Challenges to Slavery

VOCABULARY Arsenal Martyr A storage place for weapons and ammunition A person who sacrifices his or her life for a principle or cause

The Republican Party Why Was the Republican Party Founded? Northern Democrats were leaving the party Slavery destroyed the Whig Party 1854 Antislavery Whigs, Democrats, and Free Soilers formed the Republican Party Candidates ran for state and congressional elections in 1854 Message: Government should ban slavery from new territories Republicans won control of the House of Representatives and several state governments No support for the Republicans in the South 3/4 of the Democratic candidates from free states lost in 1854 Now becoming a “Southern party”

The Election of 1856 Election Results (R) John C. Fremont (CA) “Free soil, free speech, nd Fremont” (D) James Buchanan (PA) Former Congressman Popular sovereignty (American Party-Know Nothings) Former President Millard Fillmore Attacked immigrants Election Results Buchanan: Won 174 electoral votes Fremont: 114 electoral votes Did not receive a single electoral vote south of the Mason-Dixon line Fillmore: 8 electoral votes

Lincoln and Douglas Senate Election 1858 Stephen A. Douglas Abraham Lincoln A likely candidate for president in 1860 Disliked slavery, but thought the controversy hurt the nation’s growth Believed popular sovereignty would solve the issue Born of a poor background in KY Intelligent, ambitious, and successful lawyer

Lincoln and Douglas Debates Lincoln challenged Douglas to a series of debates Met 7 times in August, September, and October of 1858 Slavery was the main topic Debate at Freeport Lincoln: Questioned his views on popular sovereignty Douglas: People could exclude slavery by refusing to pass laws protecting slaveholders rights Satisfied antislavery followers, lost him support in the South Became known as the Freeport Doctrine Douglas: Claimed Lincoln wanted African Americans to be fully equal with whites Lincoln denied this and said the real issue is “between the men who think slavery is wrong and those who do not think it is wrong. The Republican Party thinks its wrong.” Douglas won the election by a narrow victory Lincoln still received a national reputation from the debates

The Raid on Harper’s Ferry October 16, 1859 John Brown led 18 men (including whites and African Americans) on a raid in Harper’s Ferry, VA His target was an arsenal Hoped to start a rebellion against the slaveholders by arming enslaved African Americans Quickly defeated by local citizens and federal troops Convicted of treason and murder and was sentenced to hang Some Northerners denounced his use of violence Others (including Ralph Waldo Emerson) proclaimed him a martyr Rallying point for abolitionists Southerners felt a great Northern conspiracy against them seemed inevitable The Raid on Harper’s Ferry

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS According to the Dred Scott Supreme Court decision, the U.S. Constitution protected what institution from acts of Congress? Slavery Who challenged Stephen Douglas in the 1858 Senate race in Illinois and debated him repeatedly on the issue of slavery? Abraham Lincoln Which abolitionist led a failed raid on Harpers Ferry, Virginia arsenal in 1859? John Brown