The Civil War

1. The Civil War 1848-1877: Crisis of Union 1861-1864: Civil War Mrs. QuimbyUS History ISophomoresQuincy High School

2. Slavery and Western Expansion • Following the Mexican-American War, the United States faced more questions about slavery. ->The Fugitive Slave Act was a point of issue. • Most Southerners thought they should be able to “retrieve property” that crossed state lines. • Many Northerners, in contrast, assisted escaped slaves in avoiding capture. ->Many people also wondered how slavery would be addressed in the new California and Oregon territory.

3. Slavery and Western Expansion • Two types of advertisements became popular: In the South, “Wanted” posters advertising rewards for escaped slaves. In the North, “Warning” signs for free African Americans.

4. Slavery and Western Expansion -> President Polk refused to take a side on the slavery issue. • Polk was a slave owner himself • He thought no one would bother taking slaves to the Southwest, because the area was not good for farming • He called it “an abstract question”- something that would be a non-issue -> When a debate broke out in Congress on the topic, Polk responded with concern: -> He said, the issue of slavery, “cannot fail to destroy the Democratic Party, if it does not ultimately threaten the Union itself.”

5. Slavery and Western Expansion -> The Wilmot Proviso • In August, 1846, David Wilmot proposed an addition to a war appropriations bill. -> Wilmot suggested that, in any territory the United States had gained from Mexico: “neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall ever exist.” • Wilmot and many Democrats like him disliked Polk and Polk’s non-opinion on slavery. • Many also thought Polk was “Pro-Southern”, because Polk was from North Carolina.

6. Slavery and Western Expansion -> The Wilmot Proviso: Reaction • The Wilmot Proviso enraged Southerners. • Many thought that it was the first step to outlawing slavery everywhere. ->The Proviso passed in the House, but the Senate refused to vote on it. It was never put into action. -> During the debate, John C. Calhoun prepared a series of resolutions to counteract the Wilmot Proviso. These are called the Calhoun Resolutions. • Calhoun argued that the states owned the land, and that Congress had no right to ban slavery in all of the new territory. • Instead, a policy of popular sovereignty was developed - each new state would vote whether or not to allow slavery.

7. Slavery and Western Expansion -> Popular Sovereignty -> Popular sovereignty was suggested by Lewis Cass, of Michigan. -> Many member of Congress liked the idea of popular sovereignty - it removed the issue of slavery from national politics. • It also seemed “democratic”, because it was the settlers who would make the decision. • Abolitionists disagreed - saying it still denied African Americans their right to not be enslaved.

8. Politics and New Parties • 1848: A new election was coming up. • Whigs nominated Zachary Taylor as their presidential candidate. However, the Whig party was starting to split… -> Conscience Whigs: North • Opposed slavery • Did not like Taylor (thought he would expand slavery westward) -> Cotton Whigs: North • Supported Taylor • Voted with the Southern Whigs • Mostly merchants who need access to southern cotton -> Southern Whigs: South • Support Taylor • Pro-slavery

9. Politics and New Parties • Because of this split, many Conscience Whigs quit the Whig party. • Meanwhile, the Democrats were also facing issues. • Democrats had nominated Lewis Cass instead of Martin Van Buren as President. Many anti-slavery Democrats did not like this. -> These two unhappy factions joined together • The Democrats who were unhappy with their party’s nomination • The Whigs who opposed slavery -> Together they formed the Free Soil Party

10. Politics and New Parties -> The Free-Soil Party had several major goals -> Members of the Free Soil Party were against slavery in the “free soil” of the western territories. • Many were against slavery because it was immoral • However, some also were opposed to slavery because they thought slavery would make it more difficult for free men to find work. -> The Free-Soil Party’s slogan was: “Free soil, free speech, free labor, and free men.”

