“Know Nothing” Party The American Party formed b/c of increase of immigrants -Nativism favoring of native-born Americans over immigrants -mostly protestant; anti-Catholic (Irish) -1854 big in N: decline by 1856 immigration less important than slavery  

rise of KNP and KS-NE kills Whig Party in N by 1856 Dems ***rise of KNP and KS-NE kills Whig Party in N by 1856 Dems. are split Rep. on the rise

Bleeding Kansas b/c of pop. sov Bleeding Kansas b/c of pop. sov. N & S rush into KS -spring 1856 two gov. in KS LeCompton (pro-slavery) Topeka (free-soil)

-May 1856 Free-soil town of Lawrence is raided by pro-slavery forces (sacking of Lawrence) -includes “border ruffians” from Missouri

-retaliation John Brown and sons attack southern settlement at Pottawatomie Creek behead non-slave owners that support slavery (Pottawatomie Massacre)

-civil war erupts in KS (Bleeding KS) -civil war erupts in KS (Bleeding KS) *polarizes country N and S split even more

Brooks-Sumner Affair Charles Sumner of MA “Crimes against Kansas” lashes out at pro-slavery, makes fun of southerners (Andrew Butler, SC)

-days later Preston Brooks (nephew of Butler) beats Sumner with cane in Senate * south hails as hero north sees as example of southern brutality and against free-speech *polarizes nation further

Election of 1856 R- John Fremont (free-soil) D- James Buchanan ambass. to G.B., was away during KS controversy 1854, had not made N or S mad KNP-Fillmore

*JB wins nearly all of S (174), JF wins most of N (114) national politics are dividing sectionally, Rep. are on the rise *JB known for inaction leading to Civil War

1st Mistake 1857 pro-slavery gov 1st Mistake 1857 pro-slavery gov. in KS applies for statehood as slave state -JB endorses  1858 battle in Congress about KS Northern Dems. refuse to support pres., KS is not admitted *Dem. Party now split, Rep. grow stronger

*nation is clearly divided and at odds about how best to govern coming events will bring further challenges!!!!!