Leading to a Civil War
LEADING TO A CIVIL WAR Events Leading to the Secession of the South The Confederate States of America Causes Leading to the Civil War
Leading to a Civil War Events leading to the Secession of the South Sucession "to withdraw formally from a union or alliance” Southern individual states nullified their ratification of the U.S. constitution
The Process of Secession
Leading to a Civil War Events leading to the Secession of the South Political Sectionalism Missouri Compromise 1820 Missouri - slave state Maine - free state Entry of states into the Union have to be balanced - one free/one slave Gag Rule of 1836 Compromise of 1850 California a free state Slavery allowed in the other territories acquired from Mexico
Slave and Free Territories Under the Compromise of 1850
Leading to a Civil War Events leading to the Secession of the South Political Sectionalism Despite territorial gains emerged from the Mexican American War, Americans were more divided than ever North denounced war as a southern project for expanding slavery David Wilmot - Wilmot Proviso no slavery in Mexican Territory Many hoping the Compromise of 1850 had finally settled slavery
Leading to a Civil War Events leading to the Secession of the South Kansas-Nebraska Act 1854 organized 2 new federal territories repealed section of Missouri Compromise prohibiting slavery in states/territories north of 36º 30’ latitude people decide (popular sovereignty) “Bleeding Kansas”
Leading to a Civil War Events leading to the Secession of the South Change in 2 party system Democrats & Whigs Democrats (dough faces) needed northern candidate to win because of the number of southerners F. Pierce 1852, J. Buchanan 1856, Douglas ? Whigs Kansas & Nebraska Act killed party divided sectionally North & South too far apart on slavery issue to hold party together
Leading to a Civil War Events leading to the Secession of the South Change in 2 party system Democrats & Whigs Whigs & Free Soilers = Republicans * only a northern party tolerate slavery in south unwilling to accept it's expansion demand that the Kansas & Nebraska Act be repealed central railroad (rather than northern as Douglas proposed) Homestead Act - western lands to families to settle 160 acres
Leading to a Civil War Events leading to the Secession of the South Dred Scott Decision 1857 Southern dominated court Slaves were property "congress could not ban slavery from territories” Chief Justice Roger Taney
Leading to a Civil War Events leading to the Secession of the South The Election of 1860 Aggressive movements of pro slave movement frightened north Hardened resistance in North intensified southern insecurity South demands - congressional slave codes
Leading to a Civil War Events leading to the Secession of the South The Election of 1860 Freeport Doctrine legislation to protect slave property in north Lead to a division of the Democratic Party Northern Democrats - Stephen Douglas appealed to North & South but ambiguous Southern Democrats - John Breckenridge Appealed to south - popular sovereignty Republicans - Abraham Lincoln Constitutional Union Party - John Bell
The Election of 1860
LEADING TO A CIVIL WAR Events Leading to the Secession of the South Political Sectionalism Missouri Compromise Gag Rule Compromise of 1850 Wilmot Proviso Kansas Nebraska Act 1854 Dred Scot Decision 1857 Election of 1860
LEADING TO A CIVIL WAR Events Leading to the Secession of the South The Confederate States of America Causes Leading to the Civil War
The Confederate States of America
Leading to a Civil War The Confederate States of America Constitution 1787 (1789 9 states ratified - 4 didn't) established government Constitution states that states can't coin money and can’t maintain an army but can they secede? Southern Position held that the Constitution did not automatically bind states Individual States first . . . then United STATES UNITED
Leading to a Civil War Individual States first . . . then United The Confederate States of America Individual States first . . . then United STATES UNITED 11 southern states seceded and formed their own country North says no you can't leave = 4 long years of fighting CIVIL (internal) War - settle question about whether a state can succeed Pre Civil War The United States are Post Civil War The United States is
Leading to a Civil War The Confederate States of America Radicals - fire eaters South Carolinians since Nullification Controversy South Carolina state convention Dec 20, 1860 repeal ratification of federal constitution 6 weeks later MI, Fl, GA, Al, LA, TX succeed Delegates to Montgomery Alabama organized themselves as the C.S. of A. Jefferson Davis - President ( Mississippi)
LEADING TO A CIVIL WAR Events Leading to the Secession of the South The Confederate States of America Causes Leading to the Civil War
Leading to a Civil War 1. Conspiracy President Country Causes Leading to A Civil War 1. Conspiracy President Country North Lincoln 1860 USA South J. Davis 1861 CSA Each side felt the other was conspiring against the other Laws & measures that inhibited the south - DAVIS Congress controlled by north North doesn't want to control south - south wants to expand into the west LINCOLN Each side didn't trust in an economic or political sense
Leading to a Civil War 2. Constitutional Causes Leading to A Civil War 2. Constitutional UNITED STATES VS. STATES UNITED South - separate individual states form the union since states formed the union they can opt out North - the union created the states by the constitution If the union is dissolved there is nothing LINCOLN WAS FIGHTING TO SAVE THE UNION NOT TO FREE THE SLAVES (a political move) Lincoln was a federalist & constitutionalist
Leading to a Civil War Causes Leading to A Civil War 3. Growth of Slavery South had 4 million slaves Slave owners 25% 17 % 1-9 slaves 7% 10-99 slaves .1% 100+ very few had large plantations small minority of controlling whites controlled southern society Labor intensive agricultural society slaves imported because can't get enough whites to do the labor
Leading to a Civil War Causes Leading to A Civil War 3. Slavery Davis - the Blacks have a better condition under the superior White race “docile savages to bodily comforts and religious instruction” Lincoln - not in favor of bringing about the social or economic equality of Negroes “There must be the position of inferior/superior” Lincoln 1858 Lincoln was a product of his own culture Freeing of slaves not a matter of equality!!! Yet he was against the concept of slavery SAVE THE UNION
Leading to a Civil War Causes Leading to A Civil War 4. Economic Labor South - free labor North - paid labor Tariffs North wanted to protect their products artificial inflation of imports South faced reciprocal tariffs when they exported their agricultural products South Against High Tariffs North Against Free Labor
Leading to a Civil War Causes Leading to A Civil War 4. Economic North passes laws in congress because of an imbalance in voting power 19 Free States 15 Slave States
Leading to a Civil War Causes Leading to A Civil War 5. Nature of a Republic What is a Republic? Representative Democracy Freedom to choose South choose to leave under this freedom Under another system this would not have happened!
Leading to a Civil War ". . . it presents the question whether discontented individuals too few in numbers to control administration according to organic law in any case, can always upon the pretenses made in this case, or on any other pretense, break up their government, and thus practically put an end to free government upon the earth. It forces us to ask: Is there, in all republics, this inherent and fatal weakness? Must a government, of necessity be too strong for the liberties of its own people or too weak to maintain its own existence?" Lincoln - July 4, 1861 following Ft. Sumter
Leading to a Civil War “our heritage depends on inherent weakness of a republic to strong to maintain liberties yet too weak to maintain its existence”. Abraham Lincoln
Leading to a Civil War Conspiracy Constitutional Slavery Economic Causes Leading to the Civil War Conspiracy Constitutional Slavery Economic Nature of a Republic 1600 ---------------1787--------------1865---------------2000+ Colonial Am. Nation Civil War Civil War 265 years since beginnings of our country
LEADING TO A CIVIL WAR Events Leading to the Secession of the South The Confederate States of America Causes Leading to the Civil War
Instructor: Carol Jean Cox Leading to a Civil War Instructor: Carol Jean Cox