What lead to the Civil War

Missouri Compromise 1819 Missouri asks to join the United States as a slave state – South wanted it to be a slave state – North wanted it to be a free state Why it mattered: – Upon the arrival of a new state, two new senators and house of representatives (1 per 30,000 citizens) were sent to Congress. Would fight for or against slavery. Made an agreement, stated that Missouri would be accepted as a slave state and Maine would become part of the USA as a free state. – Balanced out slave and free states Compromise also stated that any lands from the Louisiana Purchase north of latitude 36*30’ could not be a slave state

36*30’

Thirty Years later: Kansas-Nebraska Act Kansas-Nebraska Act: 1854 – Proposed creating two territories in the area, Kansas and Nebraska, and repealing the Missouri Compromise Both states were above the line – Introduced the idea of popular sovereignty » The settlers of the state would decide whether each state would be free or not Why it is important: – The Missouri Compromise now held no bearing – The “line” between free and slave states now held no bearing

Dred Scott Case Who was Dred Scott: – Black slave born in Virginia, a slave state – Bought by an army surgeon and traveled with him to the free state of Illinois and then moved to the Wisconsin Territory (free territory) – Appealed to the Supreme Court Argued that the time he spent living in the free states made him a free man Supreme Court, led by Justice Taney, declared that all blacks, free or not, were not and could not become citizens of the US. – Therefore, in the courts eyes, Dred Scott had no right to sue because he was not considered a United States Citizen Supreme Court also decided that the Missouri compromise was unconstitutional and that Congress had no authority to prohibit slavery in the territories

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Abolitionist Movement Goal: Immediate emancipation of all slaves Abolitionist ideas became increasing prominent in Northern churches and politics in the 1830’s 1833 over 60 delegates, black and white, met in Philadelphia and created the American Anti-Slavery Society – Denounced slavery as a sin that must be abolished immediately, endorsed nonviolence, and denounced racial prejudice – Flooded the North with anti-slavery literature and petitions demanding that Congress end any support for slavery

Frederick Douglas Born into slavery in Maryland around – Escaped slavery in Wrote and published his autobiography Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave – Became a best seller in the US Produced abolitionist newspapers: The North Star, Frederick Douglass Weekly

Harriet Tubman One of the greatest “conductors” on the Underground railroad. – Secret network of safe houses where slaves were hidden on their journey northward After escaping to the North Tubman went back down South 19 times to rescue other slaves – Harriet Tubman escorted over 300 slaves to freedom through the Underground railroad. – In all of Tubman’s journeys she never lost a single passenger

In Summary What caused the civil war? – The South believed in strong States rights and supported the spread and continuation of slavery. Dred Scott verdict allowed for the expansion of slavery of new territories. – The North wanted slavery to not spread and slavery to end. After secession, the North wanted the Union to stay in tack. The Abolitionist movement pushed the end to slavery.

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