1. US History Chapter 4 Section 1
The Union in Crisis
“The Nation Splits Apart”

2. Analyze

3. Main Idea
By 1850 the issue of slavery dominated national politics, leading to sectional divisions and finally, the secession of the southern states

4. Reading Focus
How did the issue of slavery influence expansion in the 1850s?
How did other sectional conflicts influence national politics in the 1850s?
What was Abraham Lincoln’s path to the White House?
How and why did the South secede and form the Confederacy?

5. Expansion and Slavery
Westward expansion and the Mexican Cession had added large amount of territory to the United States and new states would eventually form
Would these new states
allow slavery? (At this time,
there was an equal balance
of free and slave states)
Neither side wanted to
lose balance because of one
side may gain control in
congress and lobby for
policy changes

6. The Compromise of 1850
March California is admitted to the Union as a Free State which prompted Kentucky Senator Henry Clay to introduce a compromise to the imbalance
Compromise of 1850 established several changes including the “Fugitive Slave Act” that made it a federal crime to aid runaway slaves and allowed arrest of escaped slaves
UT and NM Territories to decide slavery by “Popular Sovereignty”
Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote a book titled
“Uncle Tom’s Cabin” which spoke of the
cruelties of slavery (this book caused further
Tensions)

7. Missouri Compromise of 1850
Before and After
Missouri Compromise of 1850

8. The Kansas-Nebraska Act
To connect California with rest of the U.S., a railroad was planned to be built across the Mid-West
1854: Ill Senator Stephen Douglas proposed to organize the Western lands into 2 territories: Kansas and Nebraska
He suggested dropping the Missouri Compromise’s ban on slavery North of 36 degree parallel (gain South support)
Would allow Popular Sovereignty to decide on slavery in the territories
May Kansas-Nebraska Act became law
>Outraged Northerners
>Weakened the Democrats
>Destroyed Whig Party and prompted them to join the “Free-Soil” Party and other anti-slavery groups to form the “Republican Party”
A problem

9. Sectional Conflicts
Kansas-Nebraska Act made this territory the center for struggle over slavery:
Pro-slavery forces vs Free Soilers
During 1850s- large bands of pro-slavery and anti-slavery forces ranged over territory with several violent battles and deaths occurring
By so much violence had occurred the area was referred to as “Bleeding Kansas” and in order for Kansas to be admitted to Union, it had to vote on slavery issue
Both group raised funds to campaign for more settlers and by Kansas had two governments: Pro-slavery group and a Free Soiler party
Fought for control

10. Border Ruffians
Missouri counties that bordered Kansas were strongly pro-slavery and wanted their neighbor to be a slave state. In the fall of 1854, Senator David Atchison of Missouri led over 1,700 men from Missouri into Kansas to vote for their pro-slavery representative. These were the infamous "border ruffians," who threatened to shoot, burn and hang those opposed to slavery
The name was applied by Free-State settlers in Kansas and abolitionists throughout the North

11. Turmoil in 1850s
The US Presidential election of 1856 was dominated by the events in Kansas and put three candidates opposing each other:
> James Buchanan- (D)
> John Fremont (R)
> Millard Fillmore (A)
Dred Scott vs Sandford: Controversial Supreme Court case that ruled against a slave (Dred Scott) that had lived on free soil before enslaved and sued for freedom based off his opinion that he should be free because he lived on free soil
Despite all the protests, violence, and efforts by Pro-slavery groups, Congress deadlocked on the issue and admitted Kansas as a Free state
John Brown’s Raid: Abolitionist that captured a US Arsenal at Harpers Ferry, VA to get guns for slave revolt- was eventually captured and executed
Victorious

12. John Brown
John Brown was a radical abolitionist who believed in the violent overthrow of the slavery system. During the Bleeding Kansas conflicts, Brown and his sons led attacks on pro-slavery residents. Justifying his actions as the will of God, Brown soon became a hero in the eyes of Northern extremists and was quick to capitalize on his growing reputation. By early 1858, he had succeeded in enlisting a small “army” of insurrectionists whose mission was to foment rebellion among the slaves. In 1859, Brown and 21 of his followers attacked and occupied the federal arsenal in Harpers Ferry. Their goal was to capture supplies and use them to arm a slave rebellion. Brown was captured during the raid and later hanged, but not before becoming an anti-slavery icon

13. John Brown Raid

14. Dred Scott Decision Impact
Ruled that slaves were not citizens and could not sue in federal court
Ruled that slaves were property (no difference than a mule)
Because they were property, slave owners could not be denied their right to own property anywhere in the United States
Roger Taney (Chief Justice) destroyed the entire history of compromises- Northwest Ordinance 1787, Missouri Compromise 1820, and the Compromise of 1850

15. Lincoln’s Path to Presidency 1809-1865
Born in a cabin in 1809 near Bardstown, KY - he later moved to Indiana Territory in 1816
1834- After moving to Illinois, he began his political path:
Ill Gen Assem Elected to Congress Won the US Presidency
Lincoln was anti-slavery because his parents were
disgusted with the slave auctions
1849- Lincoln resigned from Congress to practice law
1842-Married
Mary Todd

16. Lincoln-Douglas Debates and 1860 Election
After the Kansas-Nebraska Act, Lincoln decided to return to politics under the republican party which in 1858, he opposed Stephen A. Douglas (D)
From Aug to Oct 1858, several debates between two candidates took place which attracted a large audience
> Douglas accused Lincoln of being a radical
> Lincoln challenged Douglas belief of popular sovereignty
> Lincoln opposed slavery but would never propose racial equality
Lincoln gave a “House divided” speech which made many people believe he was in fact an Abolitionist
1860 Presidential Election: Lincoln vs Douglas (Lincoln won)

17. A House Divided Speech
“ A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved-I do not expect the House to fall- but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing or all the other “

18. The South Secedes
December 20, 1860: South Carolina passes a resolution seceding from the United States of America:
Soon, other states would follow ----
Many southerners opposed secession
But decisions to secede were made at
Conventions, not by vote
Northern reaction varied: some
Thought they would be better off
Without slave states / others worried about long-term effects (economically)

19. Forming the Confederacy
Feb 1861: Representatives from seven seceded states met in Montgomery, AL to form new nation:
> drafted a constitution
> constitution recognized slavery as legal
> Guaranteed the rights of citizens to own slaves
> Constitution created an association of states called:
“The Confederate States of America”- Jefferson Davis-Pres.
Several attempts by House and Senate members to compromise and reinstate the south back into the Union
All attempts failed because the South had seceded because of Lincoln’s election…… Lincoln inaugurated on March 4, 1861

20. B B 8 B B 10 11 9 1 5 2 4 7 6 3 Popular Sovereignty