Ch. 13 – Union in Peril

Slavery & Rising Sectionalism 11 minutes

The Beginnings of Sectionalism As Americans expanded West in the 1840s, conflicts intensified between the North & the South regarding the issue of slavery But…the existence of two strong political parties (Democrats & Whigs) that were both popular in the North, South, & West helped keep America from splitting apart 2

The Slave Question Reemerges The Constitution gave no definite authority to abolish slavery other than voluntary state action Abolitionists knew it would be impossible to get enough votes to pass an amendment outlawing slavery But, northerners in Congress could forbid slavery in new states as they were added to the Union 3

The Slave Question Reemerges The slavery issue in the West had been settled by the Missouri Compromise in 1820… But the new states added in the 1840s & 1850s led to problems: Texas (slave state) balanced by Oregon (free territory) What about California & New Mexico? Both were south of the Missouri Compromise line Slavery was not entrenched in either territory 3

The Wilmot Proviso The Wilmot Proviso was presented by Northerners in 1846 to: Ban all blacks (free & slave) from the Mexican Cession in order to preserve land for white farmers Attempt to limit the perceived “pro-Southern” Polk presidency The Wilmot Proviso did not pass in Congress but its debate revealed sectional (not party) divisions A major shift in politics is looming involving sectional political parties 4

Northern Democrats liked it (let settlers decide) The Election of 1848 Slavery in the West was a key issue in the Election of 1848: Democrat Lewis Cass proposed popular sovereignty to allow territorial settlers (not Congress) to decide slavery in the West Whig candidate Zachary Taylor evaded the slavery issue The Free Soil Party was created by Northern abolitionists who nominated Martin Van Buren Southern Democrats liked it (let state conventions decide) Northern Whigs supported Taylor because he promised to let Congress decide slavery in the territories Free Soilers were not abolitionists; They were against the expansion of slavery into the West Southern Whigs supported Taylor because he owned slaves 5

Taylor won the election, but Free Soilers did well in the North

The Compromise of 1850

Reasons for Compromise of 1850 Southerners were mad when Taylor proposed admitting New Mexico & California as states Popular sovereignty would make California a free state New Mexico had no slaves or a climate adequate for slavery John C Calhoun led the Nashville Convention to discuss Southern secession 6

The Debate Over Slavery Webster: The North will never accept secession Calhoun: The South must protect slavery & will “peacefully” secede Clay: We must compromise The Compromise of 1850 was the last debate of the “Great Triumvirate”

The Compromise of 1850 Ended the slave trade in Washington DC (but not slavery) California was admitted as a free state Taylor threatened to veto the compromise but his death in 1850 allowed VP Millard Fillmore to sign the Compromise of 1850 A stronger Fugitive Slave Law was created to appease the South Popular sovereignty would decide slavery in Utah & New Mexico

Political Upheaval & the Rise of Sectional Political Parties

The Party System in Crisis With slavery (temporarily) under wraps, the parties needed new issues for the election of 1852: Whigs nominated Mexican War general Winfield Scott; Whigs had difficulty finding an issue Democrats nominated Franklin Pierce, claimed credit for national prosperity, & promised to defend the Compromise of 1850 The two-party system dealt with the slavery controversy in 1840s: Whigs avoided territorial expansion due to slavery issue Democrats supported expansion as long as free & slave states remained balanced But…sectionalism destroyed both parties in 1850s; lack of two-party system released sectional rivalries 9

The Election of 1852 By 1852, the Whig Party was in trouble Had no significant platform issues Had difficulty appealing to voters in the North & South Southern Whigs were angry over the dominance of the anti-slave Whig faction

The Know-Nothing Party The collapse of the Whigs allowed for the rise of the “Know-Nothings” (the American Party) Fueled by nativism & a desire to reduce immigrant influence Hoped to strengthen the naturalization process to decrease immigrant voting Appealed to ex-Democrats, ex-Whigs, & industrial workers 12

The Know-Nothing Party In 1854, the American Party took control of state legislatures in New England, Maryland, Kentucky, & Texas; seemed on the verge of challenging the Democratic Party But, by 1856 the Know-Nothings collapsed due to a lack of experienced leadership & had no response to slavery (which was the REAL issue in America) 12

