The Union in Crisis

The Union in Crisis

Slavery, States’ Rights, & Western Expansion

Slavery Divides A Nation

Americans faced a crucial question:

David Wilmot proposed a law stating “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall ever exist in any” lands won from Mexico.

The northern-dominated House of Representatives approved it, but the Senate did not. The North and South have the same number of senators and the Southern senators would not approve this provision.

Really all about California’s entrance into the Union. While Congress is arguing, what's happening in California? Gold Rush

North

/

South

Opposed Slavery

/

Approved slavery

Industrial Economy / Agricultural Economy based on farming
More Urban growth and a greater immigrant population / Minimal growth of cities
Used railroads more / Transported on rivers
Little Immigrant population
Slave population exploded

Election of 1848

Dem. & Whigs split over question to limit the expansion of slavery. New political factions emerge. The Free Soil Party is one of the parties that gains momentum.

Platform:

1.  Main goal was to keep slavery out of western territories.

2.  Supported Wilmot Proviso

3.  Nominated Martin Van Buren

For decades the major parties avoided the issue of slavery.

In this election, both will embrace popular sovereignty.

Popular Sovereignty – Allow the people in a territory to vote on whether they

want slavery to exist or not in their state.

Compromise of 1850

Most Intense Debate in U.S. History!

Henry Clay

“The Great Compromiser” was from the West &

tried to work out differences between the N. and S.

John C. Calhoun

1.  North should honor the Constitution and enforce the Fugitive Slave Law

2.  South wanted California

3.  Threatened to secede from U.S.

4.  U.S. should have two Presidents---one from the North and one for the South

Daniel Webster

1.  Secession is impractical & impossible

2.  How would we split the land?

3.  Compromise at all cost.

4. 

4.  Preserve the Union

Why did people like the Compromise of 1850?
North / South
Congress would admit California as a free state. / Congress would pass a strict new fugitive slave law.
Texas would give up its claims to New Mexico in return for $10 million. / Texas gets $10 million to pay off debt – from what? (Mexican War)
Both
New Mexico & Utah are open to slavery by principle of popular sovereignty.

After all the struggles between

Clay, Calhoun, and Webster the

Senate still rejects the

compromise.

Stephen Douglas helps out the process by getting each component of Clay’s plan approved separately.

The passage of the compromise restored calm for the moment, but it carried the seeds of the new crisis to come.

Position on Slavery
For / Against / Compromise
John C. Calhoun / Wilmot Proviso / Popular Sovereignty
Zachary Taylor / Free Soil Party / Henry Clay
Lewis Cass / Martin Van Buren / Compromise of 1850
Henry Foote / Daniel Webster / Stephen A. Douglas
Fugitive Slave Act / Thomas Hart Benson / Millard Fillmore
William Seward

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The Union in Crisis

A Rising Tide of Protest & Violence

Effects of the Compromise of 1850

The Fugitive Slave Act required that private citizens assist with

apprehending runaway slaves.

Abolitionist Respond

1.  Denounced by Abolitionists

2.  Harriet Beecher Stowe’s, Uncle Tom’s Cabin is published

3.  A few northern states passed Personal Liberty Laws, which nullified the Fugitive Slave Act

4.  Underground Railroad becomes more active

Southerners Respond

1.  Southerners threatened secession and war

2.  Believed it should be enforced because the Constitution protects property and Federal law is over State law.

The Underground Railroad to Freedom

The Underground Railroad was a secret network to help runaway slaves. “Conductors” gave food and clothing to runaways and provided them with a temporary hiding place.

The Underground Railroad was “operated” at night. Slaves were guided by the moonlight as it was there only source of light.

Harriet Tubman

Tubman was most famous “conductor” of the Underground Railroad. Tubman was an escaped slave and ended up making 19 runs, guiding hundreds of slaves to safety (including her own parents).

Planters placed a huge reward on her head, but she

was never captured. She ended up becoming a

speaker for the abolitionist movement.

Stowe Condemns Slavery

Stowe published Uncle Tom’s Cabin, a powerful

condemnation of slavery. The novel sold 300,000 copies in its

first year. It helped to show the immorality of slavery.

Kansas and Nebraska Act

i.  Build a transcontinental connecting California to the East Coast either in the South or North.

ii.  Stephen Douglas wanted the railroad built in the North but had to convince the South otherwise.

iii.  Proposed a plan that Kansas and Nebraska territories be opened up to slavery in return for building the railroad in the North.

iv.  Popular Sovereignty would be used.

v.  Kansas/Nebraska Act led to several acts of violence between pro-slavery settlers and anti-slavery settlers.

vi.  First violent outbreaks between North & South.

vii. First battles of the Civil War begin in Kansas in 1856.

viii.  Over 200 killed.

