1. Chapter Notes

2. New Political Parties Free Soil Party Started 1848
Believed in ending slavery in new western states “free soil”
Pro-labor
Know-Nothing Party
Nativism
1854 “American Party”
Anti-Catholic
Anti-Immigrant

3. Dred Scott vs. Sanford March 6, 1857
Dred Scott, a slave, had lived with his master for 5 years in Illinois and Wisconsin Territory. Sued for his freedom because he had at one time lived on free soil
Supreme Court says:
Dred Scott and any other slave is not a citizen so he can not sue in Federal Court
Congress/a legislature can NOT outlaw slavery and therefore,
Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional (36 30 line no longer in play)

4. Lecompton Constitution
1857 Pro-Slavery government in Kansas (located in Lecompton)writes their state constitution, which allows slavery and submits to US Congress for approval
At same time the anti-slavery government in Kansas writes a Constitution against slavery and submits to US Congress for approval
President James Buchanan supports the Lecompton Constitution (pro-slavery)
Stephen Douglas (Mr. Popular Sovereignty) leads the fight against it in Congress
Northerners like Douglas, Southerners don’t

5. Abraham Lincoln Senatorial election of 1858 (Illinois)
Lincoln is a lawyer from Springfield and a Republican
Born in Kentucky, 1809 to a poor family
Only attended 1 year of formal schooling, self educated
Married “up” to Mary Todd from wealthy Kentucky family
Served in Congress as a Whig
After KS-NB act becomes Republican
Known as a great speaker

6. Lincoln-Douglas Debates
Senate Election between Lincoln and Stephen Douglas (Mr. Popular Sovereignty)
Had 7 arranged debates
Most famous debate, Freeport, IL
Topic: If people of territory voted down slavery despite that the Supreme Court via Dred Scott decision had said they could not vote on the issue who prevails Congress or people?
Douglas’s reply is known as the Freeport Doctrine

7. Freeport Doctrine
No matter what the Court ruled, slavery would remain down if the people voted it down
Laws to protect slavery would not be enforced if people are against the law or law would be changed based on demand by people (I.e Embargo Act)
Douglas beats Lincoln in election

8. Harpers Ferry, VA
John Brown remerges in Harper’s Ferry, VA with a new anti-slavery plan.
He wanted to invade the South secretly with his followers, call upon the slaves to rise up, give them guns, and establish a free African American state
First step was to take over the Federal Arsenal at Harper’s Ferry (needed to get the guns)
Oct 1859, seizes arsenal killing 7 but slaves failed to rise up (they hadn’t been notified of the plan)
Brown and group is captured by Marines (Lt. Colonel, Robert E. Lee)

9. The Results….
Brown is tried and convicted of treason and murder, (friends claimed he was insane), and sentenced to death
South HATES Brown sees him as murderer and believe he is expressing the views of all the North
Brown not very popular with moderate Northerners either, seen as too extreme
He is made a martyr by abolitionists

10. Election of 1860 Republicans Nominate Abraham Lincoln
Democrat Party splits between North and South
Southern Democrats support John C. Breckinridge
Northern Democrats support Stephen Douglas

11. And the Winner is……
Lincoln wins the election without carrying a single southern state (was not even on the ballot in 10 southern states)
Gets 40% of the popular vote
Election was very divided among sections of the country
Secessionists are happy because they now have a very valid reason to push for the south leaving the Union
South still have 5 to 4 majority in Supreme Court and Republicans did not control House or Senate
Federal government could not touch slavery where it already existed, except by constitutional amendment

12. Southern Secession
4 days after Lincoln’s election the South Carolina legislature votes to call a special convention to discuss leaving the Union
December 1860, vote unanimously to leave
In the next 6 weeks, six other states join them, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas
Call themselves the Confederate States of America, President is Jefferson Davis (Senator from Miss)
Four more will join later (VA, ARK, NC, TN) bringing the total to 11