Protest, Resistance, and Violence Chapter 10 Section 2 Protest, Resistance, and Violence

Main Idea Proslavery and antislavery factions disagreed over the treatment of fugitive slaves and the spread of slavery to the territories.

Why It Matters Now The antislavery leaders became role models for leaders of civil rights movements in the 20th century.

Fugitive Slaves and the Underground Railroad Fugitive slaves were not entitled to a trial by jury & could not testify on their own behalf. Federal commissioners charged with enforcing the law were to receive a $10 fee if they returned an alleged fugitive. Anyone convicted of helping an alleged fugitive was subject to a fine of $1000, imprisonment for six months, or both. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZaFJM-CMbs

Resisting the Law https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bdno2YLm4Ms some northerners organized vigilance committees to send endangered African Americans to safety in Canada. 9 states passed personal liberty laws (forbade the imprisonment of runaway slaves and guaranteed they would have jury trials). Northern lawyers dragged trials out-(3-4 years) in order to increase slave catchers’ expenses. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bdno2YLm4Ms

Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad secret network of free African Americans and white abolitionists who would aid fugitive slaves in their escape. Conductors hid fugitives in secret tunnels and false cupboards provided them with food and clothing escorted/directed them to the next “station” often in disguise. Harriet Tubman: 1849, her owner died and Tubman escaped to Philadelphia. After passage of Fugitive Slave Act, she became a conductor on the Underground Railroad. (19 trips, helped approximately 300 slaves to freedom) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GlwDAwKNfTU

Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad Escaping slavery was a dangerous process. Traveling on foot at night using the North Star as their only sense of direction. Avoiding patrols of armed men on horseback Struggling through forests and across rivers Going without food for days at a time.

Uncle Tom’s Cabin 1852, Harriet Beecher Stowe published Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Novel stirred people’s emotions about slavery. More than 1 million copies sold by 1853 Northern abolitionists increased protests against Fugitive Slave Act Southerners criticized the book as an attack on the South

Tension in Kansas and Nebraska Issue of slavery in the new territories sparked anger and protest Popular Sovereignty Huge territory west of Iowa & Missouri was broken up into two territories: Kansas & Nebraska Stephen A. Douglass believed that the people of the territory should have the opportunity to determine if they wanted free or slave state. (popular sovereignty) Douglass worker to repeal the Missouri Compromise so new territories north of the 36’ 30’ line could become slave states.

Kansas-Nebraska Act Act would divide land in west in two territories: Kansas & Nebraska. Act would also repeal the Missouri Compromise and implement “popular sovereignty” in the territories. Act became law in 1854 Northerners were outraged and believed that the new territories would become slave states.

Violence Erupts in “Bleeding Kansas” Settlers from North and South poured into the Kansas Territory. Some were farmers in search of new land Most were sent by emigrant aid societies, groups formed specifically to supply rifles, animals, seed, and farm equipment to antislavery migrants. 1855: Kansas had enough settlers to hold elections for a territorial legislature. Thousands of peoplefrom slave states illegally crossed into Kansas and voted. Proslavery candidates won the election and issued a series of proslavery acts in Lecompton. Abolitionists organized a rival government in Topeka

Sack of Lawrence Antislavery settlers founded a town named Lawrence. Pro-slavery grand jury condemned Lawrence’s inhabitants as traitors and called on the local sheriff to arrest them. May 21, 1856: proslavery posse of 800 armed men swept into Lawrence and burned down the anti-slavery headquarters, destroyed two newspapers’ printing presses, and looted many houses and stores. Abolitionist newspaper called the event: “the sack of Lawrence”.

The Pottawatomie Massacre John Brown: believed God had called on him to fight slavery. Wanted revenge for “sack of Lawrence” May 24th, Brown and his men executed 5 men in the proslavery settlement of Pottawatomie Creek. Event became known as the “Pottawatomie Massacre” Massacre triggered dozens of incidents throughout Kansas. 200 people were killed Kansas became known as “Bleeding Kansas” because it became a violent battlefield in a civil war.

Violence in the Senate Charles Sumner, MA senator, delivered a speech called, “The Crime Against Kansas” Sumner verbally attacked his colleagues for their support of slavery. Verbally attacked South Carolina senator Andrew Butler for his pro-slavery beliefs Congressman Preston Brooks (Butler’s nephew) attacked Sumner with a cane striking him repeatedly on his head. Sumner suffered shock and apparent brain damage. Southerners applauded Brooks and showered him with new canes. Northerners condemned the incident as an example of southern brutality

Violence in the Senate Due to the tensions over the Wilmot Proviso and Kansas-Nebraska Act, new party alliances emerged as well as violence. Old national parties were torn apart and new political parties emerged.