NOTES: Causes of the Civil War

Nat Turner’s Rebellion 1831 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBH3Xzz3Y3E

Compromise of 1850 WE GET TO CHOOSE!!! California = free Territories of NM & UT would decide for themselves (vote) whether slavery would be legal (popular sovereignty) Fugitive Slave Act = ordered all citizens to assist in the return of run away slaves.

Time Out!! What are the provisions of the Missouri Compromise? What is the Wilmot Proviso? Was it successful? What are the provisions of the Compromise of 1850? What issue was it trying to solve? What is the Fugitive Slave Act? How did this cause more tension between the North and South?

Uncle Tom’s Cabin - 1852 Written by Harriet Beecher Stowe Book that showed the evils of slavery, and showed slaves as real people Follows the story of a family of slaves as they are sold and try to escape “So this is the little lady who made this big war?” … Lincoln to Stowe upon first meeting

Uncle Tom's Cabin was the best-selling novel of the 19th century and the second best-selling book of that century, following the Bible. It is credited with helping fuel the abolitionist cause in the 1850s. In the first year after it was published, 300,000 copies of the book were sold in the United States; one million copies in Great Britain. In 1855, three years after it was published, it was called "the most popular novel of our day.“ The impact attributed to the book is great, reinforced by a story that when Abraham Lincoln met Stowe at the start of the Civil War, Lincoln declared, "So this is the little lady who started this great war."

Kansas – Nebraska Act 1854 WE GET TO CHOOSE TOO!!! Missouri Compromise said what? WE GET TO CHOOSE!!! Overturns Missouri Compromise (gave north too much power) KS & NE use popular sovereignty

4. Who do you think this cartoonist sympathizes with and why? Murder!!! Help – neighbors, help, O my poor wife and children 4. Who do you think this cartoonist sympathizes with and why? HINT: Who are they for and who are they making fun of? 3. A platform is a document describing the ideals of a political party. Judging by the cartoon, what was an important element of the democratic platform? 2. What is a freesoiler? 1. What term is used when the “slave question” was to be decided by the people’s vote?

Bleeding Kansas -1856 The “Border War” was a series of violent political confrontations in involving anti-slavery "Free-Staters" and pro-slavery "Border Ruffians” in Kansas between 1854 and 1861 Both sides were trying to intimidate and influence the vote on slavery "These men are all talk. What we need is action - action!" - John Brown Preston Brooks (southern democrat) attacking Charles Sumner (northern republican) in the US Senate -- Sumner had given a fiery speech to the U.S. Senate which included insulting remarks concerning a member of Brooks' family; in retaliation, Brooks hit Sumner with his cane, which put him in a hospital for nearly five months

Border “Ruffians” (pro-slavery Missourians) “Bleeding Kansas” Border “Ruffians” (pro-slavery Missourians)

Dred Scott Decision - 1857 Scott vs. Sandford Slave sued for his freedom  Supreme Court rules 7-2 against Scott stating slaves are NOT citizens, slaves are property. SLAVES = PROPERTY

John Brown’s Raid 1859 Attacked a federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry, VA Plan to give weapons to slaves Brown captured & sentenced to be hanged President Abraham Lincoln said he was a "misguided fanatic" and Brown has been called "the most controversial of all 19th-century Americans.

John Brown: Madman or Martyr?

Time Out!! 5. What did the Kansas-Nebraska Act say? 6. What is popular sovereignty? 7. Why did the Kansas-Nebraska Act lead to violence? Who was John Brown? What role did he play in the failure of popular sovereignty? (what did he do?) 8. Who was Dred Scott? Why did he believe he should be freed? What was the Supreme Court ruling on his case?

Election of 1860 Lincoln offered moderate views on slavery (just did not want it to spread) Captured the presidency w/o a single electoral vote in the south – a sectional victory HOW WAS HE ABLE TO DO THAT?

1860 Election Results

1860 Election: A Nation Coming Apart?!

The South Secedes… Confederate States of America- 1861 Outraged by election, not respecting states’ rights (they want slavery) Secessionists – wanted the south to secede (leave the country), argued that since the states had voluntarily joined the US, they could choose to leave it South Carolina was the first

“Stars & Bars” – Confederate BATTLE Flag Jefferson Davis Jefferson Davis was their president

Why do you think the border states would not secede? The Border states in the Union were West Virginia (which was separated from Virginia and became a new state), and four of the five northernmost slave states (Maryland, Delaware, Missouri, and Kentucky).  Why do you think the border states would not secede?

Fort Sumter - 1861 ***Only 2 Union soldiers died during an accidental explosion during the evacuation from the fort. Oops. Federal fort (owned by Union) in Charleston, SC (Confederate territory) Confederates ordered fort to surrender … Union refused  battle By firing on federal (union) property, the Confederates had committed an act of open rebellion  Lincoln had to respond, couldn’t ignore it

CIVIL WAR