the sectional crisis america: past and present, chapter 14
TRANSCRIPT
THE SECTIONAL CRISISTHE SECTIONAL CRISISAmerica: Past and Present,America: Past and Present,
Chapter 14Chapter 14
The Compromise of 1850The Compromise of 1850
North and South conflict violently over North and South conflict violently over slavery’s extension into the territoriesslavery’s extension into the territories
Professional politicians mediate conflictProfessional politicians mediate conflict
The Problem of Slavery in the The Problem of Slavery in the Mexican CessionMexican Cession
Slavery traditionally kept out of politicsSlavery traditionally kept out of politics Congressional power over slavery Congressional power over slavery
includesincludes setting conditions to make territories statessetting conditions to make territories states forbidding slavery in new statesforbidding slavery in new states
Mexican Cession of 1848 puts status of Mexican Cession of 1848 puts status of slavery in new territory into questionslavery in new territory into question
The Wilmot Proviso Launches The Wilmot Proviso Launches the Free-Soil Movementthe Free-Soil Movement
Mexican War mobilizes antislavery groupsMexican War mobilizes antislavery groups Wilmot Proviso--ban all blacks from new Wilmot Proviso--ban all blacks from new
territories to preserve for white farmers territories to preserve for white farmers Proviso passes in House, fails in SenateProviso passes in House, fails in Senate Battle over the Proviso foreshadows Battle over the Proviso foreshadows
sectional conflict of 1850ssectional conflict of 1850s
Squatter Sovereignty and the Squatter Sovereignty and the Election of 1848Election of 1848
Democratic presidential candidate Lewis Democratic presidential candidate Lewis Cass proposes popular sovereigntyCass proposes popular sovereignty Congress allows territorial settlers to decideCongress allows territorial settlers to decide supported by many antislavery forcessupported by many antislavery forces
Free-Soil candidate Martin Van Buren Free-Soil candidate Martin Van Buren demands definite limits on slaverydemands definite limits on slavery
Whig Zachary Taylor takes no position Whig Zachary Taylor takes no position Taylor wins election with less than 50% Taylor wins election with less than 50%
Taylor Takes ChargeTaylor Takes Charge
Taylor proposes admitting California and Taylor proposes admitting California and New Mexico as states immediatelyNew Mexico as states immediately
South reacts angrilySouth reacts angrily not enough time for planters to settlenot enough time for planters to settle immediate admission would result in banimmediate admission would result in ban
Proposed Nashville convention prompts Proposed Nashville convention prompts fears of Southern secessionfears of Southern secession
Forging a CompromiseForging a Compromise
Henry Clay’s compromise packageHenry Clay’s compromise package California admitted as a free state California admitted as a free state slave trade prohibited in District of Columbiaslave trade prohibited in District of Columbia strong fugitive slave law strong fugitive slave law enlarged New Mexico territory to be admitted enlarged New Mexico territory to be admitted
on basis of popular sovereigntyon basis of popular sovereignty Taylor’s death permits passage of slightly Taylor’s death permits passage of slightly
altered Compromise as separate altered Compromise as separate measuresmeasures
The Compromise of 1850The Compromise of 1850
Political Upheaval, 1852-1856Political Upheaval, 1852-1856
Whigs and Democrats manage Whigs and Democrats manage controversy in 1850controversy in 1850
Sectionalism destroys both parties in Sectionalism destroys both parties in 1850s 1850s
The Party System in CrisisThe Party System in Crisis
Parties need new issues after 1850Parties need new issues after 1850 Democrats succeedDemocrats succeed
claim credit for the nation's prosperity claim credit for the nation's prosperity promise to defend the Compromise of 1850promise to defend the Compromise of 1850
Whigs fail, become internally dividedWhigs fail, become internally divided 1852--Whig Winfield Scott loses a 1852--Whig Winfield Scott loses a
landslide to Democrat Franklin Piercelandslide to Democrat Franklin Pierce
The Kansas-Nebraska Act The Kansas-Nebraska Act Raises a StormRaises a Storm
1854--Stephen Douglas introduces 1854--Stephen Douglas introduces Kansas-Nebraska billKansas-Nebraska bill apply popular sovereignty to Kansas, apply popular sovereignty to Kansas,
NebraskaNebraska repeal Missouri Compromise line repeal Missouri Compromise line
Act passes on sectional vote Act passes on sectional vote Northerners outragedNortherners outraged
The Kansas-Nebraska Act of The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 18541854
The Kansas-Nebraska Act The Kansas-Nebraska Act Raises a Storm (2)Raises a Storm (2)
Whig indecision causes party to Whig indecision causes party to disintegrate disintegrate
Mass defection among Northern Mass defection among Northern Democrats Democrats
““Anti-Nebraska” candidates sweep North Anti-Nebraska” candidates sweep North in 1854 congressional electionsin 1854 congressional elections
Democrats become sole Southern partyDemocrats become sole Southern party President Pierce’s effort to acquire Cuba President Pierce’s effort to acquire Cuba
provokes antislavery firestormprovokes antislavery firestorm
An Appeal to Nativism: The An Appeal to Nativism: The Know-Nothing EpisodeKnow-Nothing Episode
Know-Nothings (American Party) appeals Know-Nothings (American Party) appeals to anti-Catholic sentimentto anti-Catholic sentiment
1854--American party surges 1854--American party surges By 1856 Know-Nothings collapseBy 1856 Know-Nothings collapse Probable cause: no response to slaveryProbable cause: no response to slavery
Congressional Election of 1854Congressional Election of 1854
Kansas and the Rise of the Kansas and the Rise of the RepublicansRepublicans
Republican party unites former Whigs, Republican party unites former Whigs, Know-Nothings, Free-Soilers, DemocratsKnow-Nothings, Free-Soilers, Democrats