11. The 1848 Election • Candidates from the three parties - Whig, Democrat, and Free-Soil campaigned for the presidency -> Democrat: Lewis Cass supported popular sovereignty, and, voters in the South believed, would veto the Wilmot Proviso if it was passed. -> Free-Soil: Martin Van Buren was anti-slavery in the west, and supported the Wilmot Proviso. -> Whig: Zachary Taylor avoided the whole issue, and refused to take a side on slavery. -> The Free-Soil party split the votes in important states. Ultimately, Taylor won the election.

12. Taylor and Compromises • Within a year of Taylor winning the Presidency, slavery again became an issue -> In 1848, Prospectors discovered gold in California -> By 1849, more than 80,000 “Forty-Niners” had arrived to look for gold. -> California had enough settlers to apply for statehood, and the question was - would it be a slave or a free state? • Though Taylor was generally pro-slavery (being a Southern slaveholder himself), he encouraged the Californians to vote. -> Popular sovereignty meant that Californians voted. California became a free state.

13. Taylor and Compromises • The California issue forced people to compromise. -> The Compromise of 1850 was spearheaded by Henry Clay, now called “The Great Compromiser” -> The Compromise of 1850 said… • California is a free state - Victory, North • Popular sovereignty to determine slavery in new territories in Utah, New Mexico etc. - Compromise • Texas/New Mexico border resolved - Victory, South • Slave trade abolished in Washington D.C. - Victory, North • Strong federal enforcement of Fugitive Slave Act - Victory, South

14. Taylor and Compromises • Almost immediately after the Compromise of 1850, Taylor died in office. -> VP Millard Fillmore became President -> Fillmore supported the Compromise. -> For a short time, the Compromise seemed like it solved the slavery problem. • However, in the next few years, all sides began to realize that a compromise would not be a permanent solution.

15. Mounting Violence • During the 1850’s and ‘60s, there was even more conflict surrounding slavery. -> Uncle Tom’s Cabinwas a novel written in parts and published in an anti-slavery newspaper. Published as a book in 1852, it sold 300,000 copies in its first year. -> Uncle Tom’s Cabin was written by Harriet Beecher Stowe. • It tells the story of Tom, an enslaved hero, trying to gain respect and freedom. It shows the overseer, and most white characters, in a very negative light. • Stowe was revolutionary - she was on of the first writers to show African Americans as “real people” • Many people who read her book soon joined the abolitionist cause.

16. Fugitive Slave Act • The Fugitive Slave Act had been added to the Constitution to appease Southerners • It was one of Clay’s many compromises • However, to actually hurt the Southern cause by creating hostility toward slavery in the North -> It made Northerners (who otherwise might not have an opinion) aware of the issue of slavery. -> Under the Fugitive Slave Act (1850), a slave owner only had to describe or point out an African American, and claim that person was an escaped slave. -> African Americans who were accused of being escaped slaves had no right to a trial, and were often kidnapped and sent south - whether they were actually an escaped slave or not.

17. Fugitive Slave Act • The Fugitive Slave At also offered a financial incentive for local commissioners to find in favor of the slave-holder. • The commissioner (person who decided if the “escaped slave” was really escaped or not) often made $10 for deciding in favor of the slave owner, and only $5 if he decided in favor of the “escaped slave”. • Further - any Northerner could be forced to help capture escaped slaves. A person could be sent to jail for refusing to help capture someone. Henry Long was a free African American living in NYC, working as a waiter. However, someone claimed that he was an escaped slave. Long was kidnapped and forced into slavery in Virginia. A NYC newspaper printed the story saying: “almost no colored man is safe in our streets.” The same thing happened to Solomon Northup – kidnapped in Washington D.C. and forced into slavery in Louisiana.

18. Fugitive Slave Act -> Politically, the Fugitive Slave Act backfired. • By forcing anti-slavery Northerners to help capture slaves, it made Northerners angry. • Frederick Douglass - abolitionist, orator, and writer would ask his audiences if they would give up a fleeing AfricanAmerican to the “pursuing bloodhounds”. The crowd would respond with a resounding, “NO!” -> The Fugitive Slave Act actually increased dissent/defiance; and made more people join the abolitionist movement.

