Unit 8-Causes of the U.S. Civil War Lesson 47-The Nation Divides

Review For 25 years the issue of slavery had not been debated in Congress. Slavery became the main debate in 1849 when California applied for statehood. After an emotional debate in Congress, Henry Clay’s five part plan had been passed as a compromise that would temporarily settle the issue. President Fillmore’s idea of the Compromise of 1850 being a “final settlement” would soon be proven wrong.

Fugitive Slave Act The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, part of the Compromise of 1850, required all citizens to catch runaway slaves. Anyone who helped a fugitive could be fined or imprisoned. Southerners believed that the law would force Northerners to recognize the rights of the South, but instead caused more anger in the North.

Fugitive Slave Act

Fugitive Slave Act The law convinced more people in the North of the evils of slavery. Slaveholders increased their efforts to catch runaway slaves, even trying to capture runaways who had lived in freedom in the North for many years. Sometimes they would even capture African Americans who were not escaped slaves and force them into slavery.

Fugitive Slave Act

Fugitive Slave Act Resistance Many Northerners refused to follow the law in many ways, including the Underground Railroad. Antislavery groups would try to rescue African Americans who were being pursued or free those who were captured. People would give money to help buy the freedom of African Americans. Northern courts refused to convict those who broke the law.

Kansas-Nebraska Act In 1854 Stephen A. Douglas hoped to encourage settlement of the West and open the way for a transcontinental railroad by proposing that the region west of Missouri and Iowa be organized as the territories of Kansas and Nebraska. Douglas hoped to create a plan that both the North and South would accept, but instead reopened the conflict of slavery.

Kansas-Nebraska Act Both Kansas and Nebraska should have become free states because they both lay north of 36°30’N latitude, which was established as the boundary for slavery in the Missouri Compromise. Knowing that Southerners would be upset to admit both states as free states, Douglas suggested that each territory would vote on whether to allow slavery.

Kansas-Nebraska Act Many Northerners were against the idea that a possible change to the Missouri Compromise would allow slavery in areas that had been free for more than 30 years. Southerners supported the bill, believing that Kansas would be settled by slaveholders from Missouri, who would vote to keep slavery legal.

Kansas-Nebraska Act With some support from Northern Democrats and President Franklin Pierce, who was a Northerner, the Kansas-Nebraska Act passed in May 1854.

Conflict in Kansas Immediately following the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act, proslavery and antislavery groups rushed supporters to Kansas. A proslavery government was elected for Kansas in 1855.

Border Ruffians There were only 1,500 voters that lived in Kansas at the time, but more than 6,000 people voted. Thousands of proslavery supporters from Missouri crossed over the state border, armed with guns, just to vote in the election. The new Kansas legislature soon passed laws that supported slavery.

Conflict in Kansas The antislavery people of Kansas refused to accept these new laws, armed themselves, held their own elections, and created their own state constitution that banned slavery.

Conflict in Kansas Both governments asked Congress to recognize them. The biggest problem was that the Senate supported the proslavery government, while the House supported the antislavery government.

“Bleeding Kansas” In May 1856, 800 supporters of slavery attacked the antislavery capital of Kansas, Lawrence. They took over the town, burned down a hotel and the governor’s home, and destroyed two newspaper offices. Antislavery forces fought back soon after.

“Bleeding Kansas” A leading abolitionist, John Brown, who believed that God had sent him to end slavery, went into a rage after hearing about the attack on Lawrence. Brown said he would “strike terror in the hearts of proslavery people.” He lead his four sons and two other men along a creek where they kidnapped and killed five supporters of slavery.

“Bleeding Kansas” As more violence occurred in the territory, newspapers began to refer to the events as “Bleeding Kansas” and “the Civil War of Kansas.” In October 1856, more than 1,300 federal troops were used by the appointed territorial governor, John Geary, to stop the fighting between the two sides.

“Bleeding Kansas”

Conclusion The Fugitive Slave Act angered many Northerners, causing an even bigger division of the North and South. More harsh feeling between the two U.S. regions grew with the Kansas-Nebraska Act in 1854. Fighting between supporters of slavery and antislavery in Kansas showed the increasing hostility between the North and South.

Assignments Answer the four review questions for this lesson. In your journal, explain why you believe the Fugitive Slave Act caused Northerners to be more angry with the South. You will have a Unit 8 test after you complete Lesson 49