1.1 Antebellum America

* Ratified in 1787 * Established the framework for the political system * Under the Constitution the government was separated into three separate branches: the executive (President), the legislative (Congress), and the judicial (Supreme Court). * Ensured that no one would have to much control over the people (checks and balance).

* 1819 Supreme Case * Maryland attempted to impose a tax on out of state banks, which meant the second bank of America would be taxed. * Supreme Court ruled that it was unconstitutional to tax the federal government.

* 1 st case the Supreme Court voted unconstitutional. * Showing how the Congress could be kept in check. * Meant to stop the appointment of “Midnight Judges” that followed federalists views.

* More Americans became involved in the political system. * States began changing their laws in the in the early 1800s. * Some dropped requirements, such as being a taxpayer or renouncing Catholicism allowing for more voters. * More than one million voted in the 1828 election.

* Woman and other minorities had no voting rights. * The political system was expanding to include lower class men and those with different beliefs. * By 1836, all but one state (Couth Carolina) switched from representative elections to popular vote. * Representatives no longer elected by secret meetings of politicians. * President Andrew Jackson imposed routine officials changes, meaning there would be less corruption.

* Think/Pair/Share * How do you think a book could start a war? Was Lincoln exaggerating the effect of Stowe’s book? * What tensions between the North and the South are revealed in this excerpt from Uncle Tom’s Cabin? * Why do you think the nation’s leaders were unable to resolve these tensions?

* By 1860, the political, economic, and philosophical differences divided the Nation. * To encourage Northern growth, high tariffs on imported goods were placed. * The rise in price of imported goods forced the South into economic Chaos. * Compromise of 1828 (also known as “Tariff of Abomination”), resulted in the South loosing income. * On the brink of war Congress voted to lower the tariff.

* In 1833 the U.S. narrowly avoided a civil war over the Compromise of * John C. Calhoun argued that state had the right to nullify a federal law it deemed unconstitutional. * Congress worked on another Compromise, but South Carolina voted to nullify it. * President Andrew Jackson dispatched the army to enforce the tariff.

* The issue of states rights also included slavery. * Most agreed that the Constitution protected it where it already existed. * Abolitionists disagreed and Congress imposed the Missouri Compromise allowing slavery in new states across the former Louisiana Purchase line. * It remained intact for 30 years.

* California became part of the U.S. after the Mexican-American War ( ) and wanted to be a free state. * California not part of the Louisiana Purchase and so the Missouri Compromise did not apply. * Congress admitted it as a free state and also gave Utah and New Mexico the right to Popular Sovereignty. * Fugitive Slave Act was also passed, making it illegal to assist runaway slaves.

* The truce was short lived as Congress passed the Kansas- Nebraska Act granting them Popular Sovereignty. * Violent proslavery and antislavery advocates flooded Kansas leading to some 200 deaths.

* 1854 saw the Old Whig party fall apart over the slavery issue. * The Democratic Party split into Southern and Northern Democrats. * Northern Democrats known as “free-soilers” ultimately formed the Republican Party.

* Supreme Court ruled that slaves were property and not citizens. * Not entitled to rights guaranteed by the Constitution. * The ruling also said that Congress could not restrict what people do with their property, thus by nullifying the Missouri Compromise and meant slavery could spread into new territories.

* Speeches about slavery put Lincoln on the political map and gave him much needed respect in the North. * Lincoln ultimately lost the election to the Senate to Douglas, but the momentum carried into the Presidential elections two years later.

* In 1859, John Brown an abolitionist attempted to start a slave rebellion. * Succeeded in taking over the arsenal, but was quickly arrested by Marine Colonel Robert E. Lee. * Tried for treason and hanged.