19. The Underground Railroad -> Even though the Fugitive Slave Act meant that anyone helping a slave escape would face huge fines and jail time, this didn’t stop people. -> Instead, they created the Underground Railroad. • The Underground Railroad was informal, but well organized. • It helped thousands of slaves escape • Members of the Railroad (conductors) transported runaways north in secret. -> The goal of the Railroad was to get the runaways safely to free states, and, in many cases, to Canada.

20. The Underground Railroad -> The most well known of the conductors was Harriet Tubman - also called Moses • Tubman was born as Araminta Ross, in slavery in Maryland. • At age 13, when she tried to save another slave from being beaten, an overseer cracked her skull. Tubman recovered, but would experience blackouts for the rest of her life. • As a young woman, Harriet married John Tubman, a free African American. • However, law at the time said any children they had would be slaves (as Harriet was a slave). Tubman escaped to freedom at age 29.

21. The Underground Railroad • Tubman’s joy at being free inspired her to help others. • After Congress passed the Fugitive Slave Act, Tubman returned to the South 19 times to guide more people to freedom • Though there were huge rewards for her capture, Tubman was never caught, and she never lost a passenger - freeing 70 people herself, and helping another 60 to escape with other conductors. • Over her career, Tubman managed to free, among many others - her parents, her brothers, and most of her nieces and nephews. • By the end of her conducting career, a $40,000 reward was offered for her capture. (You could buy a farm for $400).

22. The Underground Railroad • During the Civil War, Tubman joined the Union side • She worked to free Southern slaves across enemy lines, and also as a nurse • She was also the first woman to lead an armed assault during the Civil War - destroying plantations and guiding steamboats around Confederate mines. • Despite her work during the Civil War, Tubman was not paid until years after the War. Her status as an African American, and as a woman made her “ineligible” for pay. • During the rest of her life, she worked for women’s suffrage (the right to vote), and rights for African Americans. • She died in 1913, at age 93.

23. The Underground Railroad • Tubman was once asked what she thought Abraham Lincoln should do about slavery. -> Tubman responded by talking about slavery as a snake… • A person can continue to treat snake bites, and heal, but the snake will continue to bite until it is dead. In order to actually make a difference, the snake must be killed. • Thanks to Tubman and other conductors like her, thousands of slaves were guided to freedom, first in free states, and then in Canada.

24. The Transcontinental Railroad • Even with people spreading to the West to settle, there were still regional issues. • Settlers still thought of themselves as Northerners or Southerners - causing sectionalism even in the West. • Adding California as a state also made people realize that the country needed a way to travel Westward easier, and to connect the East and West. -> The transcontinental railroad was built to connect the East Coast to the rest of the country.

25. The Transcontinental Railroad The Transcontinental Railroad was not finished until after the Civil War. The finished Railroad was built on both sides by recent immigrants. Working east-to-west were Irish laborers. Working from the west coast eastward were immigrants from China. • Though on both sides, the work was hard and the pay very little, many immigrants made enough money to buy homes, and even transport their families into the United States.

26. The Transcontinental Railroad • The transcontinental railroad had a broad appeal, but the choice of its eastern starting point became a new issue in the sectional conflict. -> Southerners wanted the train to start in New Orleans, but this would mean that it had to pass through northern Mexico. • Secretary of War, Jefferson Davis, sent James Gadsden to buy this land from Mexico. -> The Gadsden Purchase added a 30,000 square mile strip of land to southern Arizona and New Mexico.

27. The Transcontinental Railroad -> Northerners wanted the train to start in Chicago. • However, this would mean organizing the territory in the area into states. • Stephen Douglas was the man in charge of organizing this territory. He wanted to create Nebraska. -> Southern senators, however, prevented the bill from being passed - saying that, if Douglas wanted the Nebraska territory organized for the railroad, he would need to allow slavery in the new territory.

