PPT Notes: Causes of the Civil War

1) Missouri Compromise 1820 and Compromise of 1850

  • Both proposed by: Henry Clay
  • Missouri Compromisepreserved the power balance between slave & free states_, and ended the debate in Congress over slavery in new states and territories--- for a while.

__Maine______entered as a free state.

_ Missouri ______entered as a slave state.

_Slavery______was banned in the rest of the Louisiana Territory above the 36th parallel.

  • Why was this an issue? Continued the conflict over slavery and the attempt to maintain a balance between slave and free states.
  • Wilmot Proviso - The issue arose again when Texas was admitted as a state. Congressman David Wilmot proposed that __slavery______be forbidden in any land acquired from _Mexico______. In contrast, John C. Calhoun proposed that Congress not be allowed to prohibit slavery in any way. Both proposals failed.
  • The debate led to the formation of a new party, the __Free___ _Soil______Party; the antislavery Whigs & Democrats lost the presidential election to Whig Zachary __Taylor______, hero of the Mexican War.
  • Compromise of 1850 – 7 months of debate in Congress (Webster vs. Calhoun) - President Taylor opposed it, but when he died and Millard Fillmore became president, it was divided up and passed as 5 separate laws; only passed because the American people forced their congressmen to accept it.

_Maine______entered as a _free______state.

_Mexico______territory would have no restrictions on slavery.

__New Mexico______- _____Texas______border would be settled (in New Mexico’s favor)

____Slave___ _auctions______, but not slavery, was banned in Washington, DC

____Fugitive______Slave______Act_____ passed

2) Fugitive Slave Act 1850

  • Required _citizens to help capture slaves who ran away______.
  • People who helped runaways could be _fined____ or __jailed______.
  • Many Northern juries often refused to _convict______people accused of breaking this.
  • Conditions under the Fugitive Slave Act helped __create the Underground Railroad______.

3) Uncle Tom’s Cabin

  • Author: Harriet Beecher Stowe
  • Date: 1852
  • Vivid characters, dramatic incidences, showed slavery as a cruel and brutal system.
  • _Inspired strong feelings___ in the North and South.

__North______felt a stronger urge to abolish slavery.

__South______felt threatened.

3) Kansas-Nebraska Act - 1854

  • During the administration of Democratic President Franklin __Pierce______, elected 1852
  • _Stephen A. Douglas______proposed that states choose for themselves whether to be free or slave states; popular sovereignty. (He proposed this idea in part to gain Southern congressional support for routing the transcontinental railroad through Chicago, in his state.)
  • Opened the door for _slavery_____ in the __Kansas____ and _Nebraska______territories, both north of the 36°30’ N latitude line set in the Missouri Compromise
  • Increased __tensions______between the North and the South.

4) “Bleeding Kansas”

  • ____Pro & Anti-Slavery groups______rushed to the territories, armed themselves, and fought for control. 2 Senators came to blows on the floor of the Senate over the issue, which revealed rising tensions between north and south. It also helped lead to the formation of a new party, the anti-slavery __Republican______Party.

5) Dred Scott Decision – 1857 (during the administration of Democratic President Millard Fillmore)

  • __Dred Scott______v. _____Sandford______
  • Four important things that were decided in the case:
  1. Slaves = property
  2. Slaves are not citizens protected by the Constitution
  3. Missouri Compromise - Unconstitutional
  4. Popular Sovereignty - Unconstitutional
  • Outraged _abolitionists______in the North. Pleased _South______. Divided the country even more.

6) Lincoln- Douglas Debates – 1858 -

A series of debates between _Stephen A. Douglas______and _Abraham Lincoln______for the State senate seat where the key issue was _slavery______.

Lincoln reveals his opposition to slavery in his “house divided” speech, but doesn’t proposed formally abolishing it

Douglas loses southern support for his popular sovereignty idea, when the Freeport Doctrine shows how votes could work against the South

7) Raid on Harper’s Ferry - 1859

  • Abolitionist _John Brown______led an attack on an arsenal on Harper’s Ferry.
  • The aim was to ___spark a slave uprising______.
  • John Brown’s death = _rallying cry for abolitionists______.
  • Fears of a _great Northern conspiracy confirmed______.

8) Election of 1860

  • Due to his increased popularity, Abraham Lincoln____ won the presidential election in 1860 much to the dismay of _the South______.
  • Lincoln opposed slavery, but thought _there was no easy way to eliminate it.______.
  • He thought the solution was to _prevent its spread to the territories______.
  • Lincoln _won the election______.

9)The South Secedes

  • November, 1860 - 1st STATE TO SECEDE:
  • February, 1861 - _Confederate States of America______is created
  • President of Confederate States of America: Jefferson Davis
  • Two grievances against Union:
  • not enforcing __ Fugitive Slave Act______,
  • denied Southern states _popular sovereignty______in the territories violating their contract with the Union.

10) States Rights

  • _Rights______and __powers_____ independent of the federal government that are __reserved ______for the states by the Constitution.
  • The belief that states rights __overrule______federal rights and law.

11) Cultural Differences

  • Sectionalism:
  • THE NORTH

Center of ___manufacturing____

Favored ____high protective tariffs_

Strongly ____opposed to slavery__

_efficient roads & transportation__

_largest cities ______

  • THE SOUTH

Economy _based on agriculture______

Plantations grew _cash crops, cotton, tobacco______

Opposed tariff on _imports ______

Favored ___slavery______