Chapter 10 Section 2: A Rising Tide of Protest and Violence

Opposition to the Fugitive Slave Act RECAP: What was the Fugitive Slave Act? A few northern states would create personal liberty laws Laws would nullify the Fugitive Slave Act and allow the state to arrest slave catchers for kidnapping Rewind! Did we see the south do something similar in a different scenario?

Black americans response African Americans could appeal to the courts but the law awarded $10 to judges who ruled in favor of slave owners but only $5 to those who ruled that the captive should be set free September 1851, a small group of free African Americans gathered in Christiana, PA (Christiana Riots) Assembled to protect several fugitives from their Maryland master, would end up killing the master Close to Mason Dixon line, lawlessness Neighbors would attack a group of men led by US Marshals to try and capture slaves, locals would fight back Slaves who were running away would be assisted by Douglas into Canada

UNDERGROUnd railroad Abolitionists and free blacks would help develop the Underground Railroad A network of “conductors” who hid runaway slaves in farm wagons, farms, houses and on riverboats to lead them to the north, Canada or even England Harriet Tubman, a Maryland-born fugitive slave would be the nicknamed the “Black Moses” After her own escape in 1849, would make almost 2 dozen trips south  Columbia, PA, Wrightsville, PA, Thaddeus Stevens home

Thaddeus Stevens, abolitionist and House of Representative from PA Thaddeus Stevens, abolitionist and House of Representative from PA. club footed, lawyer, hid slaves at his house, Lydia Hamilton Smith was his housekeeper (some would say the two had an affair)

Henry “Box” Brown Born as a slave in Virginia Escaped from plantation, found a shipping crate and shipped himself in a wooden box form VA to Philly March 23, 1849  shipped as dry goods, lined with cloth and a single hole for air, shipped to Philly Anti-Slavery Society Moved to England and started a second family, moved back in 1875 Henry “Box” Brown

Uncle tom’s cabin Go to page 338 1852, Harriet Beecher Stowe published Uncle Tom’s Cabin, a book condemning slavery Go to page 338 Gave the northern public a vision of what slavery looked like for one who was never exposed Sold 300,000 copies in the first year Martin Delany, would also publish a book titled, Blake. Delany wrote of a African American who chose to rebel violently

Kansas-nebraska act Senator Stephen Douglas in 1854 would introduce a bill to set up a government in Nebraska Territory would be organized under the principle of popular sovereignty Question: Where will we see issues begin to arise? Douglas would split the state into Kansas and Nebraska KANSAS-NEBRASKA ACT – It was expected that Kansas would become a slave state and Nebraska would become a free state

Go to page 335 in US history book

Tension rises in kansas 1855, proslavery settlers had set up a territorial government near the border of Missouri (slave state) During the election, Border Ruffians would coerce local voters into voting for proslavery candidates Kansas would attract many settlers looking for farm land and also politicians Each group wanted to outnumber the other, so they could control the state’s government Northerners would also establish themselves, The New England Emigrant Aid Society established a town named Lawrence Northerners also establish Topeka, both government’s would petition for statehood

BEECHER’S BIBLES “A moral agency greater than the Bible” Henry Ward Beecher (brother of Harriet Beecher Stowe) and his supporters would bring hundreds of Sharps Rifles and ship them to anti slavery supporters and Whigs/Republicans in Kansas Quick reloading rifle Became known as Beecher’s Bibles, because rifles were made illegal in the region/ later ship them in crates labeled bibles Purchased for $25, believe the gun’s had powers delivered from God “A moral agency greater than the Bible”

Bleeding Kansas May 21, 1856, Border Ruffians raid the antislavery town of Lawrence, Kansas John Brown, a New York abolitionist with his friends and sons would carry out a midnight execution of the 5 proslavery settlers near Pottawatomie Creek Afterwards, both sides would arm up for battle, both sides would fight back and forth throughout 1856 Came to be known as “Bleeding Kansas” Popular sovereignty….maybe not such a good idea?

Violence in the senate! Tempers would run high in Congress, members would show up with pistols and canes May 1856, Massachusetts senator Charles Sumner would deliver a speech called “The Crime Against Kansas” Called the Border Ruffians “hirelings, picked from the drunken spew and vomit of an uneasy civilization – in the form of men.” Sumner insults South Carolina senator Andrew Butler, who was absent Butler’s nephew, South Carolina representative, Preston Brooks would attack Sumner in the senate It would take 3 years for Sumner to fully recovery from the beating Preston Brooks would beat Sumner with a cane and leave the senate floor quietly, wanted to beat Sumner as how a master would be his slave Brooks is seen as a hero in the south/ Sumner seen as a martyr in the north