Reaching the Breaking Point Unit 6, Lesson 4

Essential Idea The United States broke apart after Abraham Lincoln was elected in 1860, and his effort to preserve the Union started the Civil War.

Republican Party Platform 1860: Election of 1860 Details: Republicans did not want slavery to expand to the West Lincoln was NOT an abolitionist, but also did NOT want slavery to expand

The Breaking Point: Election of 1860 Southerners saw Lincoln as an enemy and would not even put his name on the ballot However, Lincoln won EVERY state in the North and West and won the election

The Union Begins to Break Reactions: The South felt it had no power left in the federal government Southern states began seceding (breaking away) from the United States to form their own country

Secession 1861: Secession Begins Details: South Carolina seceded from the United States first in late 1860 By the time Lincoln was sworn into office, the seven states in the “lower South,” had seceded Confederate States of America—these states formed this new government (the Confederacy) Jefferson Davis was president of the Confederacy

A Last Ditch Effort 1861: Crittenden Compromise Details: Crittenden Compromise—this last ditch effort proposed bringing back the Missouri Compromise line and extending it to the West coast It failed because Lincoln refused to violate his promise to keep slavery from spreading west

Lincoln becomes President 1861: Fort Sumter Attacked Details: By Lincoln’s inauguration, the Confederacy claimed federal forts in the South Lincoln Elected

Showdown at Fort Sumter Lincoln decided to resupply Fort Sumter, located on an island off the coast of South Carolina South Carolina claimed the fort belonged to the Confederacy

Fort Sumter Attacked When Fort Sumter refused to surrender, South Carolina bombed the fort Using violence and force, South Carolina captured Fort Sumter Result: The Civil War began Fort Sumter

Losing the Upper South The Upper South Secedes: After Fort Sumter fell, Lincoln called on all states to send him troops This forced states to choose a side—the Union or the Confederacy “Upper South” states, including Virginia and North Carolina, chose to secede and join the Confederacy Richmond, Virginia became the capital of the Confederacy

Keeping the Border States Border States—formed the border between the North and South that had slavery but had not seceded Lincoln was desperate to keep the border states from seceding, especially Maryland If Maryland seceded, Washington, D.C. would be surrounded by Confederate states (Maryland and Virginia)

Keeping the Border States Violating the Constitution? To keep Maryland, Lincoln imposed martial law and held supervised elections Marylanders who spoke of secession were put in jail without a trial Many felt Lincoln violated the Constitution to keep Maryland

Review of the Causes of the Civil War 1. Federal Power Southerners felt the federal government had too much power over the states Federal plans like Hamilton’s Financial Plan, the American System, BUS were hated by southern states Southerners thought a strong federal government could take away the states’ “right” to slavery Many southern states believed in “nullification”

Review of the Causes of the Civil War 2. Vision for Country The North favored manufacturing and commerce but the South favored a cotton-based economy Federal tariffs protected northern businesses but hurt southerners The “Tariff of Abominations” caused the Nullification Crisis

Review of the Causes of the Civil War 3. Westward Expansion As the country expanded, the North and South contended over making new states free or slave The Louisiana Purchase, the Oregon Treaty, the Annexation of Texas, and the Mexican War brought in new land Compromises like the Missouri Compromise and Compromise of 1850 ultimately failed

Legal Status of Slavery from 1776 to 1860 Analyze.

Review of the Causes of the Civil War 4. Slavery Over time, the North and South grew more divided over slavery The Second Great Awakening, abolitionist movement, Fugitive Slave Act, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Kansas-Nebraska Act, and Republican party contributed to this divide

Review of the Causes of the Civil War 5. Election of Lincoln When Republican Lincoln was elected, the South saw him as a threat to slavery Southern states “nullified” the election by seceding from the Union Lincoln’s effort to stop secession led to violence, starting the Civil War

Purpose of the Civil War Lincoln’s purpose of the Civil War was to PRESERVE THE UNION Lincoln’s purpose was NOT to end slavery, at first