Shift in Party Power 1852-1855

The Kansas- Nebraska Act

The Kansas-Nebraska Act In 1854, Democrat Stephen Douglas hoped to organize the Kansas & Nebraska territories with the Kansas-Nebraska Act: The Missouri Compromise line was repealed & popular sovereignty was applied to slavery in Kansas & Nebraska Many Northerners were now convinced that compromise with the South was impossible Northern abolitionists were outraged because it allowed slavery in an area where slavery was already prohibited Douglas hoped expansion of West would bring railroads, Democratic Party cohesion, & a presidential nomination for himself in 1856 10

The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 Coalition of Whigs, Northern Democrats, & Free-Soilers formed the Republican Party; became exclusively Northern by 1856 The Kansas-Nebraska Act changed American politics & increased sectionalism Southern Whigs defected to the Democratic Party which became an exclusively Southern party

The Rise of the Republicans The Republican Party appealed to Northerners: Believed in “free soil” & fought against a “slave power” scheme Vowed to protect free white workers & boost the economy Made up of seasoned politicians who effectively built up the power of the party by 1856 13

The Shift to Sectional Political Parties Show the students visually how the American political landscape moved from national to more sectional

In 1848, both parties have national appeal Watch American party politics become sectional, rather than national, from 1848 to 1860 In 1848, both parties have national appeal

In the election of 1852, both parties have national appeal

Look at the Republicans in the North & the Democrats in the South by 1856!

By 1860, the Republicans elected Lincoln without even campaigning in the South!

Conclusions American politics experienced a significant change in the late antebellum era (1800 to 1860): In the early antebellum era, sectional rivalries were evident but national parties kept the U.S. united In the 1840s & 1850s, westward expansion forced the North & South to protect their regional values against an unseen conspiracy Sectional issues included: the number of representatives in the Senate, tariffs, & slavery

The Nation Divided (1856-1860)

Political Upheaval in the 1850s Manifest Destiny intensified sectional differences between the North & the South regarding slavery in the 1840s & early 1850s But…the sectional quarrel between the North & the South became “irreconcilable” in the mid-1850s, especially under James Buchanan (1857-1860)

Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852) Lincoln said to Beecher Stowe in 1861, “So you're the little woman who wrote the book that made this great war!” Harriet Beecher Stowe’s account of slavery became the best selling book of the 19th century: Uncle Tom’ Cabin depicted the harsh reality of slavery The book became a vital antislavery tool among abolitionists

The Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854) proposed popular sovereignty “Bleeding Kansas” (1854-1858) The Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854) proposed popular sovereignty The vote to determine slavery in Kansas turned into a bloody small-scale civil war Republicans benefited from the fighting by using “Bleeding Kansas” propaganda to support their anti-slave cause Pro-slavery residents created Kansas’ first territorial legislature & wrote laws protecting slavery Free soilers created a rival territorial gov’t that was not recognized by President Pierce 13

This incident became known as “Bleeding Kansas” The vote revealed a pro-slavery victory which led to a violent civil war in Kansas Thousands of pro-slavery Missouri residents crossed the border & voted for slavery The resulting pro-slavery victory, led to Free-soilers from Kansas voted against slavery

“Bleeding Sumner” SC Senator Preston Brooks beat Senator Charles Sumner because of a speech Sumner had made criticizing President Pierce & Southerners who supported the pro-slavery violence in Kansas

Sectionalism in Election of 1856 1856 was the first clearly sectional presidential election in U.S. history Republican John C. Frémont campaigned only in free states Know-Nothing Fillmore called for sectional compromise Democrat James Buchanan endorsed popular sovereignty & the Compromise of 1850 Buchanan beat Frémont in the North & beat Fillmore in the South Know Nothings are conservative anti-Democrats living in the South & northern Whigs who resisted joining Republicans 14

The Election of 1856 Southerners were relieved by the victory but were threatened by the existence of a party devoted to ending slavery Northerners realized that the free-states had a large majority in the Electoral College so a Republican could become president by only campaigning in the North