28. Kansas-Nebraska Act -> The Original Idea: The large Nebraska territory would be allowed to exercise popular sovereignty when it came to slavery. Because of the Missouri Compromise, it would probably be a free state. The Problem: Southern senators saw though this, and refused to vote. -> The New Plan: Douglas suggested undoing the Missouri compromise. He also suggested breaking the region into two territories - Kansas and Nebraska. Kansas was intended for slavery. Nebraska would be free. -> The Reaction: This outraged Northern Democrats and Whigs. Free-Soilers called the act an “atrocious plot”. They said removing the Missouri Compromise meant they were approving slavery. -> The Result: Even though not everyone supported it, the Kansas-Nebraska Act was passed in May, 1854

29. Bleeding Kansas -> Kansas became the first battleground between those favoring slavery and those opposing it. Eastern Kansas had territory that was good for farming - Southern settlers moving there would be likely to bring slaves. To prevent this, Northerners raced to occupy the territory first - hoping to create an anti-slavery majority before Southerners came in. -> Pro-slavery settlers called “border ruffians” formed a pro-slavery government in Lecompton -> Anti-slavery settlers formed their own government in Topeka. By March 1856, Kansas had two governments.

30. Bleeding Kansas -> On May 21, 1856, border ruffians attacked the anti-slavery town of Lawrence The ruffians wrecked printing presses, robbed and looted shops and homes, and burned the home of the free-state governor. -> Newspapers began calling the area “Bleeding Kansas”. -> Within six months, 200 people had died in the fighting as a miniature civil war sprung up in Kansas. This political cartoon shows Pres. Millard Fillmore breaking up a fight between a “rascally abolitionist” (left) and a “border ruffian” (right)

31. The Republican Party Anger over the Kansas-Nebraska Act split many of the political parties. Many members of the Free-Soil Party, and anti-slavery Whigs and Democrats formed a new party. -> In July 1854, the Republican Party was officially organized. - This was not the first Republican Party - they named themselves after Jefferson’s party from nearly 100 years before. Republicans did not agree on whether slavery should be abolished in the South. -> However, they DID agree that slavery should not spread to new territories in the West.

32. The Know-Nothings At the same time, public anger against the Northern Democrats meant a new party was formed against them. -> The Know-Nothings was an anti-Catholic, anti-immigration, and nativist party. -> Know-Nothings feared that new immigrants (especially the Irish) would steal American jobs. Because of anti-Catholic (anti-Irish) prejudice, the Know-Nothing party was actually very popular. -> Despite this popularity, the Know-Nothings eventually split over the issue of slavery. Eventually, the Know-Nothings in the North joined the Republican Party.

33. The Election of 1856 During the Election of 1856, there were three major parties. Republicans nominated John C. Fremont - famous Western explorer Know-Nothings chose former President Millard Fillmore (hoping to get former Whigs to vote for him) -> Democrats nominated James Buchanan. Buchanan had huge support in the South, but his home state was Pennsylvania, so he also had Northern supporters. -> Buchanan won the election.

34. Dred Scott By this point, many Southern members of Congress were pressuring the Supreme Court to come to a decision in favor (or against) slavery. -> Dred Scott v. Sandfordbecame this landmark case. -> Dred Scott was a slave, suing for his freedom. -> Scott’s master (Sandford) had taken him into a free state, and then back to Missouri. Scott argued that he had become free when in the free state, and sued Sandford for his freedom. -> Chief Justice Taney decided in favor of Sandford. Taney’s rationale: Dred Scott was an African American, and free or not, African Americans were not citizens. Non-citizens could not sue. He dismissed the case.

35. Kansas Cont. President Buchanan also needed to find a solution to Bleeding Kansas. Buchanan urged Kansans on both sides (pro-slavery and anti-slavery) to write a constitution, and make Kansas officially a slave or free state. -> Pro-slavery Kansans wrote the LeCompton Constitution. This document was heavily in favor of slavery, and would have made Kansas a slave state. Anti-slavery Kansans were furious. -> They took a vote, and a compromise was reached. -> Kansas would have to wait two years to become a state, but it would be a free state when it was added.

