Growth of a Nation (…2 Nations?)

As a result of the American Revolution, Britain cedes it's territory east of the Mississippi

What a Deal!

In 1803, the Louisiana Purchase nearly doubles the size of the young nation

Slave States vs. Free States As U.S. territory grows, new states are created. States in the North are considered Free States (no slavery) Southern states are considered Slave States. …it’s not necessarily all about slavery.

Slave States vs Free States

Slave States vs. Free States The abolition movement is still in it’s infancy. The creation of slave states vs. free states is mostly about political and economic power. To understand, we have look at how America had developed two very different and ways of life…

Life in the North Two and a half times the population of the south due in large part to immigrants looking for work in factories 70% of all U.S. railroad track The North was industrial – 110,000 factories vs 20,000 in the South In 1860 – production of over $1.5 Billion in goods (the South produced just $155 million)

Life in the South 1.Primarily agrarian. 2.“Cotton Is King!” * > 5 million bales a yr. (57% of total US exports). 3.Very slow development of industrialization. 4.Rudimentary financial system. $47 million in Banking Deposits compared to $207 million in the North 5.Inadequate transportation system. Many farmers still used water routes to transport cargo

Slave-Owning Population (1850)

Slave Auction Notice, 1823

Why does the South want Slave States? The South needs to expand their agricultural economy and sees the addition of new states as perfect answer. HOWEVER… The addition of a new Free State meant 2 more senators and additional congressmen in the House of Representatives that would vote in agreement with other northern states on issues such as tariffs on imported goods.

Protecting a Way of Life Southerners needed to at least maintain an equal number of slave states to free states so that they have (at least) equal representation in congress. …otherwise, legislation would be passed that was agreeable to the northern way of life – not the southern.

The Missouri Compromise Maine is admitted as a free state Missouri is admitted as a slave state, but.. Slavery is not allowed in any new states created above Missouri’s southern border.

Missouri Compromise

–In 1819, Spain cedes Florida to the U.S. in return for the nullification of a Five Million Dollar debt

Soon Thereafter, Mexico Wins Independence from Spain

Texas  Southern farming spreads into Mexico  Mexico does not allow slavery  Texans Rebel against Mexico (remember the Alamo)  Texans gain their independence but seek admission to the U.S. as a state

Texan Independence

Manifest Destiny Throughout the 1830s and 1840s Americans dreamed of a continental empire stretching from the Atlantic to the Pacific …”a divine mission to spread liberty across the continent” Newspaperman John O’Sullivan claimed it was the nations “Manifest Destiny” to overspread and possess the whole continent

War with Mexico  After nearly 10 years, the United States decides the time is right to annex Texas.  Mexico protests – war is declared

New Land! War ends with the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hildalgo The U.S. obtains land in what is now California, New Mexico, Arizona and Texas (1.2 million square miles!) The Gadsen Purchase completes our southwest territory

Results of the Mexican War

Gadsen Purchase

Uh Oh – more land, more issues Slave states vs Free states again… The Compromise of 1850 California admitted as a free state Texas and New Mexico slave states Fugitive Slave Law Escaped Slaves are now the governments responsibility

Runaway Slave Ads

Uncle Tom’s Cabin 1852 Uncle Tom’s Cabin 1852  Sold 300,000 copies in the first year.  2 million in a decade!  Sold 300,000 copies in the first year.  2 million in a decade!

Uncle Tom’s Cabin Harriet Beecher Stowe So this is the lady who started the Civil War. -- Abraham Lincoln

Kansas – Nebraska Act “popular sovereignty” to decide free or slave Pro-Abolition and Pro-Slavery forces flood Kansas to sway the vote often clashing with one another - “Bloody Kansas”

Bloody Kansas This led to a series of violent acts in the divided territory Issue inflamed all sides of the slavery issue, dragging the country closer to war. Militant abolitionist John Brown and a few followers crept into a pro slavery settlement outside of Lawrence, Kansas They dragged five men out of their homes and hacked them to death with swords

Kansas Nebraska

Dred Scott Slaves are property Slaves (and former slaves) were not citizens Property rights are guaranteed by the Constitution (5 th amendment) Missouri Compromise is declared unconstitutional

John Brown Brown returns east from Kansas and plans a war in Virginia against slavery. On October 16, 1859, he and 21 other men -- 5 blacks and 16 whites -- raided the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry.

Election of 1860 Birth of the Republican Party Who was their first candidate? The Republicans win the election without winning any Southern States The South sees this as a complete loss of political power in Washington

Union and Confederacy

Fort Sumter: April 12, 1861