The Issue of Slavery Divides the Nation The Turbulent 1850’s The Issue of Slavery Divides the Nation
Effects of the Mexican-American War 1845-1848 Debate over what to do with New Territory California Gold Rush 1849—California is ready to become a state much sooner than the rest of the Mexican Cession National Crisis; Northerners want to limit the extension of slavery into these new lands—Birth of the Free Soil and Liberty Parties Southerners see it as their constitutional right to bring their “property” with them into this new territory
Compromise of 1850 North Gets… California as a Free State South Gets… Stricter Fugitive Slave Law
Popular Sovereignty in Kansas By 1854 There are many people moving to Kansas Slave or Free? This question almost caused a civil war in 1850 Stephen Douglas Famous for getting Compromise of 1850 through Congress Authors the Kansas-Nebraska Act Makes for 2 separate territories: Kansas and Nebraska Each will choose for themselves if they want slavery “popular sovereignty” (closer to pure democracy)
Popular Sovereignty in Kansas Bleeding Kansas Unforeseen violence between Anti-Slavery and Proslavery factions Terrorism, Murder, and Mayhem Guilt on both sides Most Famous event: John Brown leads the Pottawatomie Creek Massacre
Effects of Bleeding Kansas Tensions rise between North and South Whig Party dissolves Democrats are blamed for the violence Franklin Pierce fails to get the Democratic nomination for a 2nd term as President The Republican Party is Born
Republican Party Anti-Slavery Whigs and Democrats Free Soil Whigs and Democrats Free Soilers Liberty Party Nativist American Party (Know-Nothings) Women’s Rights, Temperance, and other Reform minded activists WIDE RANGE OF INTERESTS Conservative Faction —Stop slavery from growing Moderate Faction —stop slavery from growing and limit southern control of economic and political policy Radical Faction —abolish slavery forever
Slavery Debate Intensifies Harriet Beecher Stowe Uncle Tom’s Cabin Myth or Reality? Reverend Fuller’s Christian Defense of Slavery Dred Scott Decision Supreme Court Case Ruling says that Africans, free or slave, are not and never were citizens of this nation Congress has no power to outlaw slavery anywhere Congressman Abraham Lincoln publicly denounces the decision during his 1858 campaign for the US Senate
Senate Race of 1858 Lincoln vs Douglass for one of Illinois’ senate seats in Congress “A house divided against itself cannot stand” Makes Abraham Lincoln a household name Lincoln loses the election but makes him the “face” of the Republican party Lincoln becomes the obvious choice for the presidential election of 1860