1856 and 1860, the new party stood for:1856 and 1860, the new party stood for:

1.1. Keeping slavery out of the western Keeping slavery out of the western territories. (The abolition of slavery in the territories. (The abolition of slavery in the south was a goal of only a minority of south was a goal of only a minority of Republicans; it was not an official goal of Republicans; it was not an official goal of the party)the party)

2.2. Enacting a high protective tariff to Enacting a high protective tariff to encourage northern industriesencourage northern industries

3.3. Building a transcontinental, or nationwide, Building a transcontinental, or nationwide, railroad stretching from the Atlantic coast railroad stretching from the Atlantic coast all the way to the Pacific.all the way to the Pacific.

Election of 1856Election of 1856

In the election of 1856, Republican In the election of 1856, Republican candidate for president, John C. Fremont, candidate for president, John C. Fremont, came in second in the national voting and came in second in the national voting and first in the North. Was an election that first in the North. Was an election that proved that the Republican Party was now proved that the Republican Party was now one of the two major parties in the nation.one of the two major parties in the nation.

Abraham Lincoln and the Abraham Lincoln and the Secession CrisisSecession Crisis

Abraham Lincoln, the man who would Abraham Lincoln, the man who would become the 16become the 16thth president, began his life president, began his life on a small homestead in Kentucky.on a small homestead in Kentucky.

When he was three years old, his father When he was three years old, his father moved the family to Indiana where Abe moved the family to Indiana where Abe grew up on the family farm teaching grew up on the family farm teaching himself to read and write.himself to read and write.

Although he had some primary school Although he had some primary school instruction, Lincoln was largely self-taught.instruction, Lincoln was largely self-taught.

Lincoln began his career as a Lincoln began his career as a lawyer and legislator.lawyer and legislator.

His political beliefs included His political beliefs included opposition to the expansion of opposition to the expansion of slavery, internal improvements, slavery, internal improvements, and a high tariff.and a high tariff.

On a personal and moral level, On a personal and moral level, Lincoln opposed slavery.Lincoln opposed slavery.

Lincoln launched his political Lincoln launched his political career as a Whig and when the career as a Whig and when the Whig party began to Whig party began to disintegrate, Lincoln joined the disintegrate, Lincoln joined the newly formed Republican newly formed Republican Party.Party.

Lincoln-Douglas DebatesLincoln-Douglas Debates The person holding the Senate seat and running for The person holding the Senate seat and running for

reelection was the famed Democratic leader in the reelection was the famed Democratic leader in the Senate, Stephan Douglas.Senate, Stephan Douglas.

In various towns in Illinois, Lincoln, the tall Republican, In various towns in Illinois, Lincoln, the tall Republican, debated the much shorter Democrat (the “Little Giant,” debated the much shorter Democrat (the “Little Giant,” as Douglas was called) on the slavery issue.as Douglas was called) on the slavery issue.

Douglas defended his position on popular sovereignty; Douglas defended his position on popular sovereignty; Lincoln attacked it.Lincoln attacked it.

Said Lincoln in one debate: “The Republican party Said Lincoln in one debate: “The Republican party looks upon slavery as a moral, social, and political looks upon slavery as a moral, social, and political wrong. They insist that it should be treated as wrong; wrong. They insist that it should be treated as wrong; and one of the methods of treating it as wrong is to and one of the methods of treating it as wrong is to make sure that it should grow no longer.”make sure that it should grow no longer.”

Lincoln-Douglas DebatesLincoln-Douglas Debates

It was during this race for the Senate that It was during this race for the Senate that Lincoln gave his famous “house divided” speech.Lincoln gave his famous “house divided” speech.

A house divided against itself cannot stand. I A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure believe this government cannot endure permanently half slave, and half free….I do not permanently half slave, and half free….I do not expect the house to fall; but I do expect it will expect the house to fall; but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing, cease to be divided. It will become all one thing, or all the other.or all the other.

Lincoln lost the Senate election to Douglas but Lincoln lost the Senate election to Douglas but the debates won Lincoln national attention.the debates won Lincoln national attention.

