AMERICAN HISTORY CH THE SOUTH SECEDES

SECESSION! November 13, 1860—One week after Lincoln’s election— South Carolina legislature called a state convention to consider withdrawing from the Union December 20, 1860—SC passes Ordinance of Secession January 9, 1861—Mississippi secedes January 10, 1861—Florida secedes January 11, 1861—Alabama secedes By February 1, 1861—GA, LA, TX VA, NC, TN, AR warned that any use of force by the USA would cause them to secede also

CAUSES OF SECESSION (p. 345) 1) The Compromise of ) The Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854) 3) The Lincoln-Douglas Debates (1858) 4) The Election of 1860 NORTHERN RESPONSE Some people thought the nation would be better with slave states gone

LINCOLN WAITS Lincoln doesn’t become President until March 1861 People wanted a public statement from Lincoln but he decided to talk privately with southern leaders Outgoing President James Buchanan did little to help the situation except to say that secession was illegal but the USA could do nothing to stop it. The USA refused to turn over federal property (forts) in SC to the state but said they would not reinforce them

FORMING THE CONFEDERACY February 1861—the 7 seceded states meet in Montgomery, AL to form a new government A new constitution is written and Jefferson Davis (MS) is selected as PROVISIONAL (temporary) President. Alexander Stephens (GA) chosen as V-P New constitution was similar to the USA version but included a provision protecting slavery The new nation was called the Confederate States of America

DAVIS BECOMES PRESIDENT Davis received a telegram saying he had been chosen President. He was not happy. He worried that they were “without means, without machinery, and threatened by a powerful opposition” CONFEDERATE GOVERNMENT Davis’s office was marked by a piece of paper on a door Secretary of Treasury had to buy his own desk and chair

The job of printing Confederate money was contracted to a company in NY Davis held his first cabinet meeting in a hotel room COMPROMISE FAILS December 1860—US Congress appoints a committee to research secession and try to prevent it Other people proposed separate Presidents for North and South

THE CRITTENDEN COMPROMISE Amend the constitution to ban slavery north of the old Missouri Compromise line and guarantee it would not be interfered with south of that line Slave owners would be paid for slaves that could not be recovered because officers were prevented from arresting escaped slaves President-elect Lincoln to didn’t support the compromise March 1861—Senate votes against the compromise. All 25 votes were from Republicans.

THE PEACE CONVENTION February 4, 1861—Washington, D.C. Led by former President John Tyler After a month of debate the best the convention could do was a proposal similar to the Crittenden Compromise LINCOLN’S INAUGURATION March 4, 1861—Abraham Lincoln becomes President “I have no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with…slavery in the states where it exists”

“I believe I have no lawful right to do so.” Would Lincoln’s pledge be enough to save the union? THE END