Chapter 18

1. Chapter 18 Section 1 The Debate over Slavery A Divided Nation (1848-1860)

2. The Expansion of Slavery • Mexican cession (addition of territory) renewed the debate over slavery • Pres. Polk wanted to continue the MO Compromise line (36 degrees 30’) to the Pacific Ocean. Divide MC into free and slave territory. • Rep. Wilmot proposed Wilmot Proviso –suggested no slavery in Mex. Cession territory. House proved, died in Senate. • Growth of Sectionalism-when people favor the interest of one region over the interest of the country as a whole • Sen. Lewis Cass of MI pushed letting voters decide (popular sovereignty)

3. The Expansion of Slavery (continued) • Slavery main issue of presidential election of 1848. • Neither Whigs nor Democrats took a clear position on slavery in the West • (NEW) Free-Soil Party formed by anti-slavery northerners. Martin Van Buren candidate. 10% popular vote received. • Zachary Taylor (Whig) won over Dem. • California Gold Rush caused a population boom that allowed California to skip the territorial stage • When CA applied for statehood, most residents wanted CA to be a free state. • Destroyed the balance of free vs. slave states.

4. The Compromise of 1850 • Written by Henry Clay AKA “The Great Compromiser” helped settle the Missouri crisis and the nullification crisis • Compromise of 1850-a set of proposals to address the current issues of sectional disagreement (whether CA would enter as free or slave) • CA enter as free state • Rest of Mex. Cession let voters decide • Tougher fugitive slave law

5. Debate over The Compromise of 1850 • Senator William Seward (NY) demanded admission of California without conditions or compromises • Sen. John C. Calhoun (SC) said to allow the slave states to leave the Union if CA was admitted as a free state in 1850 • Sen. Daniel Webster (MA) favored Clay’s plan –he criticized abolitionists & scolded southerners who spoke for disunion • Conditions of the Compromise of 1850 • California entered as free state • Mexican Cession divided into two territories – Utah and New Mexico – status decided by popular sovereignty • Texas agreed to give up claims in New Mexico, federal government gave TX financial assistance it needed • Outlawed slave trade in D.C. and produced new fugitive slave law

6. The Fugitive Slave Act • The Fugitive Slave Act-Part of the Compromise of 1850 • Made it a federal crime to help runaway slaves • Feds could arrest fugitives in areas where slavery was illegal. • Could not testify in their own defense. • So many slaves were returned to the South after the act passed that many African-Amer. fled to Canada to avoid capture.

7. Antislavery Literature • Slave narratives, personal stories, used to help the abolitionist cause. • Uncle Tom’s Cabin – written by Harriet Beecher Stowe – powerful antislavery novel • Had learned of the horrors of slavery after moving to Ohio. • Wrote UTC after the passage of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 to show northerners what slavery was really like • Sparked outrage in South, gained praise in the North • Book’s popularity caused some to remark that Stowe had created “two million abolitionists”

8. Chapter 18A Divided Nation (1848-1860) Section 2 Trouble in Kansas

9. The Election of 1852 Democrats chose Franklin Pierce • From north but south trusted him b/c he supported the Comp.of 1850 & Fugitive Slave Act • Whigs chose Winfield Scott (Mexican War hero) • he lost support in the South b/c he didn’t totally support the Compromise of 1850 • Pierce (Democrats) won by large margin

10. The Kansas-Nebraska Act • Stephen Douglas wanted to build a RR from Chicago to the Pacific • The rest of the L.A. Purchase had to become a federal territory for this to happen. Because of MO Compromise, would have to become free states. Upset the South. • South did not support Douglas’s plan – wanted their own RR running across the south to the Pacific • Douglas got south to support his plan in exchange for opening the territory west of MO to slavery

11. The Kansas-Nebraska Act (continued) • Stephen Douglas introduced the Kansas-Nebraska bill when southern senators agreed to abandon their plan for a southern railroad route if the new territory west of Missouri was opened to slavery • In 1854 Douglas introduced (KS-NE Act) in Congress it organized the rest of the LA Purchase into 2 territories that determined the slavery issue by popular sovereignty (vote) • Antislavery northerners were outraged that it ended the MO Compromise line of slavery. • Douglas and Pres. Pierce pressured other Democrats to vote for it • Passed but the proposed railroad was lost in the controversy of the slavery issue.

