Georgia and the American Experience

Georgia and the American Experience Chapter 7: The Antebellum Era, 1838-1860

Section 1: Manifest Destiny • Essential Question • How did Americans apply the concept of manifest destiny during the Antebellum period? • What words do I needtoknow? - Manifest Destiny

Manifest Destiny • A Northern journalist (1845) wrote that the manifest destiny of the U.S. was “to overspread the continent allotted by Providence for the free descendants of our yearly multiplying millions” • The country’s leaders – proclaimed this as a divine duty and thus steadily increased territory and fought to protect its citizens across the continent.

The Nation Grows • Texas won independence from Mexico in 1836; annexed as the 28th state in 1845 • The U.S. declared war on Mexico to secure Rio Grande as the Mexican/U.S. border • In 1818 treaty, the U.S. and Great Britain set boundary between the U.S. and Canada at the 49th parallel to settle the dispute over the Oregon territory. • Gold Rush - Between 1848 and 1850, the population of California increased tenfold; most of these settlers were seeking gold

Oregon Territory and Western Migration • Area west of the Rocky Mountains and north of California • In 1818 treaty, the U.S. and Great Britain set boundary between the U.S. and Canada at the 49th parallel • The Oregon and Santa Fe trails were the favored routes west by settlers • Between 1848 and 1850, the population of California increased tenfold; most of these settlers were seeking gold

Section 2: Deepening Divisions • ESSENTIAL QUESTION • How did the North and South differ before the Civil War?

Section 2:Deepening Divisions • What words do I need to know? • states’ rights • Missouri Compromise • sectionalism • Compromise of 1850 • Kansas-Nebraska Act

States’ Rights • States’ rights: Belief that the state’s interests take precedence over interests of national government • Northern states believed that all states should abide by laws made by the national government • Southern states believed that states had right to govern themselves and decide what would be best for their own situation

Differences: North and South • Class Structure: North generally based on wealth; South based on wealth and being “born into the right family” • Slavery: Most of the North wanted it abolished; Most of the South supported the institution • Southern planter system consisted of large and small categories; the wealthiest had the most land and the most slaves • Economy: Northern based on mining, industry, banks, stores, and railroads; Southern based on agriculture, including cotton, rice, and indigo • Southerners resented tariffs, which raised import prices; the South imported more than the North

The Abolitionists • Led the movement to do away with slavery • Many northern whites, some southern and free blacks were involved • Made speeches, wrote books and articles, and offered their homes as safe houses for runaway slaves

The Abolitionists • Harriet Beecher Stowe • UncleTom’sCabin (1852) - portrayed slavery’s evils; the book sold more than 1 million copies and was banned from production in the Southern states. • Southerners claimed the book was an atrocity and an exaggerated falsehood of the institute of slavery used to promote the antagonist behaviors of abolitionist. • Abolitionist used the novel to further argue against the inhumane practices of slavery.

The Missouri Compromise • Approved in 1820; Maine entered the Union as a free state, and Missouri entered as a slave state • 11 states allowed slavery and 11 free states • Prohibited slavery north of 36°20' latitude (the southern border of Missouri), • Temporarily solved slavery controversy between the states • Created a balance of representation within the Senate.

The Dred Scott Decision • A slave filed suit after he lived in free states with his owner but was returned to slave state • U.S Supreme Court ruled that: • slaves were not citizens and could not file lawsuits • Congress could not stop slavery in the territories • Decision further separated the North and South and affirm that slaves were considered property of the slave owner.

The Compromise of 1850 • California would enter Union as a free state • New Mexico territory would not become part of Texas or a guaranteed slave state • The District of Columbia would no longer trade slaves, but slave owners there could keep their slaves • Runaway slaves could be returned to their owners in slave states (Fugitive Slave Act) • Utah and New Mexico territories could decide if they wanted to allow slaves or not

The Kansas-Nebraska Act • Created the territories of Kansas and …………… Nebraska Act • Those territories had right of popular sovereignty • Popular sovereignty:When a territory asked for statehood, the people could vote on slavery • Freesoilers in those territories fought against proslavery supporters (bleeding Kansas)

Section 3: Slavery as a Way of Life • ESSENTIAL QUESTION • What was life like for Georgia slaves during the Antebellum period? • What words do I need to know? • slave code • arsenal • Underground Railroad

Hard work, Simple living • The hardest work for Slaves was long hours in swampy rice fields • Work began at sunup and continued until sundown; overseers punished slaves who did not harvest enough • Slave Drivers - older slaves trusted by the plantation owner, also supervised the field hands • Slave Men, Women and children, as young as five, also worked hard on the plantations and farms

