1. Causes of the Civil War: 1808 to 1861

2. Northern and Southern Sectionalism
sectionalism: concern for local interests; less concern for general well-being
similarities:
cultural: spoke English; mostly Protestant Christians
political: right to vote for white males; two-party system; Ams.
environmental and economic: land for farming
social: classes of people; women had fewer rights than men
differences:
cultural: more rural South; more urban North
economic and social: factories in North; South reliance on plantations and slave labor to grow crops; slaves at bottom of society

3. Effects of Westward Expansion
as land became scarce--Americans moved west
Eli Whitney: created a cotton gin to separate seeds from fiber; cotton production soared--along with demand for slave labor
industrialization: goods produced in factories; south and west: provided raw materials for goods

4. 1808: Slave Trade ends created by the Constitution
some hoped this would end slavery
children of slaves became slaves--so the slave population grew
abolitionism: anti-slavery views; hope to end it; grew in support during the early 1800s

5. 1820: Missouri Compromise Missouri: slave state; Maine: free state
keeps balance of slave and free states
Compromise Line: at 36°30’ N latitude; north of that line would be free states; south of that line slave states (going west)

6. 1831: Nat Turner’s Rebellion
Nat Turner: a slave and very religious; thought it was his mission from God to overthrow slavery
in Virginia; he led slaves to kill 60 white men, women, and children
he and most of the others were hung
laws passed in the South: no education for slaves; no right to bear arms; no ability to move around and assemble without whites’ permission

7. 1845: Texas Becomes a state
1836: Texans fought Mexico for independence
1845: U.S. annexed Texas as a new state
concern for the balance of slave and free states

8. 1846-48: Mexican American War
manifest destiny: the belief that the U.S. would spread its territory all the way to the Pacific Ocean
Mexico: was angry that the U.S. annexed Texas
dispute over the border between the U.S. and Mexico in Texas (U.S.: Rio Grande--further south; Mexico: Nueces River--further north)
U.S. and Mexican soldiers fought on the border
U.S.--declared war and invaded Mexico
Mexico City: is captured by the U.S.

9. 1848: Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
ends the Mexican American War
the U.S. gains half of Mexico’s territory--and paid Mexico $15 million
manifest destiny is achieved; border is set at the Rio Grande
a question remained: would the new states be slave or free?

10. California: entered the U.S. as a free state
maintained balance of slave and free states (16 of each)
popular sovereignty: allowed the new states to vote on whether or not to have slavery
no slave trade in Washington, D.C.; stronger Fugitive Slave Law to capture runaway slaves

11. 1852: Uncle Tom’s Cabin is published
written by Harriet Beecher Stowe (a northern woman)
a novel that exposed the horrors of slavery (whippings; splitting up families; preventing education of slaves)
gained widespread support in the North and overseas for abolitionism
northerners helped slaves escape (Underground Railroad and Harriet Tubman)
former slaves like Frederick Douglass and Sojourner Truth--spoke out against slavery
South: resented the novel and tried to prove it was wrong

12. 1852: Uncle Tom’s Cabin is published

13. 1854: Kansas Nebraska Act is passed
created the 2 territories: Kansas and Nebraska
would use popular sovereignty to decide on slavery
repealed the Missouri Compromise
resulted in violence: “Bleeding Kansas”--pro- and anti- slavery forces went there to influence the vote
Pottawatomie Creek Massacre: John Brown led a group to kill pro-slavery people

14. March 20, 1854: Republican Party is founded
Democrats and Whigs: two parties from 1830s to 1850s
Northern Whigs created the Republican Party
its original goal: stop the spread of slavery to the western territories
it ran a presidential candidate for the first time in 1856
had practically NO support in the South; its candidates were not on the ballot even

15. 1857: Supreme Court’s Dred Scott decision
Dred Scott: was a slave taken by his master to free states
he sued for his freedom
Supreme Court: ruled that slaves were property--and NOT citizens; people can take their property with them--even the North
the South: was happy about the ruling--since it protected slavery
this went against popular sovereignty

16. 1858: Lincoln-Douglas debates
Abraham Lincoln (Republican) and Stephen Douglas (Democrat)
ran for the U.S. Senate seat from Illinois
held 7 debates around the state
Lincoln: said the U.S. must become either all slave or all free
Douglas: said popular sovereignty could still work
Douglas won the election

17. 1859: John Brown raids Harper’s Ferry, VA
like Nat Turner, John Brown thought he was called to end slavery
decided to take over a federal arsenal (weapons storage) in Virginia
hoped to arm the slaves and start a rebellion
he and his followers were captured and executed
South: saw this as proof that the North was out to end slavery by any means

18. Election of 1860 4 candidates for President--including 2 Democrats
Abraham Lincoln: wins the electoral vote--without receiving any in the South
as a result: South Carolina becomes the first state to secede (leave the Union) in December, 1860; 10 other states join to make the Confederate States of America (CSA)

19. March and April, 1861 Lincoln inaugurated on March 4th
April 12th: Ft. Sumter--near Charleston, South Carolina--is fired on by the South
Lincoln decides that the Union must be preserved--so sends help; this begins the Civil War