12. “Bleeding Kansas” • Anti & pro slavery groups rushed to populate KS so they could vote & then go home. • Elections for the Kansas territorial legislature were held in March 1855 • To ensure a proslavery victory 1000s of men crossed the border from MO, voted, then went home • The new territorial legislature located at Lecompton had a huge proslavery majority • Antislavery Kansans formed their own legislature in Topeka

13. “Bleeding Kansas” (continued) • The “Sack of Lawrence” was the attack on Lawrence by pro-slavery forces looking for antislavery leaders. • The proslavery had weapons so antislavery activists in KS sent for weapons from abolitionists in the East • Abolitionist John Brown decided to punish proslavery for the “Sack of Lawrence” • He led a group killing 5 proslavery men (Pottawatomie Massacre)

14. Continued • KS collapsed into civil war –known as “Bleeding KS” • KS caused problems in U.S. congress. Congressman Brooks beat w/ a cane the northern Senator Sumner for insulting his relative (senator from SC.) • Afterwards, many southerners sent Brooks new canes

15. Chapter 18A Divided Nation (1848-1860) Section 3 Political Divisions

16. New Divisions • Republican Party formed by Whigs, some Democrats, Free-Soilers and abolitionist in 1854 – united to oppose spread of slavery west • After 60 northern Democrats voted for the KS-NE Act, only 7 were re-elected to House. • The Whig Party was most damaged by passage of the KS-NE Act. Every northern Whig against, Southern Whigs for.

17. 1856 Election • Further division-Some Whigs and Dems joined Know-Nothing, quickly fell apart over slavery. • Those Know-Nothings who remained chose Millard Fillmore. • Democrats chose James Buchanan b/c he had avoided the KS-NE Act controversy. This is why Pierce and Douglas are not considered. • At its 1st pres. nominating convention, the Republican Party chose John C. Frémont. Little political experience but his opposition to the spread of slavery appealed to Republicans. No support outside of free states. • Buchanan won.

18. Dred Scott

19. The Dred Scott Decision • Dred Scott sued (1846) for his freedom, saying that he was free b/c he lived in free territory (traveled w/ owner who was an Army surgeon.) • Case reached supreme court in 1856 – 3 key issues • Was Scott a citizen of the U.S.? (If not he couldn’t sue in federal court) • Did the time he spent living on free soil make him free? • Was the ban on slavery in parts of the Louisiana Purchase constitutional? (would affect the MO Compromise)

20. The Dred Scott Decision (continued) • Chief Justice Taney was from a slaveholding family in Maryland. • Chief Justice Roger Taney wrote Dred Scott decision in March 1857. • Said the nation’s founders believed that African Americans “had no rights which a white man was bound to respect.” • Concluded that African Americans were not citizens under the US Constitution. Could not file a suit in court. • The Supreme court was mostly made up of southerners.

21. Results of Dred Scott case - • Since Scott wasn’t a citizen he couldn’t sue. • His free status depended on MO laws, where his owner lived. • Slaves were property (under the 5th amendment)so owners could take them to fed. territory which meant MO compromise restriction on slavery was unconstitutional.

