1. Slavery Divides the Nation
“The agitation in the subject of slavery would, if not prevented by some timely and effective measure, end in disunion.”
-John Calhoun

2. Views on Slavery Northern Views Southern Views:
Abolished in most states
Blacks seen as inferior
Few rights
Laws limited black migration
Whites had very little contact with blacks
A minority supported abolition
Southern Views:
Believed that God had intended for blacks to do the laboring for whites
Said that wage labor in the North was worse that slavery in the South
Slaves were happier and healthier than northern wage earners

3. The Election of 1848
Big Issue: should slavery be allowed in new western territories?
New Party: Free-Soilers vowed to keep slavery out of the new territories
Nominate Martin Van Buren who takes votes away from the Democrats
Democrats and Whigs embrace popular sovereignty (let states decide issue of slavery…not Congress)
Whigs nominate Zachary Taylor, wins
Democrats nominate Lewis Cass

4. A Compromise Avoids Crisis
California wants to be a free state but that would allow free states to outnumber slave states in the Senate (threatens slavery)
South is already upset that the Fugitive Slave Law is not being enforced
Clay brings forth a compromise that would appease the North and South

5. Compromise of 1850
Congress would admit California as a free state (North happy)
Utah and Mexico would use popular sovereignty to decide slavery
Slave trade in Washington, DC would end
The Fugitive Slave Act would require that private citizens aid in the returning of runaway slaves or be fined/imprisoned (South happy)

7. The Fugitive Slave Law
“A Covenant with Death, An Agreement with Hell” –William Lloyd Garrison

8. Repercussions of the Fugitive Slave Act
Caused northern hostility
Accused had no right to a trial or testify in court (judges were paid more to favor with slave owners)
Everyone is a slave catcher
Unintentionally increased Northern involvement in the Underground Railroad

9. The Underground Railroad
Ran by Northerners and free blacks
Informal but well organized
Transported runaways to the North or Canada
“Conductors” lead the way
Provided shelter, food and money
Harriet Tubman, “Black Moses”
Fugitive slave
Led her people out of bondage
Deepened southern distrust

10. Uncle Tom’s Cabin Published by Harriet Beecher Stowe
Showed the horrors of slavery
Showed African Americans as real people
Infuriated the South
Wrote their own books about the advantages of slavery
Spread compassion through the North

11. Kansas-Nebraska Act
Senator Douglas wants popular sovereignty to be used in Nebraska but the South feared that Nebraska would choose to be free (balance must be kept)
Douglas divides Nebraska into Kansas
Intention was for Kansas to be a slave state and Nebraska a free state
Did this go against the Missouri Compromise?

13. “Bleeding Kansas”
Northerners and Southerners rushed to claim the territory
Kansas had 2 governments
One anti-slavery and one proslavery
Disputes become violent when the town of Lawrence was attacked
John Brown (abolitionists) executes 5 proslavery settlers, condemned by abolitionists
1st time blood has been shed over slavery!
Civil war between proslavery and antislavery settlers
Popular sovereignty will not work

14. Violence in the Senate
Abolitionist Charles Sumner stirred trouble when he delivered a speech about Kansas and also insulted Andrew Butler
Butler’s nephew, Brooks attacked Sumner in the Senate with a cane
Brutally attacks him
Sumner did not recover for nearly three years
Could that happen today? (Obama Congress meeting)
Shows the division (sectionalism) between the North and South