1. Road to the U.S. Civil War

2. Economic & Social Divisions, Distrust & Political Conflict → War The South was dependent on growing cotton and slavery A growing number of Northerners support slavery, or at least are uncomfortable facilitating the system of slavery (hate Fugitive Slave Act) Regulation of slavery depends on a balance in U.S. Senate between slave states & free states Because of this, the south wants to expand slavery to the new territories, and the north wants to stop its expansion

3. Slavery in the new territories Missouri Compromise (1820): –Maine entered as free state –Missouri entered as slave state –Future states north of southern border of Missouri would be free states Wilmot Proviso: “no territory acquired from Mexico could be slave state”; never passed Two blades of a scissors/shears: –Northerners’ resistance to any expansion of slavery –Southerners’ resistance to any restriction on slavery –Both sides suspicious of each other

4. Compromise of 1850 Proposed by Henry Clay (KY), supported by Daniel Webster (MA); opposed by John Calhoun (SC), William Henry Seward (NY) Designed to solve issue of slavery in territories, ease sectional divisions Admit California as free state New Mexico, Utah would decide if slave DC: slave trade banned; slavery allowed forever Fugitive Slave Act – ordered all Americans to assist in return of escaped slaves

5. Continued Divisions Most parts of Compromise of 1850 passed, but created more divisions than it healed; does not solve issue of slavery in territories Zachary Taylor – Whig President 1848-1850, died; Millard Fillmore 1850-1852 Winfield Scott nominated by Whigs in 1852, loses to Democrat Franklin Pierce Whigs fall apart as a party over slavery Uncle Tom’s Cabin: A novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe that describes in detail the hard life of slaves; in the north, it spurs growth in the movement to abolish slavery; in the south, suspicion grows over the intentions of the north

6. Kansas-Nebraska Act Kansas-Nebraska Act: Popular Sovreignty –Voters in territory would decide if slavery would be permitted or not –Leads to horrible violence; increase in political division Republican party, party of Abraham Lincoln and Carl Schurz, formed (1854) in response to Kansas Nebraska Act

7. Dred Scott & John Brown/Final Straws James Buchanan (D) elected 1856 over John Fremont (Republican); let Sup. Ct. decide Dred Scott decision – Supreme Ct. rules (7-2): –Scott (slave) not free just by living in free area –Slaves aren’t citizens, have no rights –Congress may not restrict slavery anywhere Northerners outraged by Dred Scott decision: reduces the possibility of compromise John Brown’s raid – Oct. 16, 1859 – attacks Harpers’ Ferry to start slave rebellion –Leads directly to growth of Southern state militias

8. Lincoln Douglas Debates 1858 – Abraham Lincoln runs against Stephen Douglas for U.S. senator – 7 debates; reports of debate in newspapers across U.S. Douglas – favored popular sovereignty Lincoln – majority shouldn’t be able to deny a minority their rights to life & liberty Lincoln: “Union divided against itself cannot stand; it will become [all slave or all free]” Douglas won election; Lincoln won huge following

9. Election of 1860 Democrats are divided over the issue of slavery in the territories Northern democrats choose Stephen Douglas Southern democrats choose John Breckinridge Consitutional Union party chooses John Bell With the votes of the south divided, Lincoln wins all the states of the north and west and the election South believes it will not have a voice in the federal government, that Lincoln will push for abolition Southern states decided to secede; South Carolina is the first on December 20, 1860

10. Beginning of the Civil War States of the south form a confederation (Confederate States of America) Lincoln declares that no state has the right to secede Lincoln says that the federal government will not leave federal forts in the south, but will not start a war South blockades Fort Sumter (Charleston, SC) When federal troops try to send food to the fort, Southern troops bombard the fort Begins 4 years of war, the worst in the nation’s history; more than 600,000 will die