36. John Brown’s Raid John Brown was an abolitionist, who, in 1859, decided to take a more violent approach. -> Brown and 18 followers seized an arsenal of weapons in Virginia, and began a rebellion against the slave owners in the area. His plan was to free the slaves in the town - using force if necessary. Brown’s Raid only lasted 36 hours - it was put down by a young Colonel - Robert E. Lee. Brown was sentenced to death… -> Many Northerners saw Brown as a martyr for the abolitionist cause. -> Southerners saw this Northern support as an active plot against them… more conflict was brewing.

37. Lincoln -> Brown’s raid was a turning point for the south - many Southerners were angry that a slave revolt would have so much support form the North. Many Southerners blamed the Republican party. Meanwhile, the Democratic Party was again splitting - Southern Democrats wanted to develop an official slave code for new states. Northern Democrats supported popular sovereignty. This Democratic split weakened the party. Democrats selected John Breckinridge as their Presidential candidate. -> However, Republican newcomer Abraham Lincoln won the election of 1860.

38. Lincoln Abraham Lincoln was born February 12, 1809. Lincoln’s parents, Thomas and Nancy, had settled on the frontier of Kentucky. By the time Abraham was born, his parents owned 600 acres of land in the area. However, they soon lost it all because of faulty paperwork. The Lincolns were forced to move to Ohio. Though slavery was not an immediate issue for the Lincolns, the family was not in favor of it, and one of the reasons for their moving to Ohio was because it was a free state.

39. Lincoln Abraham’s mother died when he was only 9. The cause of death was milk sickness - caused by drinking milk from a cow that had eaten white snakeroot. At the time, it was a common cause of death on the frontier. Abraham’s father re-married, to a widow with three of her own children. Abraham was close with his step-mother, Sarah, and called her “Mother” Abraham did not like hard work as a pre-teen, and many in the community called him lazy. However, as he grew older, Abraham realized he needed to contribute to the family, and willingly did chores. Lincoln gained a reputation for strength and brawn. He was once challenged to a wrestling match by the leader of a local “gang of ruffians”. Lincoln won easily.

40. Lincoln Lincoln was close with his step-mother, but grew apart from his father. Lincoln had very little formal education, but he was an avid reader, and taught himself most subjects. Because his father was uneducated, the two grew apart. The Lincoln family left Ohio because of an outbreak of milk sickness, and moved to Illinois. At this point, Abraham (aged 22) decided to strike out on his own, and left the family. Lincoln hiked and took a flatboat down to New Orleans, Louisiana, to sell goods. In Louisiana, however, Lincoln witnessed slavery for the first time. Disgusted, he walked back to Illinois.

41. Lincoln - Family In 1840, Lincoln married a young woman named Mary Todd. This was not Lincoln’s first romance - he had been in other relationships before, but never had advanced to marriage. Lincoln had cold feet. On the day of his wedding, a friend asked “where are you going?” Lincoln responded: “to hell, I suppose…” The marriage was happy at first, however, the Lincolns soon faced tragedy. Robert was born in 1843 - lived to adulthood Eddie: born 1846 - died 1850 (tuberculosis) Willie: born 1850 - died 1862 Tad: born 1853 - died 1871 (heart failure) Both parents were devastated by the loss of their three sons. Lincoln suffered melancholy (depression) throughout his life, and Mary Todd had to be committed to a mental hospital later in hers.

42. Lincoln - Politics Lincoln tried many careers before settling on politics. He owned a general store, but sold it when it stopped making money. Later, he ran for representative of the Illinois General Assembly (Illinois State Government). Despite being popular, and a good speaker, he lost. During one of his speeches, he noticed a man being attacked in the crowd. Lincoln jumped down and grabbed the assailant by “the back of his neck and the seat of his trousers” and threw him. Lincoln then finished his speech. Later, Lincoln was a mailman, then decided to become a lawyer. Lincoln taught himself law by studying books. Lincoln ran for the Assembly again, and won, and was also admitted into the Bar (recognized as a lawyer) Lincoln served four years on the Illinois senate.

