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Sectionalism • Feeling more loyal to a certain part of the country than to the country as a whole. You identify with that section more.
Background • By 1820, sectionalism has begun to grow • North—industrial economy, trade • South—agricultural economy, slavery • The North and South had completely different economic outlooks • Affected politics • South—state’s rights (South Carolina Nullification Crisis, 1828 and 1832) • North—strong central government
Slavery • Abolished in the North • Never allowed in the Northwest Territory • Cotton gin, 1793 (Eli Whitney) • Cotton was previously a side crop, tobacco was the money maker • More slaves were needed as KING COTTON extended from NC, SC, AL, GA, MS, LA, to TX • Slavery became an economic necessity for plantation owners
Did everyone have slaves in the South? • Only 25% of the people in the South were actually affected economically by slavery • In 1860 only 11,000 Southerners, three-quarters of one percent of the white population owned more than 50 slaves; a mere 2,358 owned as many as 100 slaves.
Southern Social Order • Upper Class • Plantation owner • 19 or more slaves • Professionals • Doctors, Lawyers, sometimes Teachers, Bankers • Small farmer • Middle class • May have one or two slaves • Poor White Trash • No slaves • Called “crackers”, “dirt eaters”, “rednecks” • Slaves
The Missouri Compromise • Senator J.B. Thomas and Henry Clay (The Great Compromiser) • Maine was petitioning to become a state as well • Missouri would be slave • Maine would be free • No slavery allowed 36˚30’ latitude line in the rest of the Louisiana Purchase Henry Clay
The Abolitionist Movement • Started by Quakers • Slavery was becoming a moral issue • Two types of abolitionists • Gradual Emancipation—slowly end slavery in the South • Free 10% of slaves a year until all are freed • Pay Southerners to free slaves because of economic need • Immediate Emancipation—get rid of slavery NOW • Saw slavery as a sin; a moral wrong
Abolitionists • William Lloyd Garrison • The Liberator • Henry Ward Beecher • Methodist minister • Used a mock slave auction to inform people about the horrors of slavery • Frederick Douglass • Free black man • Son of former slave • Son of both black and white parents
Abolitionists • Sojourner Truth • Harriet Tubman • Underground Railroad • Secret • Used Railroad terms • Conductor, station, etc • Elijah P. Lovejoy • Printing press • Murdered by an angry mob
Slave Revolts: Greatest fear of whites in South • Occurred when slave owners would get lax attitudes • 3 significant revolts • Gabriel’s insurrection-late 1700s, VA • Denmark Vessey-1822, SC • Idle slave talk of revolt that scared slave owners • Nat Turner-1831, VA • Solar eclipse • Freed slaves on a few local plantations • Most extensive slave revolt
Effects of the Slave Revolts • Instilled widespread fear in slave owners • John Brown • Harper’s Ferry, VA • Oct. 16, 1859 • Wilmot Proviso, 1846 • During the Mexican War • Any land gained would prohibit slavery (violated Missouri Compromise) • Did not pass but continued the argument over slavery
Free Soil Party • Created in the 1850’s • Anti-extension of slavery into new territories • Eventually new members would join the new Republican party
Know-Nothing Party • Another third party • Founded in 1856 • Nativists • Wanted to limit foreigners from immigrating, particularly Irish • Split over the issue of slavery just as the Whigs did • Official name: American Party
Compromise of 1850 • 1849, California Gold Rush • Qualified for statehood • Controversy • California wanted to enter as a free state • Opposed by the South • Part of CA was below the Missouri Compromise line • Debate in Congress • Henry Clay (free) • John C. Calhoun (slave) Webster Clay Calhoun
Compromise of 1850 • Henry Clay proposed a compromise to determine whether California would be a free or slave state • Daniel Webster and John C. Calhoun debated for days
Parts of Compromise of 1850 • California admitted as a free state • Popular sovereignty would settle future debate on how a state would enter the union • Stricter fugitive slave law • No slave trade in Washington, D.C.
Franklin Pierce • Elected President in 1852 • Democrat • Presided over a nation torn by sectional strife • Last election in which the Whig party would run • Later split over slavery and died out
questions • Define sectionalism using examples of key issues that increasingly divided the nation after 1828. • Why did slavery become more of a problem as the country expanded westward? • Identify the groups that supported abolition and describe the different types of abolitionists. • How prominent was slavery in the south – who owned slaves? • What was the Missouri compromise? What happened when statehood for California was debated?
