Unit 1 Civil War

Causes of the Civil War Long-Term Causes Short-Term Causes Sectionalism Election of 1860 Slavery Secession Westward Expansion Fort Sumter Breakdown of Compromises States’ Rights vs. Federal Rights

Sectionalism People felt greater loyalty to their section – the North, South, or West – than to the nation as a whole South – Agricultural with slave labor (1/4 of south population), grew cotton for northern factories Northwest – Great Lakes area, dominated by small independent family farms Northeast – Industrial part of the country, started a new middle-class population of factory workers

Slavery Abolitionists wanted to end slavery Escaped slaves like Frederick Douglass spoke out against the horrors of slavery Pro-slavery apologists in the South argued that slaves were better off than Northern factory workers Many Northerners did not want to see slavery extended to new territories Southerners feared being outnumbered by free states if slavery did not spread Harriet Tubman – famous “conductor” of the underground railroad Harriet Beecher Stowe – wrote Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852)

Western Expansion Northerners did not want slavery in the new western territories Southerners wanted the new territories to decide the issue of slavery based on popular sovereignty Both North and South were fearful the other would gain more power in Congress so compromises were made to keep the slave and free states equal

Missouri Compromise (1820) Breakdown of Compromises Missouri Compromise (1820) Missouri was added as a slave state Maine was added as a free state Resulting in 12 free states & 12 slave states No other slave states allowed north of Missouri southern state line Supreme Court declared the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional in 1857

Breakdown of Compromises (Cont.) Compromise of 1850 California admitted as a free state Rest of territory based on popular sovereignty Harsher fugitive slave law passed

States’ Rights vs. Federal Rights Many southerners believed states had the right to leave the Union if they wished Southerners believed the states could “nullify” federal laws Northerners believed the Constitution applied to all states equally and states must follow those laws and principles Northerners also believed the southern states could not secede Dred Scott Decision (1857) Supreme Court ruled Scott was not a U.S. Citizen & had no right to sue in federal court Supreme Court ruled the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional, angering the Northerners that wanted to stop the spread of slavery

Election of 1860 Republican Party nominated Abraham Lincoln Democrats split their nomination with 2 candidates, a northerner (Douglas) and a southerner (Breckenridge) A strong third party candidate (Bell) finished 3rd in the electoral college Democrats split their votes allowing Lincoln to win in a landslide The South had threatened to secede if Lincoln won the election

Secession South Carolina was the first to secede Six other lower states quickly followed and organized themselves into the Confederate States of America Jefferson Davis became the 1st and only president of the confederacy The North, including President Lincoln never formally recognized the Confederate States as a separate county

Fort Sumter In early 1861, President Lincoln sent supplies to federal forts in the seceding southern states April 12, 1861 Confederate forces fired on Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina After Fort Sumter, 4 other upper south slave states joined the Confederacy (Virginia, Tennessee, Arkansas, and North Carolina The Union did keep 5 border slave states (Kentucky, West Virginia, Delaware, Missouri, and Maryland)

Civil War The North had most of the major advantages including population, factories, food production, and cash (banking) The south had a few advantages including cotton production, livestock, military colleges, and better generals

Civil War

Emancipation Proclamation Civil War Emancipation Proclamation President Lincoln freed all slaves in the rebelling Confederate states Anaconda Plan

Consequences of the Civil War The Civil War ended the slavery debate. Within a few months, Congress officially eliminated slavery by passing the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution The rebelling Confederate states were forced to remain in the Union (United States) The Civil War strengthened the power of the federal government, ending the debate of which on has more authority, states vs. federal Ultimately, over 600,000 U.S. citizens lost their lives. That is more U.S. deaths than WWI, WWII, Vietnam, and the Revolutionary War combined. The U.S. will spend the next 30-40 years in what we call the Reconstruction Period