Section 1: THE NATION SPLITS APART

BLEEDING KANSAS The victory over Mexico in 1848 raised questions about continued expansion… Would new territories allow slavery? COMPROMISE OF 1850 A compromise introduced by Kentuckian Henry Clay keeping the balance of power among the states

COMPROMISE OF 1850 Admitted California as a free state Set Texas-New Mexico border Organized New Mexico and Utah territories, allowing slavery to be decided by people Imposed heavy penalties on those aiding runaway slaves (FUGITIVE SLAVE ACT)

KANSAS-NEBRASKA ACT May 1854 Organized Kansas and Nebraska territories Allowed popular sovereignty to decided slave issue Note: before Kansas could be admitted as a state, there had to be a vote by the population to approve a Constitution either allowing or banning slavery

SECTIONAL CONFLICT AND NATIONAL POLITICS In Kansas, both pro-slavery and free-soilers wrestled for control – violence erupted (in Lawrence, Kansas a group attacked anti- slavery newspapers and burned buildings; on Pottawatomie Creek, John Brown led an attack killing five pro-slavery settlers) “Bleeding Kansas”

ELECTION OF 1856 Events in Kansas dominated the election – northern Democrats refused to support Stephen Douglas or President Franklin Pierce, and nominated James Buchanan New Republican party nominated John C. Fremont American Party nominated former President Millard Filmore

Candidate Party Electoral Votes Popular Votes James Buchanan Democratic 174 1,838,169 John C. Fremont Republican 114 1,341,264 Millard Fillmore American 8 873,000

DRED SCOTT DECISION Pres. Buchanan had vowed not to interfere with slavery where it existed, but tensions increased Dred Scott vs. Sanford: slave who had lived on free soil for many years; sued for freedom; 1857 Supreme Court ruled against him

JOHN BROWN’S RAID Radical abolitionist John Brown planned a raid on the U.S. Arsenal at Harper’s Ferry, Virginia to get guns for a slave revolt – Brown and his followers captured the arsenal, but a company of U.S. Marines captured Brown – Brown tried with murder and treason, and executed on December 2, 1859

ABRAHAM LINCOLN Born 1809 in one-room cabin in Kentucky Moved to Indiana then Springfield, Illinois 1846 elected to Congress – served until decided to run for U. S. Senate against Stephen Douglas “LINCOLN-DOUGLAS DEBATES” “house-divided speech” 1860 runs for President as a Republican

ELECTION OF 1860

THE SOUTH SECEDES A week after Lincoln’s election, South Carolina legislature called a convention – on December 20, 1860, passed a resolution withdrawing South Carolina from the Union By February 1, 1861, MISSISSIPPI, FLORIDA, ALABAMA, GEORGIA, LOUISIANA, TEXAS had all seceded.

Reactions to Secession Other states threatened to secede: Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas Some northerners supported secession – others warned about letting secession occur Outgoing Pres. Buchanan thought secession wrong, but that the Constitution gave the federal government no power to prevent it

CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA (CSA) In February 1861 representatives of the seven seceded states met in Montgomery, Alabama to form a new nation They chose Jefferson Davis President, and Alexander Stephens as Vice-President The Crittenden Compromise in Washington tried to resolve the crisis, but failed

Jefferson Davis born in Kentucky – Senator from Mississippi

What led to the CIVIL WAR? (“War Between the States”) 1. Economic & Social Differences Between North and South 2. States’ Rights vs. Federal Rights 3. Fight Between Slave & Non-Slave Proponents 4. Growth of the Abolition Movement 5. Election of Abraham Lincoln 6. Secession of Southern States