1. Drifting Towards Disunion
Chapter 19 Honors

2. The Election of 1856
Democrats choose Pennsylvania lawyer James Buchanan – popular sovereignty
Republicans choose John C. Fremont, hero of the Bear Flag Revolt during the Mex-Am War – anti-slavery
Know Nothings (aka the American Party) –Millard Fillmore
Order of the Star Spangled Banner –nativists
Buchanan wins – widely regarded as one of our worst presidents ever

3. Tensions Rise in Kansas
Reactions to popular sovereignty
1855 – First vote for Kansas legislature
Shawnee Mission – slavery HQ, slavery supporters cam in from Mo. to vote
Topeka – Free soil HQ, established an illegal government
Lawrence, KS became the site of violence as slavery supporters shot up and burned free-soil Lawrence
1856, May - Pottowatomie Creek massacre
John Brown and his followers dismember 5 proslaveryites

4. Tensions Rise in Kansas
Reactions to popular sovereignty
Lecompton Constitution – 1857
Proslaveryites draft a constitution – allow voters to only vote on the issue of whether or not to permit further slavery – proslaveryites pass it
This document, however, is rejected by Congress
James Buchanan (15th President) supports it, Stephen Douglas believes in protecting the democratic process – pushes for popular vote on the entire constitution
Rejected in a referendum that included many abolitionist voters
Buchanan alienates northern Democrats, Douglas alienates southern Democrats – Democratic party splits

5. Tensions Rise in Kansas
Reactions to popular sovereignty
The Caning of Senator Charles Sumner
Crass and unpopular, Sumner recites “The Crime Against Kansas” – refers to proslaveryites as “hirelings picked from the drunken spew and vomit of an uneasy civilization”, insults the well-liked Andrew Butler from South Carolina
Congressman Preston Brooks (SC), a relative of Butler’s, canes Sumner while at his desk until unconscious
Southerners sent Brooks replacement canes in support
Northerners distributed copies of Sumner’s speech

6. Fuel to the Fire Reactions to popular sovereignty
1857 – The Dred Scott Decision
Handed down two days after Buchanan is inaugurated
Dred Scott – a slave who lived with his master in IL and Wisc. Territory for more than five years sues for freedom
Case reaches Supreme Court
Evaluate Taney’s decision – what is his decision and how does he justify it?

7. Fuel to the Fire Crash of 1857 Factors Results
Crimean War – too much grain in the market place
California Gold – overinflated the dollar
North claims the low tariff enacted months earlier hurt manufacturers
Results
“Bread or Death” – 5,000 businesses gone
Southern economy largely unaffected
Northern economy hurt by the crash – northerners call for higher tariffs; South opposed
Northerners and Southerners called for the abandonment of the Land Ordinance of 1785 – land being sold by the government for revenue