Road to the Civil War Steps leading to secession

Sectionalism Under Polk Polk – seen as favoring the South Failure of the Wilmot Proviso Ideas of popular sovereignty Growth of the Free Soil Party

Election of 1848 Democrats – Lewis Cass of Michigan Whigs – Zachary Taylor of LA – – war hero with no political experience Free Soil Party – Martin Van Buren

Should the Missouri Compromise line be extended? California???? – Gold Rush – 1849 – Rapidly expanding and diversifying population – Chinese immigration – Persecution of Indians – Calls for statehood – Will California be free or slave?

Compromise of 1850 Crafted by Henry Clay California = free state No restriction on slavery in new territories from Mexico Abolition of slave trade in Washington, DC More effective Fugitive Slave Law Debaters: Old – Clay, Webster, and Calhoun Debaters: New – William Seward, Jefferson Davis, and Stephan Douglas

Election of 1852 Zachary Taylor died in office – Millard Filmore became president Democrats – Franklin Pierce (NH) Whigs – Winfield Scott (military hero) Free Soil – John P. Hale Pierce was elected

Franklin Pierce’s Issues Northern anger over Fugitive Slave Law Ostend Manifesto – Southern conspiracy Where to put the transcontinental railroad? Expansion – how?

Kansas-Nebraska Act Crafted by Stephen Douglas New territories – Nebraska & Kansas Use popular sovereignty to decide slavery issue Repeal the Missouri Compromise The expectation was Kansas would be slave and Nebraska free

Consequences of the Kansas-Nebraska Act Divided and destroyed the Whig Party Divided the Democrats along Northern and Southern lines New party emerged – Republicans – opposed to Douglas’ compromise

Bleeding Kansas Violence between settlers Attracted extremists like John Brown Pottawatomie Massacre Armed bans, guerrilla warfare

Sumner v. Brooks Senator Charles Sumner (MA) criticized the proslavery stance of Senator Andrew Butler (SC) Preston Brooks of SC entered the Senate chamber and beat Sumner with a cane Sumner = martyr to the abolitionism cause Brooks = Southern hero

Free Soil Ideology Free soil and free labor Capitalism in central to America Capitalism = democracy Slavery = danger to democracy Slave Power Conspiracy Republican focus on the strength of UNION

Growing Southern Fears Nat Turner uprising Expansion of cotton economy Growth of abolitionist movement Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin

The Pro Slavery Argument “Positive good” Slaves treated better than industrial workers Slavery creates racial peace Southern economy was key to national prosperity Southern culture was superior Biological inferiority – Eugenics – pseudo science Religious & biblical justifications

Election of 1856 Democrats – James Buchanan (PA) Republicans – John C. Frémont (CA) Buchanan – narrow victory Republicans – outpolled all other candidates in North, no votes in South Buchanan – winner = scared, timid, OLD

Dred Scott Decision 1846 Supreme Court Ruling Scott was not a citizen Slaves were property Congress can’t take property Missouri Compromise unconstitutional Federal government has no power to limit slavery

Kansas Outcome Proslavery and abolitionist forces continued to battle Proslavery forces wrote the Lecompton Constitution which protected slavery The Lecompton Constitution was voted down in Kansas but Buchanan still backed the admission of Kansas as a slave state – failed Kansas became a free state in 1861

Lincoln – Douglas Debates Senate seat in Illinois Douglas – no moral position on slavery Lincoln – slavery was wrong Lincoln – slavery hurt poor white laborers Douglas won the election but Lincoln emerged as national Republican leader

John Brown’s Raid Capture the arsenal at Harpers Ferry, arm slaves, lead a revolt October 1859 Failed and Brown was captured by Robert E. Lee and hanged Greatly increased Southern fears

Election of 1860 Northern Democrats – Stephen Douglas Southern Democrats – John Breckinridge Constitutional Union Party – John Bell Republicans – Abraham Lincoln

Republican Platform in 1860 High tariff Internal improvements Homestead Bill Construction of Pacific railroad with federal assistance States decide on slavery

Lincoln wins – War is coming!