23. The Lincoln-Douglas Debates • Lincoln relatively unknown before his disapproval of the Dred Scott decision. • Native of Kentucky, moved to Midwest in 1816. Served IL legislature 4 terms and 1 term in congress. • Lincoln nominated by Republicans. • 1858, Lincoln vs. Douglas for IL’s U.S. Senate seat • Douglas famous for KS-NE Act • To gain recognition Lincoln challenged Douglas to debates (Topic Slavery spreading west) to take advantage of Douglas’s fame

24. Cont. • Lincoln said Dems wanted to spread slavery across the continent. Said AA should receive the same liberties as whites. “Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” • Lincoln did not believe AA were necessarily politically or socially equal to whites. • Douglas insisted Lincoln “thinks that they Negro is his brother…those of you who believe that will vote for him.” • Douglas said Lincoln wanted to end slavery • Douglas criticized Lincoln for saying country could not remain half free, half slave • Said Republicans would want to make every state free

25. The Lincoln-Douglas Debates • Lincoln-How could Congress allow the citizens of the federal territory to ban slavery if Congress itself could not ban it? • Freeport Doctrine: Douglas upheld popular sovereignty over the power of the Supreme Court in deciding slavery • Because of debates, Lincoln became an important leader of Republican Party

26. Chapter 18A Divided Nation (1848-1860) Section 4 Secession

27. John Brown The Raid on Harpers Ferry (1859)

28. The Raid on Harpers Ferry (1859) • John Brown hated slavery & wanted to start a slave revolt. • Attack the federal arsenal in Virginia and seize weapons stored there, wanted to arm slaves in the area. • Did not receive a lot of support from other northern abolitionists. Only 20 men in his band after 2 years of planning. • John Brown’s raid began on night of Oct. 16, 1859 • After John Brown’s raid, he hoped slaves in the region would join him, but none did, didn’t want to risk getting caught. • Southerners in the area surrounded the area and attacked Brown. 8 men were killed. • Colonel Robert E. Lee (federal) captured and arrested Brown.

29. Judging John Brown • Brown convicted of treason & executed • Brown charged and convicted of treason, murder, and conspiracy to stir up slave rebellion – executed December 2, 1859 • Many in the North mourned his death, but not everyone who opposed slavery supported his actions • Lincoln’s reaction: Slavery is wrong but doesn’t excuse violence

30. The Election of 1860 • The Democratic Party split in 1860 b/c they couldn’t agree on a candidate • North chose Stephen Douglas • South chose VP John C. Breckinridge • A slaveholder who did not believe if Republicans (Lincoln) won south should secede.

31. cont • (NEW) Constitutional Union Party, formed by Northerners and Southerners (many former Whigs), focused on respecting the Constitution, preserving the Union, & enforcing laws • chose John Bell (TN)-against the Kansas-Nebraska Act. • Republicans chose Lincoln-moderate who was against the spread of slavery. Promised not to abolish it where it already existed.

32. The Election of 1860 (continued) • Really a contest between Lincoln (REP) and Stephen Douglas (DEM) • Lincoln gained less than 40% of the popular vote, but won 180 of the 183 electoral votes in the free states • Lincoln won w/out carrying a single southern state. Angered many Southerners. Showed south had lost political power • Strong reminder of how south was losing its political power on the national level

34. Breaking w/ the Union • Southerners worried Lincoln would abolish slavery. • Lincoln opposed slavery but promised not to abolish it where it already existed. South didn’t believe him • SC was the 1st state to secede on Dec. 20, 1860 • The Constitution does not address the issue of secession

35. Breaking with the Union (continued) • While the SC secession convention was under way, John J. Crittenden tried to save the Union w/ the Crittenden Compromise. • Compromise-Proposed a series of constitutional amendments to satisfy the South. 1. extend the line created by the MC to the Pacific coast. 2. Use federal money to pay slaveholders who could not recover their fugitive slaves in the North. • Lincoln did not agree with this plan. • By February 1, 1861, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas had seceded *Winston County AL. is the only county that disagreed with decision to secede*.

36. New nation formed with it’s own constitution-Could hold slaves. & officials called “Confederate States of America”. President Jefferson Davis. Capital Montgomery, AL. February 4th – delegates met in Montgomery, Alabama and established the CSA. (first capital of CSA) Jefferson Davis of Mississippi elected president