Sectionalism

Slavery The main sectional conflict between the North and the South was not only the existence of slavery, but its expansion into western territories. To decide the issue of slavery in the West the idea of Popular Sovereignty was adopted. Popular Sovereignty: the citizens of each territory were allowed to decide, for themselves, if they wanted slavery or not.

Compromise of 1850 To ease tensions between North and South over slavery, the Compromise of 1850 was created. For the North, California was added as a free state. For the South, many states were talking about secession. To avoid secession the Federal Government passed the Fugitive Slave Act.

Transcontinental Railroad Transcontinental Railroad is a railroad that connects the east and west coasts. The idea of a Transcontinental Railroad became a conflict between the North and the South because both sections wanted the railroad to travel through its territory.

Uncle Tom’s Cabin Written by Harriet Beecher Stowe, Uncle Tom’s Cabin explored the cruelties of chattel slavery and the ironies within the moral, legal and religious arguments for slavery. In the North, the book was compelling and sympathetic. In the South, the book was considered sectionalist propaganda. The book had an enormous impact upon the country. Even Abraham Lincoln famously apportioned Stowe with some responsibility for starting the Civil War.

Underground Railroad Underground Railroad was a term used to describe the network of persons who helped escaped slaves on their way to freedom in the North or Canda. It was neither underground nor a railroad. It was carried out in secret and railway terms were used to describe how it worked. Harriet Tubman was the most famous conductor for the Underground Railroad. She made 19, reported trips, saving some 300 slaves.

Kansas-Nebraska Act The Kansas-Nebraska Act repealed the Missouri Compromise. It allowed both Kansas and Nebraska to, ultimately, have popular sovereignty over the issue of slavery.

Bleeding Kansas Settlers, both supporters for and against the spread of slavery, rushed to these territories to establish majority and cast their vote in the slavery question. Corrupt governments sprang up of both sides of the argument. In Kansas, both sides fought violently over the issue of slavery. 200 people died with damage to over 2 million dollars worth of property.

Congress The violence in Kansas spread to Congress. Anti-slavery Senator Charles Sumner was beaten with a cane by a pro-slavery Senator named Preston Brooks on the Senate floor. Brooks was angry that Sumner “dissed” his cousin and his home state over the issue of slavery.

Dred Scott Dred Scott was a slave taken to free territory by his slave owner. Scott sued for his freedom because he had been living as a free person. The Supreme Court decided that slaves were not citizens, couldn’t sue in court and had no rights. Slaves were considered property. This decision was supported by Southerners and condemned by Northerners.

John Brown John Brown was an abolitionist. He attempted to seize the federal arsenal at Harper’s Ferry, VA in order to spark a slave rebellion. Brown was captured, sentenced and put to death for his actions. Northerners hailed Brown as a martyr and Southerners took his actions as threatening.

Election of 1860 Southerners were completely against Republicans. It was the party of John Brown and the party that was against slavery. In the election of 1860 Abraham Lincoln was the Republican candidate. Lincoln won the election without southern support. For southerners Lincoln’s election was a victory for the abolitionists and southern culture and society was at stake.

Secession To preserve southern ideals many states seceded from the union. South Carolina was the first to leave after the election of Lincoln. The states of secession join to form the Confederate States of America, a new nation. The Confederate Constitution guaranteed the existence of slavery in Confederate territory. The capital of the new nation was placed in Montgomery, Alabama. Jefferson Davis was chosen as the first president of the Confederacy.

Fort Sumter The Confederacy seized all arsenals and forts on its territory. Lincoln announced he intended to “hold and possess all federal property in the seceded territory”. When Lincoln attempted to resupply Fort Sumter in Charleston, SC Confederate forces saw this as a threat to their new nation. Confederate forces fired upon and took Fort Sumter which was the start of the American Civil War.

Confederacy Confederate States of America included: South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas first. Later the upper south joined: Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina and Tennessee. The Confederate capital was moved to Richmond, Virginia.

Border States Lincoln was determined to hold on to the slave holding border states: Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky and Missouri. If Maryland seceded, Washington DC would be surrounded by Confederate territory since Virginia was a Confederate state. Lincoln imposed martial law in Maryland: the military takes control of an area and replaces civilian authorities and suspends certain civilian rights.