UNIT 5 Day 31: State-wide conflicts

Kansas-Nebraska Act  Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854  Most significant event leading to Civil War?  Contradicts Mo. Compromise 1820  Proposed by Stephen Douglas Wanted to built transcontinental RR to Chicago  Each territory decide on issue of slavery w/popular sovereignty  Whigs in North opposed  Non-slavery interests: Republican Party

Border Ruffians  Missouri counties that border Kansas, pro- slavery  1854, Senator Atchison led 1,700 men from MO to KA to vote for slavery  ”Border Ruffians”  Fraudulent, but candidate was elected to Congress  #’s, not ethics on their side, do it again in March  Threaten to shoot/burn/hang slavery opponents  Local legislatures legalize “border ruffian vote”

Bloody Kansas  By 1855, anti-slavery residents outnumber legal pro-slavery in KA  Organized Free-Soiler party, drew up free-state constitution  Result: 2 governments and violence

The Sack of Lawrence  Lawrence: Center to KA anti-slavery mvmt  Beecher’s Bibles and rifles shipped from NE  President Franklin Pierce refuses to step in  1856, Local judge demands that Free- Soilers be indicted for treason  Over 800 pro-slavery men ride to Lawrence to arrest members of free state gov’t  Citizens do not resist, but mob isn’t satisfies Burns newspaper offices, homes, shops, hotel, loot

Results of Lawrence  Congress split: make KA a free or slave state?  SOL: violent aggression by southern slave-owning “fire-eaters”

Pottawatomie Creek Massacre  John Brown: Christian, morally opposes slavery  20 kids, 1 wife (Mary) live in KA to wage war on slavery  Furious that Lawrence did not resist mob  “Fight fire with fire,” strike terror in hearts of pro- slavery people  He & followers enter Pottawatomie Creek (pro-slavery town)—3 days after SOL  Rifles, knives, broadswords, storm houses of enemies  Killed individuals and families of target, 5 victims  1 st bloodshed in KA, 2 sons arrested by federal troops  Brown is fugitive, escapes, will lead raid on Harpers Ferry, 1859

Canefight! Brooks vs. Sumner  Charles Sumner: Sen, MA, abolitionist, Republican  Speech “The Crime Against KA”  “Murderous robbers from Missouri”  Tirade against SC Senator, called him an “Imbecile” 2-day speech  Preston Brooks: Rep, SC  Sumner went too far  “You’ve libeled my state and slandered my white-haired old relative…Butler, and I’ve come to punish you for it”  Beat head with gold-tipped cane

Results  Northerners angry: wanted to expel Brooks  Brooks instead paid $300 fine for assault  Resigned, returned home to SC  SC celebrated in his honor, re-elected him to HOR  Brooks sent replacement canes, North outraged  Sumner: suffered physical/psychological injuries  Out of order for years  MA voters left his seat vacant as reminder of So. Brutality  Violence of KA affects national legislature***