1. The Divisive Politics of Slavery
Objectives:
Identify differences between the North and the South.
Describe the operation of the Underground Railroad and other forms of protest against slavery.
Explain the political conditions that gave rise to the Republican Party and divided the Whigs.
Describe the conflicts that led to secession.

2. Differences Between North and South
North and South Differences
The North and South had developed into two very different cultural and economic regions
The South’s plantation economy relied heavily on the use of slave labor
The North, with its diversified industries, was less dependent on slavery
As the North industrialized, Northern opposition to slavery grew more intense
The controversy over slavery worsened as new territories were admitted to the union
Supporters of slavery saw the opportunity to create more slave states
Opponents of slavery remained equally determined that slavery should not spread

3. Slavery in the Territories
Statehood for California
California applied for statehood in 1850
Admitted as a free state
Outraged many Southerners who believed that since most of California lay south of the Missouri Compromise line, the state would be open to slavery
The Compromise of 1850
As tensions mounted over the issue of slavery, threats of Southern secession became more frequent
Compromise of 1850 – Provided that California would be admitted as a free state to appease northerners, and created a new and more effective fugitive slave law to appease southerners
To placate both sides, a provision allowed popular sovereignty for residents of the New Mexico and Utah territories
Popular Sovereignty – The right to vote for or against slavery in a territory

4. Protest, Resistance, and Violence
The Fugitive Slave Act
The harsh terms of the fugitive slave act surprised many people
Alleged fugitive slaves were not entitled to a trial by jury
Persons accused of helping a fugitive slave could be imprisoned or incarcerated
The Underground Railroad
Infuriated by the Fugitive Slave Act, many northerners resisted by organizing vigilance committees to send endangered slaves to safety in the North
Underground Railroad – Secret network of people who helped slaves escape to freedom
Harriet Tubman – African American conductor on the Underground Railroad that helped 300 slaves escape to freedom
Uncle Tom’s Cabin
In 1852, Harriet Beecher Stowe published her novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin that described the horror’s of slavery
The book stirred Northern abolitionists to increase their protests against the Fugitive Slave Act

5. Protests, Resistance, and Violence
Tension in Kansas and Nebraska
Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854) – Divided the Nebraska territory into two parts: Nebraska in the north and Kansas in the south
Popular sovereignty would decide whether slavery would be permitted in each territory
“Bleeding Kansas”
Both supporters and opponents of slavery attempted to populate Kansas in order to win the vote on the issue of slavery
“Border Ruffians” – Southerners from the slave state of Missouri who crossed over into Kansas and illegally participated in the vote on slavery
The proslavery candidates won a majority of the votes and set up a government at Lecompton
Passed a series of proslavery acts
Abolitionists organized their own rival government
Violence eventually erupted between the proslavery and abolitionist settlers

6. Conflicts Lead to Secession
The Dred Scott Decision
Dred Scott – Slave whose owner took him from the slave state of Missouri to the free territory of Illinois and back to Missouri
Scott appealed to the Supreme Court for his freedom on the grounds that living in a free state had made him a free man
The court ruled against Scott
Ruled that Scott lacked the legal standing to sue in federal court because he was not a citizen
Also ruled that living in a free territory did not make a slave free

7. Conflict Leads to Secession
Harpers Ferry
John Brown – Radical abolitionist who led an attempt to stage a slave uprising
Attempted to organize a raid into Harpers Ferry, Virginia in an attempt to seize the federal arsenal there and start a general slave uprising
Troops put down the rebellion and executed Brown
Lincoln is Elected President
Election of 1860
Republicans nominated Abraham Lincoln
Lincoln, pledged to halt the further spread of slavery
The issue of slavery split the Democrats and allowed Lincoln to win the election with less than half the popular vote and no electoral votes from the South
Southern Secession
Lincoln’s victory convinced Southerner’s that they had lost their political voice in the national government
South Carolina seceded from the Union on December 20th, 1860
Other southern states soon followed
Secessionist states formed the Confederate States of America
Elected former senator Jefferson Davis as president