The Dred Scott Case (1857) Dred Scott was Missouri slave transported to Wisconsin where slavery was outlawed; Scott argued he should be free This ruling strengthened the Republican fear of a “slave power conspiracy” in all branches of the U.S. gov’t When Buchanan was elected, he wanted the Supreme Court to resolve the slavery question In Dred Scott v. Sanford (1857), Taney & the Supreme Court ruled: Dred Scott had no right to sue because blacks are not citizens Congress had no authority to prohibit slavery in western territories so the Missouri Compromise is unconstitutional According to the Supreme Court, Congress can not prohibit slavery because the government cannot deny citizens their right to property (slaves) 16

The Lecompton Controversy Douglas viewed this as a perversion of popular sovereignty & opposed Southern Democrats In 1857, Kansas held an election for delegates to write a constitution & apply for statehood A rigged election led to a pro-slavery Lecompton Constitution Buchanan tried to push Kansas’ admission through despite the fraud but Congress refused Kansas was made a free territory, not a slave state Republicans were enraged over President Buchanan’s attempt to “force” slavery upon Kansas 17

The Lincoln-Douglas Debates Douglas accused Lincoln of favoring racial equality & a radical plan to extinguish slavery that would force the U.S. into a civil war Slavery is an acceptable evil in the South but it must be kept out of territories where slavery is not protected by the Constitution Lincoln argued that popular sovereignty is wrong because it supports the spread of slavery Democrat Stephen Douglas ran against Republican Abraham Lincoln for the 1858 Illinois Senate In these Lincoln-Douglas debates: Lincoln lost the election, but the debates gained him a national reputation & reaffirmed the Republicans’ uncompromising commitment to the free-soil position 18

“A house divided against itself cannot stand “A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free.” —Abraham Lincoln, 1858

The South's Crisis of Fear Two events in 1859 increased Southern fears of North: John Brown’s raid on Harper’s Ferry, VA; he & 18 men planned to end slavery in the South by leading slave insurrections: Brown was caught & executed, but he was perceived by many in the North to be a martyr Witch-hunts, vigilante groups, & talk of secession grew in South 19

John Brown: Northern Martyr or Southern Villain? John Brown’s Body John Brown's body lies a-mouldering in the grave, But his soul goes marching on Glory, glory, hallelujah, His soul goes marching on John Brown's body lies a-mouldering in the grave, /| John Brown's body lies a-mouldering in the grave, But his soul goes marching on. Chorus: Glory, glory, hallelujah, /| Glory, glory, hallelujah, His soul goes marching on. He's gone to be a soldier in the Army of the Lord, /| He's gone to be a soldier in the Army of the Lord, His soul goes marching on. Chorus: John Brown's knapsack is strapped upon his back, / John Brown's knapsack is strapped upon his back, His soul goes marching on. Chorus: John Brown died that the slaves might be free, / John Brown died that the slaves might be free, His soul goes marching on. Chorus: The stars above in Heaven now are looking kindly down, / The stars above in Heaven now are looking kindly down, His soul goes marching on. John Brown the martyr

The South's Crisis of Fear Hinton Helper’s Impending Crisis of the South in 1859: Helper was a white southerner who argued that slavery hurt the South & small farmers Southerners saw the book as a plot to rally yeoman against the elite & end slavery Southern planters’ worst fear! % of slave owners in South decreasing from 30% to 25% in all slave states & 50% to 40% in Cotton Belt—planters viewed themselves as a shrinking minority who needed to protect their interests. 19

The Election of 1860 The election of 1860 was the final straw for the South Republicans nominated Lincoln: Illinois was a crucial swing-state Lincoln was seen as a self-made man who represented equality His platform of high tariffs for industry, free homesteads in the West, transcontinental railroad widened the party’s appeal 22

The Election of 1860 Democrats were fatally split: Northern Democrats nominated Stephen Douglas who ran on a platform of popular sovereignty Southern Democrats nominated John Breckenridge who swore to protect slavery in the West Ex-Whigs & Know-Nothings formed the Constitutional Union Party & ran John Bell on a compromise platform 20

The Election of 1860 During election, 4 nominees ran: Republicans The 1860 Election: A Nation Coming Apart The Election of 1860 North: Abraham Lincoln vs. Stephen Douglass During election, 4 nominees ran: Republicans Douglas Democrats “Southern Rights” Democrats Constitutional Unionists Competed in North Competed in South South: Breckenridge vs. Bell 21

The Election of 1860 Lincoln Lincoln won & the South immediately launched a campaign for secession from the Union