Drifting Toward Disunion, 1854-1861

1. Drifting Toward Disunion, 1854-1861 Chapter 19

2. The Kansas-Nebraska Act • Transcontinental Railroad required land • Stephen A. Douglas proposed this plan to allow slavery in the new territory in exchange for the railroad being built in the north • Despite outcry and controversy, the Kansas-Nebraska Act allowed Nebraska and Kansas to enter the union together, which would seemingly mean that Nebraska would become a free state and Kansas a slave state • This would repeal the Missouri Compromise • Northerners tried to move to Kansas to create an antislavery majority • Pro-slavery Missourians voted illegally in Kansas to elect a pro-slavery legislature while antislavery settlers held a convention and drafted a constitution that excluded slavery • By March 1856 Kansas had 2 governments

3. Bleeding Kansas… and Senators • When pro-slavery Missourians attacked anti-slavery settlers and began a territorial civil war, newspapers called it “Bleeding Kansas” • Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts, an abolitionist, delivered a speech accusing pro-slavery senators of forcing Kansas into the ranks of slave states and singled out Andrew P. Butler of South Carolina stating that he had “chosen a mistress… the harlot, Slavery.” • Several days later Butler’s second cousin Representative Preston Brooks approached Sumner at his desk, shouted at him, and beat him with a gold-handled cane leaving Sumner severely injured and bleeding on the floor

4. Uncle Tom’s Cabin • Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote Uncle Tom’s Cabin in 1852 and changed the Northern view of slavery • Southerners tried to have the novel banned, but were unsuccessful • The book eventually sold millions of copies and many historians consider it one of the causes of the Civil War

5. The Southern Argument for Slavery • Southerners believed that Uncle Tom’s Cabin was a book of insulting lies • They thought that they treated their slaves well because they depended on them being able to work for their entire lives • Southerners argued that Northerners treated their paid workers much worse because there was such an ample work force that it didn’t matter if one died or was maimed or became ill

6. Dred Scott Decision • Slave from Missouri traveled with his owner to Illinois & Minnesota both free states. • His master died and Scott wanted to move back to Missouri---Missouri still recognized him as a slave. • He sued his master’s widow for his freedom since he had lived in a free state for a period of time. • Court case went to the Supreme Court for a decision-----National issue • Can a slave sue for his freedom? • Is a slave property? • Is slavery legal?

7. Dred Scott Decision • Supreme Court hands down the Dred Scott decision • Slaves cannot sue the U.S. for their freedom because they are property. • They are not citizens and have no legal right under the Constitution. • Supreme Court legalized slavery by saying that • Congress could not stop a slaveowner from moving his slaves to a new territory • Missouri Compromise and all other compromises were unconstitutional • North refused to enforce Fugitive Slave Law • Free states pass personal liberty laws. • Republicans claim the decision is not binding • Southerners call on the North to accept the decision if the South is to remain in the Union.

8. John Brown • Violent abolitionist • Involved in the Bleeding Kansas • Murdered 5 pro-slavery men in Kansas • Wanted to lead a slave revolt throughout the South by raising an army of freed slaves and destroying the South • Attacked a U.S. Ammunition depot in Harper’s Ferry, Virginia in Oct. of 1859 to capture weapons and begin his slave revolt. • Unsuccessful and captured by USMC under the leadership of Robert E. Lee • Put on trial for treason.

9. John Brown (cont.) • He was found guilty of treason and sentenced to death. • His last words were to this effect: “I believe that the issue of slavery will never be solved unless through the shedding of blood.” • Northerners thought of John Brown as a martyr to the abolitionist cause. • Southerners were terrified that if John Brown almost got away with this, there must be others like him in the North who are willing to die to end slavery. • South’s outcome: To leave the U.S. and start their own country.

14. Know Nothing Party (against immigration) Free Soil Party (against the expansion of slavery) REPUBLICAN PARTY Abolitionists Democrats who opposed the expansion of slavery National Republican (which become the Whigs) Ultimate Purpose: To stop the expansion of slavery after the Kansas-Nebraska Act

15. 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 stated: A House Divided against itself cannot stand. Either we become one or the other. • was against the expansion of slavery • Douglas believed that slavery should be decided by the people. • 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

16. Map Kan/Neb Act Popular Sovereignty Allow the people in a territory to vote on whether they want slavery to exist or not in their state.

17. Reading/Lincoln on slavery

18. Election of 1860 • 303 total electoral votes and 152 to win.

20. Secession