Slave Family Life • Slave families sometimes became separated • Owners encouraged marriage; slave children became property of the mother’s owner • Religion was important; black preachers spoke of freedom and justice • Spiritual songs encouraged slaves throughout their lives • Education was nearly nonexistent, although minimal reading and writing skills were permitted by some slave owners

Slave Rebellions • 1831 - Nat Turner led bloody rebellion in Virginia; between 57 and 85 people died; Turner was hanged • Nat Turner’s Rebellion and other unsuccessful rebellions prompted strict laws (Slave Codes) across the South designed to curtail slave movements, meetings, and efforts to learn to read and write • These laws applied to both slaves and freed blacks

Slave Codes • Took away nearly all rights of slaves • Slaves could not carry weapons, make any contact with white people • People who tried to teach people of color were punished; slaves could not work any job involving reading and writing • Slaves had little time to talk together

John Brown • White abolitionist led a raid on federal arsenal (arms storehouse) at Harper’s Ferry, Virginia • Brown wanted ammunition to lead a rebellion to free the South’s slaves • He was captured and hanged for treason • The Brown raid added to fear and distrust, especially in the South; to many Northerners and Abolitionist, Brown became a hero and a martyr

The Underground Railroad • Network of roads, houses, river crossings, boats, wagons, woods, and streams operated by blacks and whites • Provided a trail of flight for runaway slaves seeking freedom in Canada or the Northern states • Safe stops along the way called stations • Ex-slave Harriet Tubman personally helped more than 300 slaves escape to freedom

Section 4: Antebellum Georgia • ESSENTIAL QUESTION • What was Georgia like before the Civil War?

Section 4:Antebellum Georgia • What words do I need to know? • Know-Nothing Party • Great Revival Movement • Milledgeville

Education • Most Georgians had little education • 20 percent of Georgians were illiterate in 1850 • $100,000 allotted in 1858 to begin free schools; the outbreak of the Civil War delayed these plans • Georgia’s first law school founded in Athens in 1859 • Slaves were not given educational opportunities

Georgia’s Pre-War Economy • 68,000 farms by 1860; cotton was chief crop • 500 plantations (500 acres or more); most farms were less than 100 acres • 60 percent of Georgians owned no slaves; only 236 had 100 or more slaves • Half of Georgia’s total wealth was in slaves ($400 million) • 1,890 factories in Georgia by 1860; about $11 million in value

Tariffs • Tariffs - taxes on imported goods. Northern states wanted foreign countries that shipped goods to the United States to pay higher tariffs. Thus, items made in the North would cost less than those imported from Europe. • Southern states had fewer factories and therefore bought many manufactured goods from foreign countries. They did not want the prices they paid for imports made higher by increasing tariffs.

Tariffs • South Carolinathreatened to secede from the Union because a new tariff was too high. High tariffs would have stopped British imports to the United States, which would in turn benefit the North. Because there were so few factories in the South, the depression and bankruptcies being experienced in northern industry did not hurt southerners badly and their representatives refused to supporthigher tariffs. • Vice President John C. Calhoun ofSouth Carolinastrongly opposed the tariff, supported state rights and believed that the states had a right to nullifyany federal law that they thought was unconstitutional.

Antebellum Georgia Politics • Democrats and Whigs were two major political parties • Democrats supported states’ rights; took strong stand for slavery • Whigs mainly from upper social classes; favored moderate protective tariff and federal help for the South • Most governors were Whigs; most legislators were Democrats • By 1856, Democrats were dominant party; Democrat Joseph E. Brown, elected governor in 1856, served during the Civil War

Section 5: The Election of 1860 • ESSENTIAL QUESTION • What steps led to Georgia’s secession from the Union in 1861?

Section 5:The Election of 1860 • What words do I need to know? • Republican Party • secession • platform • ordinance • Confederate States of America

The Republican Party • Republican Party formed in 1854 in free states • Antislavery Whigs and Democrats joined • Nominated Abraham Lincoln of Illinois as their candidate in 1860 • Southern and Northern Democrats split over slavery issues and nominated separate candidates • Southerners angrily viewed the plans of the Republicans as non-beneficial to the South

Georgia and Lincoln’s Election • Georgians were, for the most part, supporting the Union; however, they were strong advocates for states’ rights • Despite lawmakers’ strong debates for and against secession, a Secession convention began in January 1861 in Milledgeville, the capital • A secession ordinance (bill) passed 208-89 • The Southern states who seceded met in Montgomery, Alabama in February, 1861; they formed the Confederate States of America

Georgians in Leadership • Robert Toombs named Secretary of State of the Confederate States of American (CSA) • Alexander H. Stephens named Vice-President • Governor Joseph E. Brown favored secession and used his terms as governor to prepare Georgia for war

Georgia and the American Experience