Lesson 15.3: “Slavery Dominates Politics”

Essential Question Why was the Republican Party formed, and how did it change American politics in the 1850’?

Vocabulary Harper's Ferry - U.S. Arsenal in Virginia attacked in 1859 James Buchanan – Democratic nominee elected President in 1856 John C Freemont – Republican nominee in the Election of 1856 Abraham Lincoln – Illinois Republican nationally known for his debates

Vocabulary 5. Republican Party – Formed by Whigs and Free Soilers to oppose the spread of slavery 6. Roger Taney - Supreme Court justice whose decision made the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional 7 –Dred Scott v. Sanford - A lawsuit in which a slave sued for his freedom

Focus Questions What issues led to the creation of the Republican Party? Why was John C Freemont nominated to run for president? Why was James Buchanan nominated to run for president? What did the results of the Election of 1856 demonstrate?

Focus Questions What were the reasons why the Supreme Court ruled against Dred Scott? What were Abraham Lincoln’s reasons for opposing slavery expansion? What were Stephen Douglas’ beliefs about the expansion of slavery? Explain the incident involving John Brown and Harper’s Ferry.

What We Already Know… The Whigs and Democrats were the two major political parties of the 1840s and 50s.

What We Already Know… There were other minor parties as well, such as the anti-immigrant Know-Nothings. Mayflower Compact = self rule

What We Already Know… Later, the Free Soil Party had been formed to stop the spread of slavery into new territories. Mayflower Compact = self rule

What We Already Know… The Kansas-Nebraska Act led to widespread violence on the plains in 1854. Mayflower Compact = self rule

The Republican Party Forms Created out of the problems caused by the Kansas-Nebraska Act and the “Bleeding Kansas” attacks. The law caused a political crisis for the Whig Party, and they split. Northern Whigs joined Free Soilers and other’s opposed to slavery and created the Republican Party. They gained strength in the North as the Southern Democrats were blamed for the violence in Kansas.

The Election of 1856 As their first presidential nominee, the Republicans nominated John C. Frémont. Young, handsome, and known nationally for his heroic explorations in the West. He had the nickname “The Pathfinder” Mayflower Compact = self rule

The Election of 1856 Republicans (Northern Whigs) liked John C. Frémont for two reasons: 1. He favored the admission of California and Kansas as free states. 2. As a new comer to politics he had little political experience and no controversial record to defend. Mayflower Compact = self rule

The Election of 1856 The Democrats nominated James Buchanan. As minister to Great Britain, he had been in England since 1853 and had spoken neither for nor against the Kansas - Nebraska Act.

The Election of 1856 Buchanan said little about slavery and claimed that his goal was to maintain the Union. He appealed to Southerners, to people in the border states, and to Northerners who were afraid that Frémont’s election could tear the nation apart.

The Election of 1856 The Know-Nothing Party nominated Millard Fillmore who had been president from 1850-53. He was Vice President to President Zachary Taylor who died 16 months after taking office. But the Know-Nothings were divided over slavery and had little strength.

The Election of 1856 Democrats (Southern Whigs)Buchannan Territories Republicans (Northern Whigs) Fremont Know Nothings/Whigs Filmore

The Election of 1856 The presidential election broke down into two separate races. North: Buchanan against Fremont South: Buchanan against Fillmore Buchanan (Democrats) won the election. He carried the slave states and won several Northern states who were afraid that a Republican President could tear the nation apart.

The Election of 1856 The results of the Election of 1856 showed two things: 1. The Republican Party was a major force in the North 2. The nation was sharply divided over the issue of slavery.

Dred Scott Dred Scott was a slave whose owner took him to live in free territories, then returned to Missouri, a slave state. After his owner’s death, Scott sued for his freedom, but the Supreme Court ruled against him.

Dred Scott Roger Brooke Taney was the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court who wrote the Dred Scott decision in 1857.

Dred Scott Justice Taney stated: 1. Scott is not a U.S. citizen and can’t sue in U.S. courts. 2. Scott was bound by Missouri’s slave code even while in free territories. 3. Congress can’t ban slavery in the territories because it violates slave holders’ Constitutional property rights. Taney’s decision in effect made the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional!

Lincoln-Douglas Debates (1858) The Dred Scott decision angered Republicans and they claimed that Democrats wanted to open up the whole country to slavery. They planned to use this argument to challenge Stephen Douglas and other Democrats in the 1858 elections.

Lincoln-Douglas Debates (1858) Abraham Lincoln was nominated by Illinois Republicans to run against Douglas for his U.S. Senate seat representing Illinois.

Lincoln-Douglas Debates (1858) In his first campaign speech, Lincoln expressed Republican fears that Democrats threatened to expand slavery across the entire country.

Lincoln-Douglas Debates (1858) Lincoln warned, “A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved -- I do not expect the house to fall -- but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing, or all the other.”

Lincoln-Douglas Debates (1858) Lincoln called slavery “a moral, a social and a political wrong,” but did not suggest abolishing slavery where it already existed, only that it should not be expanded.

Lincoln-Douglas Debates (1858) Douglas argued for popular sovereignty as the most democratic method to deal with slavery. The people would have the final decision by voting for themselves on the issue of slavery.

Lincoln-Douglas Debates (1858) Lincoln argued that the position Douglas had taken on slavery was wrong because The Dred Scott decision overturned popular sovereignty. Lincoln asked Douglas if people could legally prohibit slavery despite the Dred Scott decision.

Lincoln-Douglas Debates (1858) Douglas replied with the Freeport Doctrine: People could exclude slavery by refusing to pass laws that supported slavery.

Lincoln-Douglas Debates (1858) Douglas won reelection, but Lincoln became a national figure and a leader in the Republican Party.

John Brown’s Attack At Harper’s Ferry In 1859, John Brown, who had murdered proslavery Kansans three years before, added to the sectional tensions. Brown had a plan. He wanted to inspire slaves to fight for their freedom.

John Brown’s Attack At Harpers Ferry To do this, he planned to capture the weapons in the U.S. arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia.

John Brown’s Attack At Harper’s Ferry On October 16, 1859, John Brown’s group captured the arsenal at Harpers Ferry. They killed four people during the raid. He tried to get slaves to join in the fight, but no slaves would join them.

John Brown’s Attack At Harper’s Ferry US Marines captured John Brown, killed ten of his men and captured six others.

John Brown’s Attack At Harper’s Ferry Brown was tried for murder and treason. He was found guilty and hung.

Reaction to John Brown’s Attack At Harper’s Ferry In the North, abolitionists mourned Brown’s death and called him a hero. Southerners were enraged by Brown’s actions and horrified by Northerners’ sympathetic reactions to his death.