43. Lincoln - Slavery Throughout his life, Lincoln had different opinions on slavery. As a young man, he was disgusted by it - choosing to return home rather than stay in Louisiana. As a statesman in Illinois, Lincoln said the: "Institution of slavery is founded on both injustice and bad policy, but the promulgation of abolition doctrines tends rather to increase than abate its evils…” Essentially “slavery is bad, but the abolitionists are too extreme”. Later elected to the United States House of Representatives, Lincoln helped draft a bill to abolish slavery (it was voted down) and supported the Wilmot Proviso.

44. Lincoln - Lawyer Lincoln returned to Illinois after only one term in the U.S. Congress. He practiced law. Mostly, Lincoln was hired in cases of property disputes and transportation issues - with new railroads and river lines becoming more and more popular. Lincoln also developed a patent for a flotation device - he is the only president to hold a patent. Lincoln often used science/reasoning to help him win his cases. In one case, he was defending a man accused of committing murder. A witness said they had seen the murder happen “by moonlight” Lincoln whipped out a farmer’s almanac to prove that, in the night in question, the moon was not out. Lincoln won the case.

45. Lincoln - Politician Lincoln began campaigning for Illinois senator - against Stephen Douglas (creator of the Kansas-Nebraska Act). Douglas and Lincoln had a series of debates that became so popular that they drew crowds. Lincoln argued that slavery should be abolished, that “all men are created equal”, and that “The Slave Power” was threatening the nation. Douglas argued for popular sovereignty, allowing the people to vote democratically for or against slavery, saying that Lincoln was trying to stop progress. The vote was very close, but Lincoln lost the race.

46. Lincoln - Politician In May, 1860, Lincoln started to run for President. His campaign team emphasized Lincoln’s humble roots - being born in a log cabin, on the frontier. He became known as “the rail candidate” - both because he split wooden rails as a young man, and because he would bring “balance” to the country - splitting the difference between politics and abolitionism.

47. Lincoln - President Though Lincoln was famous for his speeches, he gave none during his campaign for President. Instead, he relied on the work of the Republican party. Most of the Republicans focused on Lincoln’s childhood on the frontier - emphasizing the positives of “free labor”. Lincoln gained support from Republicans, former Whigs, Free Soil people, and some anti-slavery Democrats. -> November 6, 1860, Lincoln was elected President. -> Though Lincoln won the popular vote - this support was only from the North and West. In most slave states, he received no votes at all. -> By the time Lincoln was elected, secessionists made it clear that they were going to leave the Union.

48. Lincoln - Crisis of Union South Carolina was the first state to secede - followed by Florida, Mississippi, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas. -> These states adopted a Constitution, calling themselves “The Confederate States of America” The Confederacy elected Jefferson Davis as its President in 1861.

49. Lincoln - Crisis of Union Even before Lincoln was officially inaugurated, he was facing a huge crisis. At first, Lincoln considered compromises to appease the southern states, but ultimately rejected them - saying that he did not want to “buy” their support. Lincoln directed his inaugural address at the South: What does Lincoln mean by this? 3 minute response (Use a separate piece of paper – it will be collected!) “…I have no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery in the States where it exists. I believe I have no lawful right to do so, and I have no inclination to do so… Those who nominated and elected me did so with full knowledge that I had made this and many similar declarations and had never recanted them…”

50. Lincoln - Civil War Despite Lincoln’s appeal for unity, war could not be avoided. -> The first battle was at Fort Sumter. Fort Sumter was in Georgia. The commander of the Fort asked Lincoln to send supplies to the fort. This was seen by the Confederacy as an act of war. -> April 12, 1861 - Confederate troops opened fire at Fort Sumter. Officially beginning the war. -> April 15, 1861: Lincoln called for troops to go to the South to reclaim forts and to “preserve the Union”. This forced states to officially choose sides - were they for secession, or for the Union? -> Lincoln believed that, though the South had declared itself tobe a separate country, it was still part of the United States. Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee and Arkansas all joined the Confederacy.