Election of 1860Election of 1860

Angry feelings between northerners and Angry feelings between northerners and southerners dominated politics in 1860 as southerners dominated politics in 1860 as Republicans and Democrats met in national Republicans and Democrats met in national conventions to choose their candidates for conventions to choose their candidates for president.president.

The four candidates for president in the The four candidates for president in the election of 1860 were Abraham Lincoln (Rep), election of 1860 were Abraham Lincoln (Rep), Stephen Douglas (No. Dem), John Stephen Douglas (No. Dem), John Breckinridge (So. Dem), and John Bell (Const. Breckinridge (So. Dem), and John Bell (Const. Union).Union).

In this four-way race, In this four-way race, Lincoln emerged as the Lincoln emerged as the winner although he won winner although he won only 40 percent of the only 40 percent of the popular vote.popular vote.

However, he won the However, he won the heavily populated states heavily populated states throughout the North, throughout the North, thereby winning the thereby winning the electoral vote. electoral vote.

From the South’s point of From the South’s point of view, it was the worst view, it was the worst possible outcome.possible outcome.

Southern SecessionSouthern Secession

Only one month after Lincoln’s election, Only one month after Lincoln’s election, South Carolina announced its decision to South Carolina announced its decision to secede from the Union.secede from the Union.

Other southern states followed South Other southern states followed South Carolina’s example.Carolina’s example.

By March 1861, northern states and By March 1861, northern states and southern states were acting as two southern states were acting as two separate nations.separate nations.

The Union had come apart.The Union had come apart.

Southern SecessionSouthern Secession Many factors led to the Civil War. Many factors led to the Civil War. The invention of the Cotton Gin by Eli Whitney The invention of the Cotton Gin by Eli Whitney

insured that slavery would increase and spread and insured that slavery would increase and spread and would never go away. would never go away.

Among its underlying causes were cultural and Among its underlying causes were cultural and economic differences, regional loyalties, economic differences, regional loyalties, southerners’ belief in easy victory, slavery as a southerners’ belief in easy victory, slavery as a moral issue, and a series of inflammatory events in moral issue, and a series of inflammatory events in the 1850s. the 1850s.

The South believed that it had to secede in order to The South believed that it had to secede in order to preserve slavery, which it viewed as inseparable preserve slavery, which it viewed as inseparable from southern culture. from southern culture.

The industrial North and the cotton-The industrial North and the cotton-dominated South also had differing dominated South also had differing economic interests, which led to political economic interests, which led to political disputes such as the tariff question.disputes such as the tariff question.

Sectionalism in the South was stronger than Sectionalism in the South was stronger than nationalism. nationalism.

Southerners were also strong believers in states’ Southerners were also strong believers in states’ rights rather than in federal authority. rights rather than in federal authority.

The South also believed that the North did not The South also believed that the North did not have the stomach to use armed force. have the stomach to use armed force.

Many southerners also thought that English Many southerners also thought that English manufacture’s dependence on their cotton would manufacture’s dependence on their cotton would oblige Britain to support them if war did come. oblige Britain to support them if war did come.

Strong presidential leadership was lacking in Strong presidential leadership was lacking in the 1850s, and the two leading proponents of the 1850s, and the two leading proponents of nationalism in the Senate, Henry Clay and nationalism in the Senate, Henry Clay and Daniel Webster, both passed away early in Daniel Webster, both passed away early in the decade.the decade.

By the 1850s more and more people began to By the 1850s more and more people began to view slavery as morally wrong and view slavery as morally wrong and incompatible with democracy. incompatible with democracy.

In addition, a series of inflammatory events In addition, a series of inflammatory events acted to polarize and divide the nation in the acted to polarize and divide the nation in the 1850s. 1850s.

Among these events were the Fugitive Slave Among these events were the Fugitive Slave Act, the publication of “Bleeding Kansas,” Act, the publication of “Bleeding Kansas,” the Dred Scott decision, John Brown’s raid the Dred Scott decision, John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry, and the election of on Harpers Ferry, and the election of Abraham Lincoln as president in 1860.Abraham Lincoln as president in 1860.