Appeals to Northern sectional sympathiesAppeals to Northern sectional sympathies Defends West for white, small farmersDefends West for white, small farmers ““Bleeding Kansas” helps RepublicansBleeding Kansas” helps Republicans
struggle among abolitionists, proslavery struggle among abolitionists, proslavery forces for control of Kansas territoryforces for control of Kansas territory
Republicans use conflict to appeal for votersRepublicans use conflict to appeal for voters
““Bleeding Kansas”Bleeding Kansas”
Sectional Division in the Sectional Division in the Election of 1856Election of 1856
Republican John C. FrRepublican John C. Fréémont seeks votes mont seeks votes only in free statesonly in free states
Know-Nothing Millard Fillmore champions Know-Nothing Millard Fillmore champions sectional compromisesectional compromise
Democrat James Buchanan defends the Democrat James Buchanan defends the Compromise of 1850, carries electionCompromise of 1850, carries election
Republicans make clear gains in NorthRepublicans make clear gains in North
The House Divided, 1857-1860The House Divided, 1857-1860
Sectional quarrel becomes virtually Sectional quarrel becomes virtually irreconcilable under Buchananirreconcilable under Buchanan
Growing sense of deep cultural Growing sense of deep cultural differences, opposing interests between differences, opposing interests between North and SouthNorth and South
Cultural SectionalismCultural Sectionalism
Major Protestant denominations divide into Major Protestant denominations divide into northern and southern entities over slaverynorthern and southern entities over slavery
Southern literature romanticizes plantation lifeSouthern literature romanticizes plantation life South seeks intellectual, economic South seeks intellectual, economic
independence independence Northern intellectuals condemn slavery Northern intellectuals condemn slavery Uncle Tom's CabinUncle Tom's Cabin an immense success in an immense success in
NorthNorth
The Dred Scott CaseThe Dred Scott Case
Dred Scott v. SanfordDred Scott v. Sanford (1857): Supreme (1857): Supreme Court can decide on slavery in the territoriesCourt can decide on slavery in the territories
Court refuses narrow determination of caseCourt refuses narrow determination of case Major argumentsMajor arguments
Scott has no right to sue because neither he nor Scott has no right to sue because neither he nor any other black, slave or free, a citizenany other black, slave or free, a citizen
Congress has no authority to prohibit slavery in Congress has no authority to prohibit slavery in territories, Missouri Compromise territories, Missouri Compromise unconstitutionalunconstitutional
Ruling strengthens RepublicansRuling strengthens Republicans
The Lecompton ControversyThe Lecompton Controversy
1857--rigged Lecompton convention drafts 1857--rigged Lecompton convention drafts constitution to make Kansas a slave stateconstitution to make Kansas a slave state
House defeats attempt by Buchanan, House defeats attempt by Buchanan, Southerners to admit Kansas Southerners to admit Kansas
Lecompton constitution referred back Lecompton constitution referred back People of Kansas repudiatePeople of Kansas repudiate Stephen Douglas splits Democrats in Stephen Douglas splits Democrats in
break with Buchanan over Lecomptonbreak with Buchanan over Lecompton
Debating the Morality of Slavery Debating the Morality of Slavery
LincolnLincoln decries “Southern plot” to extend slaverydecries “Southern plot” to extend slavery promises to work for slavery’s extinctionpromises to work for slavery’s extinction casts slavery as a moral problemcasts slavery as a moral problem defends white supremacy in response to defends white supremacy in response to
DouglasDouglas
Douglas accuses Lincoln of favoring Douglas accuses Lincoln of favoring equalityequality
Lincoln loses election, gains national Lincoln loses election, gains national reputationreputation
The South's Crisis of FearThe South's Crisis of Fear
October, 1859--John Brown raids Harper’s October, 1859--John Brown raids Harper’s FerryFerry
Brown executed, North mourns as martyrBrown executed, North mourns as martyr December, 1859--Republican candidate December, 1859--Republican candidate
for Speaker denounced as seditious for Speaker denounced as seditious “Helperite”“Helperite”
Republicans seen as radical abolitionistsRepublicans seen as radical abolitionists Southerners convinced they must secede Southerners convinced they must secede
on election of Republican president on election of Republican president
The Election of 1860: The Election of 1860: DemocratsDemocrats
Party splitsParty splits Northern Democrat Stephen DouglasNorthern Democrat Stephen Douglas Southern Democrat John BreckenridgeSouthern Democrat John Breckenridge
The Election of 1860: The Election of 1860: Constitutional Union Party Constitutional Union Party
Candidate John BellCandidate John Bell Promises compromise between North and Promises compromise between North and
SouthSouth
The Election of 1860: The Election of 1860: RepublicansRepublicans
Abraham Lincoln nominated Abraham Lincoln nominated home state of Illinois crucial to electionhome state of Illinois crucial to election seen as moderateseen as moderate
Platform to widen party’s appealPlatform to widen party’s appeal high tariffs for industryhigh tariffs for industry free homesteads for small farmersfree homesteads for small farmers government aid for internal improvementsgovernment aid for internal improvements
Lincoln wins by carrying NorthLincoln wins by carrying North
Explaining the CrisisExplaining the Crisis
Republicans a strict sectional partyRepublicans a strict sectional party Fundamental conflict of idealsFundamental conflict of ideals Southern idealsSouthern ideals
paternalism, generosity, prosperitypaternalism, generosity, prosperity slavery defended on the grounds of raceslavery defended on the grounds of race
Northern idealsNorthern ideals inspired by evangelical Protestantisminspired by evangelical Protestantism each person free and responsible each person free and responsible slavery tyrannical and immoralslavery tyrannical and immoral