Causes of the Civil War How did the divide between North and South turn into a Civil War? TO THIS? FROM THIS?

What would be a good COMPROMISE for this situation? United States, 1819 The number of slave-states equaled the number of free states. Would the new states in the Louisiana Territory be allowed to have slavery? What would be a good COMPROMISE for this situation?

The Missouri Compromise of 1820 silenced the slavery debate for a while

Nat Turner’s Rebellion (1831) Nat Turner (a slave) and six men went from house to house, killing all of the white people they encountered. Turner's forces eventually consisted of more than 40 slaves. In the end, the rebels had stabbed, shot and clubbed at least 55 white people to death.

Nat Turner was eventually captured He was hanged and beheaded In the hysterical climate that followed the rebellion, close to 200 black people, many of whom had nothing to do with the rebellion, were murdered by white mobs.

Effect of the Rebellion “Slave Codes” (laws) were tightened in the South Slaves could not… be taught to read or write meet without a white person present move from place to place freely Do you think Nat Turner was a savior or terrorist?

United States, 1848 Would the new land won in the war with Mexico become slave states or free states?

Compromise of 1850 California was admitted as a “free state”. The rest of the territories could decide for themselves whether to permit slavery or not. A strong Fugitive Slave Law, strongly opposed by Northerners, required them to return runaway slaves to their owners.

Uncle Tom’s Cabin Written by Harriet Beecher Stowe Book about the cruelty of slavery Moved many to join the cause of abolition and increased tension between the North and South

The Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854) created two new territories The act left it up to settlers to decide whether to become slave states or free states This is called “Popular Sovereignty”

Dred Scott Decision Was he a Person or Property? Dred Scott, a slave from Missouri, went to court and sued for his freedom on the grounds that when his master took him to free territories he was no longer a slave. The U.S. Supreme Court had to decide… Was he a Person or Property? Hint: 4 Northern judges, 5 Southern judges

Chief Justice Roger Taney Slaves were not citizens, so they could not sue in court Slaves were property, so Congress did not have the power to ban slavery in any territory Therefore, the Missouri Compromise was “unconstitutional” Dred Scott remained a slave

Lincoln-Douglas Debates Before becoming president, Abraham Lincoln ran against Stephen Douglas for an Illinois Senate seat. LINCOLN said… A house divided against itself cannot stand I believe this government cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free. It will become all one thing or all the other. Slavery is a MORAL ISSUE It is either right… or it is wrong. DOUGLAS said… In the Dred Scott Decision, the Supreme Court had decided the issue of slavery forever Slavery was legal

Presidential Election of 1860 The slavery question overshadowed all others in the presidential election year of 1860. The South threatened that it would secede if Lincoln was elected. Secede = break away

Lincoln Wins the Presidency Lincoln won only 40% of the popular vote… But remember the Electoral College? http://www.270towin.com/

New nation: Confederate States of America The South Secedes One by one, Southern states seceded from the Union after Lincoln’s election Lincoln and many northerners refused to accept the right of the south to secede. New nation: Confederate States of America

Attack on Fort Sumter Southern states seized and occupied most of the federal forts within their borders April 12, 1861, at 4:30 a.m., Confederate troops opened fire on Fort Sumter, firing for 36 straight hours The Civil War had begun