1. The 1850's:
Growing
Sectionalism

2. This is William Lloyd Garrison
This is William Lloyd Garrison. Remind me of his position regarding slavery in America.

3. Radical abolitionists, like William Lloyd Garrison, were still a minority of the northern population in early 1850.
However, due to the harsh nature of the new fugitive slave law more moderate northerners began to support the abolitionist cause.

4. Remind me, why were northerners so upset about that fugitive slave law?

5. Northerners, radicals and moderates alike, took two steps to limit the impact of this fugitive slave law.

6. They dramatically increased their support for the Underground Railroad.

7. They passed “personal liberty laws.”

8. What was the Southern reaction?

9. The growing radicalism of northern abolitionists reared its head in major way in the election of 1852.

10. Free Soil Party
John Parker Hale

11. Free Soil Party
- Argued that the expansion of slavery posed a threat to the ability of northern factory workers to escape the shackles of “wage slavery.”
- Called for the prohibition of slavery in all remaining territories, and no further expansion of slavery anywhere.

12. Democrats Franklin Pierce - From the northern state of New Hampshire
- Supported the institution of slavery
- Had no real political record to anger potential voters
Franklin Pierce

13. Democrats
What position did the Democratic party take on the issue of slavery during the 1852 campaign?

14. - Scott’s military background was attractive to the party
Whigs
- Scott’s military background was attractive to the party
- Had no real personal position on the issue of slavery
Winfield Scott

15. Whigs
What position did the Whig party take on the issue of slavery during the 1852 campaign?

17. How can we explain Scott’s loss in this election?

18. What caused the death of the Whig Party?

19. The party of Clay and Webster was hopelessly split over this issue of slavery.
As more and more Americans radicalized their position on slavery, national compromise grew increasingly difficult.

20. Spurred on by President Pierce, expansionist Southerners began to look for new territory into which slavery might be extended. Their logical choices were in Latin America.

21. William Walker attempted to overthrow the government of Nicaragua.
Backed by a pro-Southern army, Walker declared himself president of that nation in 1856.
His plot was foiled by a coalition of other Latin nations and Walker was executed in 1860.

22. Cuba was seen by most southerners as a much more attractive option
Cuba was seen by most southerners as a much more attractive option. President Polk had attempted to purchase it from Spain, but had been rejected.

23. Following two unsuccessful invasions of Cuba by southern “pirates”, the government of Spain took action to put a halt to US attempts at gaining the island. In 1854 the Spanish captured the Black Warrior, a US passenger ship off of the Cuban coast.

24. President Pierce, and pro-slavery elements of the government, attempted to use this incident to their advantage. How? (Think Ostend Manifesto)

25. What was the Northern reaction to the Ostend Manifesto?

26. Into this atmosphere, the issue of slavery in the territories reared its head again.

27. The main reason for this had to do with the construction of a transcontinental railroad. Why was such a railroad deemed necessary?

28. A southern transcontinental railroad line was easiest to construct on land that still lay in Mexico.
The U.S. made the Gadsden Purchase for $10 Million to secure the land for this possible route.

29. What did Douglas have to do to get a northern railroad constructed?
Stephen Douglas had other ideas and laid plans for a northern route that would greatly benefit his home state of Illinois.
What did Douglas have to do to get a northern railroad constructed?

30. To get the South to support a northern railroad, Douglas proposed to split the “unorganized territory in two thus creating the Kansas Territory and the Nebraska Territory.

31. Then, the voters of each territory would decide for themselves if they wanted to allow slavery or not through popular sovereignty.

32. To allow this would be to violate the Missouri Compromise, which had closed this territory to slavery.

33. As a result, Douglas also proposed repealing the Missouri Compromise to make popular sovereignty possible in Kansas and Nebraska.

34. Kansas-Nebraska Act 1854

35. How would this make the South okay with a northern railroad route?

36. Immediately, supporters of both abolition and slavery poured into Kansas. Both sided wanted enough voters to turn the Kansas Territory their way.

37. The scene in Kansas was one of chaos as abolitionists fought pro-slavery men for control of the territory. Things quickly escalated to violence and then to murder.

38. In 1855 the first territorial legislature was to be elected
In 1855 the first territorial legislature was to be elected. Pro-Slavery supporters poured over the border from Missouri to vote for pro-slave candidates. Having “won” the election, they set up a pro-slave government. In response, abolitionists set up their own government for the Kansas territory. Neither government was legitimate.

39. In May of 1856, pro-slave supporters crossed into Kansas from Missouri again and descended on the abolitionist town of Lawrence.
They proceeded to kill a number of abolitionists, destroy houses, and rob businesses in the town.

40. In response to the attack on Lawrence, radical abolitionist John Brown led his five sons to the pro-slave stronghold of Pottawatomie Creek.
There Brown and his kids killed five slave supporters by hacking them to death with swords.

41. The violence in Kansas would last for nine more years and kill hundreds.

42. In Kansas in 1856, white Americans killed each other over the issue of slavery for the first time. They would not be the last to die fighting over this issue.

43. Fin.