The Union Breaks Apart

Young Abe Lincoln He was born in Kentucky in His family moved to Indiana because there were few paying jobs in Kentucky (because of slave labor). Later moved to Illinois because Indiana was “too crowded.” Lincoln studied to be a lawyer and then began his political career as a state representative and then a member of Congress. He was not an Abolitionist, but was against the spread of slavery.

Running for Senate In 1858, Lincoln became the Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate. He believed in preserving the Union and quoted the Bible saying, “A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure permanently half slave and half free.” Lincoln believed slavery was wrong.

Stephen Douglas Douglas was a well-known U.S. Senator who wrote the Kansas-Nebraska Act. He, like Lincoln, was a talented public speaker. Douglas believed states should decide the slavery question for themselves. He believed that the writers of the Constitution would have wanted states to decide the slavery issue. Douglas won election to the Senate in 1858.

Lincoln and Douglas

Abraham LincolnBothStephen Douglas Believed slavery was wrong and should not spread Talented public speakers Believed new states should decide if they want slavery Believed the framers of the Constitution expected slavery to end Believed the nation’s founders allowed states to decide the slavery issue Lincoln vs. Douglas

The Election of 1860 The Republican Party, which thought slavery should not spread, chose Lincoln to run. The Democratic Party was divided – Some supported Douglas, who thought states should decide the question of slavery for themselves. – Some supported John Breckinridge, who thought the U.S. should allow slavery everywhere in the West.

Lincoln Wins the Election Lincoln was not an abolitionist, but he was against the spread of slavery into new territories. He hoped slavery would just die out if it did not spread to the West. He was elected without winning a single state in the South. South Carolina decided to secede from the Union in December. Later, five more states joined South Carolina to form the Confederacy.

The Confederate States of America South Carolina, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi were the six states to form the Confederacy. Jefferson Davis, who was a Senator from Mississippi, was elected president. The capital of the Confederacy was located in Montgomery, Alabama. Texas later joined the Confederacy.

Lincoln Takes Office When Lincoln took office, he stated that he would not interfere with slavery where it already existed, and he said that he believed the Union could not be broken apart. Everyone was wondering what he would do about the states that had seceded. Should he accept slavery and let the seceded states return? Should he use the army to end the southern revolt?

Crisis at Ft. Sumter The Confederacy attacked the last fort controlled by the Union on April 12, 1861.

Will the Union Hold the Fort? Major Robert Anderson needed supplies badly, but he refused to surrender Ft. Sumter. U.S. ships arrived with supplies, but when the Confederate troops fired on the fort for 34 hours, the Union troops finally surrendered. Lincoln called for 75,000 troops to join the army to fight the Confederacy, and the Civil War began. Arkansas, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia seceded and joined the Confederacy.

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