The Path to War

I. The Election of 1852

A. Whigs Winfield Scott Was not trusted in the South

B. Democrats Franklin Pierce Promised to: Won honor the Compromise of 1850 Enforce the Fugitive Slave Act Won

II. Kansas-Nebraska Act

A. The Problem Stephen Douglas :Build a railroad from Illinois to California. The rest of the Louisiana Purchase becomes U.S. territory This would make it free territory Southerners hate this idea

B. The Solution Douglas introduced the Kansas-Nebraska Act Divided the remaining land into two territories (KS & NE) Popular sovereignty would determine if they were free or slave

III. “Bleeding Kansas” Elections – Held 1855 Won by pro-slavery because thousands crossed the border from MO to vote Anti-slavery forces formed their own government

D. Pro-Slavery forces attacked Lawrence, the anti-slavery capital E. John Brown Abolitionist Hacked pro- slavery men to death in the Pottawatomie Massacre

F. Preston Brooks beat Charles Sumner on the Senate floor because of an anti Southern speech he made

IV. New Divisions

A. Impact on Political Parties Republican Party formed The following parties split Democrats Whigs Know-Nothing

B. Election of 1856 Won by Democrat candidate James Buchanan First and only President from Pennsylvania!

V. The Dred Scott Decision

A. The Case Missouri Slave Dred Scott Missouri Slave Lived with his master in free states and territories Argued that he was free because he lived in free territory Chief Justice - Tawny

B. Questions for the Court… Was Scott a citizen or property? Did he become free by living in a free state? Was the ban on slavery on parts of the LA Territory constitutional?

VI. Lincoln-Douglas Debates

The Campaign U. S. Senate seat (Illinois) Debated 7 times National press coverage

B. Lincoln Argued slavery should not be allowed to spread Did NOT want equality for African Americans “A House divided against itself cannot stand”

C. Douglas Announced the Freeport Doctrine Americans could ban slavery

D. The Election Douglas re-elected. Although Lincoln lost, the fame he gained through these debates helped him win the 1860 Presidential election