States Rights The south believed that the Union is a voluntary group of states and if the central government goes too far, each state has the right to nullify that law. Nullify means to declare void or no longer good.

Slavery Only 25 percent of Southerners owned slaves but almost all Southerners supported slavery while most northerners opposed it. Slavery was important to the booming cotton industry Without firing a gun, without drawing a sword, should they make war on us, we could bring the whole world to our feet... What would happen if no cotton was furnished for three years?... England would topple headlong and carry the whole civilized world with her save the South. No, you dare not to make war on cotton. No power on the earth dares to make war upon it. Cotton is King. -Senator James Henry Hammond of South Carolina

Tariff Disputes Tariff= a tax on imported goods. South= wanted low tariffs to keep prices low on the goods they bought North= wanted high tariffs to protect its manufactured goods against foreign goods.

Cultural and economical Differences South= life revolved agriculture, wealthy planters and the economy they controlled. North= industry; cities were the center of society.

Uncle Tom’s Cabin 1852 Book by Harriet Beecher Stowe It portrayed the moral issues of slavery Many southerners believed the book falsely criticized the South and slavery.

Kansas-Nebraska Act 1854 the Kansas-Nebraska Act opened up new land for settlement. Allowed people in the territory to vote if they wanted Slavery. Fighting broke out against Free-Soil Jayhawks and Border Ruffian’s (pro- slavery). Kansas was voted a Free State in 1861

1854-Charles Sumner attacked by Preston Brooks Preston Brooks a Senator from South Carolina beat Massachusetts Senator Charles Sumner with his cane on the floor of the U.S. Senate.

Dred Scott Decision 1856 The Supreme Court decision ruled Scott (a slave) was not a U.S. citizen Dred Scott, a Missouri slave, sued for his freedom after his owner died. His owner had lived in non slave states. Ruling meant no slaves could ever be a U.S. citizen

Harpers Ferry 1859: Abolitionist John Brown and his followers seized the federal arsenal at Harper’s Ferry, Virginia. They hoped to stir a slave revolt and end slavery in Virginia. Brown (who had murdered slavery men in Kansas) was captured and hanged.

The Election of Abraham Lincoln The south was opposed to Republican Lincoln in the White House and threatened to leave the Union if he won the election of Lincoln won 40 percent of the votes and became the 16 th President. Southern propaganda of Lincoln. “Thus always to tyrants “

Abe Lincoln in 1860 Abe Lincoln in 1865

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The Southerners threatened to secede from the Union if Abe Lincoln, a Republican, was elected president. –Lincoln’s name wasn’t even on the Texas ballot!

I would save this Union if I could; but it is my deliberate impression that it cannot now be done. -Louis T. Wigfall U. S. Senator from Texas December 6, 1860

The Secession Convention in Texas Judge Oran Roberts (of the Texas Supreme Court) was elected to lead the meeting held on January 28, The meeting was intense as they voted 166 to 8 to adopt an Ordinance of secession. –ordinance – an official order Texans voted for Secession on February 23, 1861, and joined the Confederate States of America or shortened: The Confederacy.

“To secede from the Union and set up another government would cause war. If you go to war with the United States, you will never conquer her, as she has the money and men. If she does not whip you by guns, powder, and steel, she will starve you to death…” Governor Sam Houston

Sam Houston was Governor Houston was against Texas’s secession. After secession passed Houston hoped Texas would then remain independent, instead of joining the Confederacy. President Lincoln offered Houston the use of 2,700 federal troops to keep Texas in the Union. Houston said no. He stated that he had always fought for Texas and would not fight against it now.

Sam Houston refused to take an oath of loyalty to the Confederacy, and therefore, he was deposed (removed) from his position as governor. "Let me tell you what is coming. After the sacrifice of countless millions of treasure and hundreds of thousands of lives you may win Southern independence, but I doubt it. The North is determined to preserve this Union.” –Sam Houston

Houston returned to Huntsville, Texas and died July 26, The statue of Sam Houston in Huntsville His last words were "Texas. Texas. Margaret". (Margaret was his wife)

After Texas joined the Confederacy, all of the Federal (U.S.) troops in Texas were forced to surrender. However, Federal Troops at Fort Sumter in South Carolina refused to leave the fort. So on April 12, 1861, Confederate cannon began firing at Fort Sumter, to begin the Civil War. Fort Sumter Today

War in Texas

The north used a blockade on Texas and the Gulf coast to stop all trading of cotton and war supplies. This was called the “Anaconda Plan”. It was meant to starve and divide the south and not let it trade with Europe U.S. Navy

Winfield Scott’s Anaconda Plan