Bleeding Kansas

After the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act in 1854,

the Kansas territory became a battleground. Pro-slavery

and antislavery supporters rushed to settle in Kansas.

The territory was torn by battles and massacres.

The issue also bitterly divided the nation and led to the formation of the Republican Party. The first shots of the Civil War were in Bleeding Kansas.

Violence in the Senate…Again!

Mass. senator Charles Sumner gave a heated speech called, “The Crime Against Kansas.” In his speech he insulted South Carolina senator Andrew Butler, who was absent.

Three days later Representative

Preston Brooks (Butler’s Nephew)

“met” with Sumner. Brooks attacked

Sumner in the Senate with a cane

until he was unconscious.

Sumner was so badly injured that he could not return to the Senate for three years.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The Union in Crisis

Political Realignment Deepens the Crisis

Shifting Political Scene

Millard Fillmore angered the South with his support for California’s entry as a free state. He also angered the North with his support for Fugitive Slave Act and popular sovereignty. Members of the party left in large numbers. The Whig Party Disintegrates!

The Know Nothings supported an anti-immigrant movement.

They formed the American Party, but soon divided over

the issue of slavery in the western territories.

Platform: Opposed Slavery.

Attracted: Antislavery Democrats, Whigs, Free-Soilers, Know-Nothings

Dred Scott Decision

i.  Scott was a slave from Missouri traveled with his owner to Illinois & Minnesota both free states.

ii.  His master died and Scott wanted to move back to Missouri – Missouri still recognized him as a slave.

iii.  He sued his master’s widow for his freedom since he had lived in a free state for a period of time.

iv.  Court case went to the Supreme Court for a decision – National issue

a.  Can a slave sue for his freedom?

b.  Is a slave property?

c.  Is slavery legal?

John Brown’s Raid

i. Brown, a violent abolitionist, who was involved in Bleeding Kansas.

ii.  Murdered 5 pro-slavery men in Kansas.

iii.  Wanted to lead a slave revolt throughout the South by raising an army of freed slaves and destroying the South.

iv.  Attacked a U.S. ammunition depot in Harper’s Ferry, VA in Oct. of 1859 to capture weapons and begin his slave revolt.

v.  John Brown was unsuccessful and was captured by the United States Marine Corps under the leadership of Robert E. Lee. John Brown was put on trial for treason.

vi.  He was found guilty of treason and sentenced to death.

vii. Northerners thought of John Brown as a martyr to the abolitionist cause.

viii.  Southerners were terrified that if John Brown almost got away with this, that there must be others like him in the North who are willing to die to end slavery.

Historical Significance: South believed they needed to leave the US and start their own country.

Lincoln-Douglas Debates

Lincoln and Douglas both running for the U.S. Senate in Illinois. The debates were followed by the country because both candidates were interested in running for the presidency in 1860. Slavery was the issue.

Lincoln got Douglas to admit that Popular Sovereignty could work against the expansion of slavery. Southerners would not support Douglas for the presidency in 1860.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

The Union in Crisis

Lincoln, Secession, & War

Election of 1860

i.  Country is polarized (divided) over the issue of slavery.

ii.  Once Lincoln is elected as president, South Carolina will secede from the U.S. along with several other Southern States.

iii.  They will form the Confederate States of America---CSA.

iv. 

The Union Collapses

Secession
Causes / Events / Effects
South worries that northern radicals may try to eliminate slavery in original 13 states. / Democratic Party nominates two presidential candidates. / South Carolina secedes.
Democrats split into two parties. / Lincoln wins the election without a single southern vote. / Six other states secede as well.
Republicans nominate Lincoln and call for an end of slavery in territories. / Confederate States of America formed.
Confederates defeat Union at Fort Sumter.

South Fires on Fort Sumter

Confederates taking over forts in the South, except for

Fort Sumter. Fort Sumter was an important

because it guarded the harbor at Charleston.

Federal troops at the fort needed food and supplies.

Lincoln notified S.C. that he was sending supplies

– food only, no arms – to the fort.

SC was suspicious of Lincoln’s motives and ordered the federal troops to surrender to the Confederacy.

The troops refused, so the Confederates fired on the fort.