Civil War & Westward Expansion

Westward Expansion The North & South want to control the new states

North = new states are free Why? New states will vote for northern interests in Congress Some northerners believe slavery is morally wrong Many northerners are racist & don’t want slaves closer to home (Northern and racist cartoon from Civil War )

South = new states have slaves Why? New states will vote for Southern interests in Congress About a third of white southerners owned slaves, and wanted the national economy to uphold their interests as slave owners Some slave owners wanted to be able to move west with slaves (Southern cartoon during Civil War )

Secession Catalyst = 1860 Election Abraham Lincoln runs on platform that says slavery will not be allowed in new western states. South recognizes they will have no more say in shaping national political decisions, so they secede. Civil War begins—Lincoln does not initially have a goal of freeing slaves in south (wants to keep union together). Only frees slaves during the war because it will help militarily to take the slaves from the Confederate Army.

So, was slavery a vital reason our country had a Civil War? YES, but the vast majority of northerners were not trying to stop slavery because of a moral issue. There were abolitionists who really believed slavery was wrong and they fought hard against it. Most northerners, however, believed it was not politically, economically, and/or culturally beneficial for slavery to spread west. When people refute the idea that slavery was a factor in our nation’s Civil War, Mr. Gatlin says: “No slavery, no Civil War.” Based on what you’ve learned today, is there something else that could also be inserted in that quote: “No slavery and no ___________________, no Civil War.” Be prepared to explain your answer.