1. Drifting Toward Disunion Chapter 19

2. Stowe and Helper: Literary Incendiaries 1852: Uncle Tom’s Cabin –Written after the passage of the Fugitive Slave Law –Extremely popular book that portrayed the inhumanity of slavery 1857: The Impending Crisis of the South –Hinton Helper –He tried to prove that non-slaveholding whites suffered the most from slavery. –The book was banned in the South

3. The North-South Contest for Kansas Popular Sovereignty was not working as it was conceived. –Northerners: Many ordinary pioneers Some were sent by abolitionists They carried weapons –Southerners: Originally, few slaveholders moved to Kansas

4. The North-South Contest for Kansas 1855: 1 st election for the territorial legislature: –Pro-slavery Missourians crossed the border to vote (early and often) –They triumphed and created a pro-slavery government –Free-Soilers established their own government in Topeka

5. The North-South Contest for Kansas Major incidents of violence break out - “Bleeding Kansas” –A group (700) of proslavery men rode into Lawrence looking for several Free-Soilers –They destroyed much of the town. –John Brown (an abolitionist) sought revenge, May 1856 – Pottawatmoie Massacre He and a few followers found a group of pro- slavery men and killed them

6. Kansas in Convulsion 1857: Kansas applied for statehood –The Lecompton Constitution Created by proslavery forces People could only vote on the provision “with slavery” or “without slavery” A remaining provision allowed slaveholders to keep their slaves, regardless of the outcome of the vote Free-soilers boycotted the polls The Proslavery constitution passed.

7. Kansas in Convulsion President Buchanan supported the Lecompton Constitution and urged its acceptance by Congress. Stephen Douglas called it fraudulent and supported tossing it out. Compromise: the entire constitution would be put to a vote –Free-soilers flooded the polls and defeated the constitution –Result; Kansas did not become a state until 1861

8. “Bully” Brooks and His Bludgeon Senator Charles Sumner (abolitionist) delivered a speech that condemned the proslavery men of Kansas –He also insulted South Carolina many times and its Senator Congressman Preston Brooks took vengeance: –He beat Senator Sumner with a cane until he was unconscious. –Brooks resigned from the House, but was re- elected.

9. The Election of 1856 The Democrats chose James Buchanan –He had been out of the country during the Kansas-Nebraska controversy. The Republicans nominated John C. Fremont –Western adventurer, but also not tainted with the Kansas-Nebraska controversy.

10. The Election of 1856 The Campaign –Republicans campaigned against the extension of slavery –Democrats campaigned for popular sovereignty –Nativism entered the campaign Know-Nothing Party nominated Millard Fillmore

11. The Election of 1856 Buchanan won with a majority of the Electoral college Why did the Republicans lose? –The character of Fremont was in question. –Southern threats of violence if the Republicans won. Republican Victory? –The party received 1.3 million votes and showed it was a viable party.

12. The Dred Scott Bombshell Dred Scott (slave) lived with his master in free territory for five years. He sued his master for his freedom.

13. The Dred Scott Bombshell Chief Justice Roger B. Taney The Decision: –Dred Scott was not a citizen, therefore he could not sue. –as property, he could be taken anywhere, and legally held as a slave. –the Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional The Impact: –Congress had no power to ban slavery in the territories. –Moderation in the North was gone.

14. The Panic of 1857 Causes: –Inflation due to increase in gold –Demands from the Crimean War had over-stimulated grain production –Land speculation The North was hit hardest. The South was not hurt hard and saw it as proof that their system was superior.

15. The Panic of 1857 Results: –Huge demand for free land in the West. –Plan to give 160 acres of free land –Opposition: Eastern industrialists Southern farmers who could not transport slavery to only 160 acres.

16. An Illinois Rail-Splitter Emerges 1858: Stephen Douglas’s term for the Senate expired and he ran for re- election. The Republicans nominated Abraham Lincoln. –Log-cabin lawyer from Illinois –Very rocky political career –He had bouts of depression and a temperamental wife.

17. The Great Debate Lincoln challenged Douglas to a series of debates.Lincoln challenged Douglas to a series of debates. –Lincoln forced Douglas to state his point of view of slavery in the territories: –Freeport Doctrine: Slavery would not exist in the territories, if the people did not want it. The legislatures would have to pass laws that were supportive of it, otherwise, it could not flourish.

18. The Great Debate Douglas won the race, but lost the support of the South because of his Freeport Doctrine. Lincoln lost the race, but gained much popular support and emerged as a potential nominee for president.

19. John Brown: Murderer or Martyr? Harpers Ferry, Virginia –October 1859 –He and about 20 followers, seized the federal arsenal and killed and/or injured several people. –His aim was to start and lead a slave rebellion.

20. John Brown: Murderer or Martyr? Brown was caught, tried for treason, found guilty, and hanged. In the North: he was hailed a hero. In the South: he was despised as a criminal. Result: –The South believed that the North was dominated by “Brown-loving Republicans.”

21. The Election of 1860 There was a great split in the Democratic party: Two separate conventions were held to nominate candidates: –N. Democrats: Stephen Douglas –S. Democrats: John C. Breckinridge –Republicans: Abraham Lincoln –Constitutional Unionists: John Bell

22. The Election of 1860 The Election: –Lincoln was not on the ballot in ten southern states. –He won with only 39% of the popular vote. –Douglas ranked second in popular vote, but only gained 12 electoral votes.

23. Why did the South Secede? Was the South in a bad position? –It had a 5-to-4 majority on the Supreme Court. –The election of 1860 did not give Republicans the House or Senate. –Only a constitutional amendment could end slavery where it existed, and the votes were not there. –Conclusion: No, it was in a pretty good position.

24. Why did the South Secede? Why did the South do it? –South Carolina had already threatened to secede if Lincoln was elected. December 1860, S.C. legislature voted unanimously voted to call a secession convention –Six other states followed South Carolina, four more followed... Lincoln was powerless to stop them.

25. Secession Why didn’t President Buchanan stop them? –He was a strict constructionist: He did not believe the states had the power to secede, but he could not find constitutional authority to stop them. –The U.S. army was small and needed to control the natives in the West. –Northerners were not yet ready to go to war to get the South back.

26. The Crittenden Compromise Proposed by Senator James Henry Crittenden –A series of amendments to the Constitution. Slavery would be prohibited North of 36° 30’, but protected South of the line. Future states could come in as they chose, within the guidelines Lincoln outright rejected the compromise on principle.

27. Farewell to Union Why did the South leave the Union? –Alarming tipping of the balance against slavery –Emergence and triumph of the Republican party –Many believed secession would not be opposed by the North. –Many leaders wanted to break their dependence on the North. –Nationalistic feelings and self- determination –An appeal to America’s own history

28. Farewell to Union What were the causes of the Civil War? –Slavery (#1) The most dividing issue However, 4 slave states remained with the Union –Economic Differences Industry vs. Agriculture –Nature of the Federal Union Southern states insisted the nation was a confederation in nature: they had the right to secede.

29. Farewell to Union Causes, cont. –Control of the Central Government Both North and South wanted control of new territories The West became economically tied to the Union and the South became a minority section –Differences in Civilization Southern aristocracy vs. Northern Democracy –Fanaticism Extremist abolitionists and slaveholders could not reconcile.