14. The Sectional Crisis

1. 14. The Sectional Crisis 1848 - 1860

2. Basic Issue of the Civil War Abraham Lincoln Jefferson Davis “All we ask is to be left alone.” • “The real issue in this controversy – the one pressing upon every mind – is the sentiment on the part of one class that looks upon the institution of slavery as a wrong, and of another class that does not look upon it as a wrong. “

3. Historians Identify Four Causes of Civil War Slavery North saw a moral issue while the South saw an economic one Constitutional Disputes Nullification and States’ Rights Economic Differences Industrialization in the North and King Cotton in the South Political Blunders and Extremism A lot of mistakes and over reacting on both sides

4. Conflict Over Status of Territories • Manifest Destiny dictates the expansion of the US. • As territories became states the issue of free or slave status continued to boil. • Southerners view any attempt to limit the expansion of slavery as a threat.

5. Free Soil Movement • Northern Democrats and Whigs • Position that all blacks – slave and free – should be excluded from the Mexican Cession • No African Americans in the territory meant no problems • United Abolitionists and Racists

6. Democratic Position: Popular Sovereignty • Made famous by Stephen Douglas in the Lincoln - Douglas Debates. • Matter would be decided by a vote of the people who settled the territory.

7. Election of 1848 • Democrats: Lewis Cass • Popular Sovereignty • Whigs: General Zachary Taylor * • No stand on slavery • Free Soilers: Martin Van Buren • No African Americans in territories

8. The Compromise of 1850 • Admit California as a free state • Divide Mexican cession into two territories (Utah and New Mexico) Vote to decide slavery • Settle disputed land between Texas and New Mexico • Ban slave trade in D.C. • New Fugitive Slave Law

9. Three Great Voices • Daniel Webster: Massachusetts • John C. Calhoun: South Carolina • Henry Clay: Kentucky

10. Fugitive Slave Law • Compromise persuaded southerners to accept the statehood of California • Rigorous enforcement caused tension in the North • Underground Railroad is organized to avoid the Fugitive Slave Law

11. Literature on Slavery Anti-Slavery Postion Pro-Slaver Position George Fitzhugh • Harriet Beecher Stowe • Henton Helper

12. Election of 1852 • Whigs: Gen. Winfield Scott • Ignored slavery • Focused on improving roads and harbors • Democrats: Franklin Pierce • Northerner who favored Fugitive Slave Law

13. Kansas Nebraska Act (1854) • Stephen Douglass of Illinois • Needed southern approval of transcontinental train route through Chicago

14. Provisions • Divide Nebraska Territory into two • Kansas • Nebraska • Settlers would be free to decide the issue of slave or free. • Violated the Missouri Compromise (1820)

15. New Parties • Know-Nothing Party • Northern • Nativists • Anti Catholic and Anti-immigrant • Republican Party • Reaction to the Kansas-Nebraska Act • Coalition of Free Soilers and Anti-slavery Whigs • Stop the spread of slavery

16. Election of 1856 • Republicans: John C. Fremont • No expansion of slavery • Free homesteads • Probusiness protective tariff • Know-Nothings: Millard Fillmore • Democrats: James Buchanan • Tried to distance themselves from Kansas-Nebraska Act • Won

17. “Bleeding Kansas” • Both pro-slavery forces and anti-slavery forces began to pour into Kansas • Fighting broke out between sides

18. Caning of Senator Sumner

19. Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857) • Held as a slave in Missouri • Taken to Wisconsin for two years • Went to Missouri court and sued for freedom • Appealed to the Supreme Court • Chief Justice Roger Taney (Southern Democrat

20. Decision • People of African descent were not U.S. citizens • Dred Scott had no right to sue in a federal court • Congress did not have the right to deprive any person of property without due process • Congress could not exclude slavery in any territory • Missouri compromise (1820) was unconstitutional.

21. Lincoln-Douglas Debates (1858) • Stephen Douglass: Democrat • Champion of popular sovereignty • Last hope of holding the North and South together • Abraham Lincoln: Republican • Against the expansion of slavery • Slavery as a moral issue • South viewed him as a radical • Seven debates

22. Freeport, Illinois • Lincoln questioned how Douglas could reconcile popular sovereignty with the Dred Scott decision. • Freeport Doctrine: slavery could not exist in a community if the local citizens did not pass and enforce laws for maintaining it. • Douglas won the election but lost the support of southern Democrats.

23. Off Year Election, 1858 • Gains by Republicans concerned Southerners • Antislavery plank • Economic program favoring northern industrialists at the expense of the South. • Felt a Republican victory in 1860 would spell disaster for the South.

24. John Brown’s Raid at Harpers • October, 1859 • Harpers Ferry, Virginia • Small band of followers attempt to start a slave uprising. • Siege lasted two days • Arrested by Robert E. Lee • Convicted of treason and hanged

25. Election of 1860 • Democratic: Stephen Douglass (Illinois) • Southern Democrats: John C. Breckenridge (Kentucky) • Republican: Abraham Lincoln (Illinois) • Constitutional Union (Former Whigs, Know-Nothings and moderate Democrats): John Bell (Tennessee)

26. Deep South Secedes • South Carolina • Florida • Georgia • Alabama • Mississippi • Louisiana • Texas

27. James Buchanan • Served for five months after Lincoln’s election • Did nothing to stop secession

28. Those Voting for Secession.. • Tradition of the American Revolution • Right to national independence • Dissolve a constitution that no longer protects them • Thought Lincoln would not fight

29. The Outcome Was Obvious