1. Causes of the Civil War

2. Missouri Compromise Problem: Solution:
Missouri wanted to become a state in 1817
Wanted to allow slavery
U.S. had 11 slave and 11 free states
MO would upset the balance of power in Congress
Meanwhile Maine applied for statehood
Solution:
Angry debates lasted for months in Congress
Henry Clay suggested MO be admitted as slave and Maine as free
Also called for slavery banned in Louisiana Territory north of MO’s border

4. How did it Contribute to the Cause of the Civil War?
Started Divisions between Free states and Slave states.

5. The Wilmot Proviso
Outlawed slavery in any territory gained in the Mexican War
Southerners claimed the bill was unconstitutional
Slaves were property
Removed the right to take property (slaves) anywhere in U.S.
Congress was divided along regional lines
Passed the House but was defeated in the Southern controlled Senate

6. How did it Contribute to the Cause of the Civil War?
Introduced the idea of outlawing slavery
Added to tension and division
Started the Free-Soil Party

7. Free-Soil Party Born from the Wilmot Proviso
A political party dedicated to stopping the expansion of slavery
Won more than 10 seats in Congress in 1848
Made slavery a key issue in national politics
Politicians could not ignore slavery anymore

8. Controversy over Territories
1848: debate on how to deal with slavery in new territories gained by Mexican War
Balance of Congress threatened
California wanted to be free
Southerners wanted to divide California
President Taylor proposed CA apply for statehood before a territory,
Did not give time for slaveholders to move in

9. The Compromise of 1850 Henry Clay drafted a plan:
CA admitted as free state
Slave trade abolished in Washington D.C.
Congress would not pass laws regarding slavery for the rest of the territories won from Mexico
Popular Sovereignty: People of that area will decide
Fugitive Slave Act

11. How did it Contribute to the Cause of the Civil War?
Left decision up to the people, causing tensions
South felt they were being threatened

12. The Fugitive Slave Act Helped slaveholders recapture runaway slaves
Fugitives held without arrest warrant
No jury
Jail terms and fines for those who aided fugitive slaves
Presence of slave catchers in North reminded people of how they were supporting the slave trade

13. How did it Contribute to the Cause of the Civil War?
Kept the issue of slavery alive in the North
Reminded Northerners that they supported slavery

14. Uncle Tom’s Cabin Written by Harriet Beecher Stowe in 1852
Portrayed moral issues of slavery
Uncle Tom, an older slave and his life with 3 owners
Popular in North
South felt it falsely criticized the South and slavery

15. How did it Contribute to the Cause of the Civil War?
Showed the brutality of slavery to Northerners
South was mad that it wasn’t the “truth”

16. The Kansas-Nebraska Act
1854: Stephen A. Douglass of IL proposed that Nebraska territory be divided into NE and KS
Proposed Popular Sovereignty in these territories
People could vote for slavery
Would repeal the Missouri Compromise of 1820
Banned slavery in territories north of MO
Southerners supported and it was passed

18. Bleeding Kansas
Proslavery and anti slavery settlers rushed to Kansas territory
At time there were more proslavery settlers
Kansas legislature was packed with proslavery representatives
Antislavery settlers boycotted official government and formed own government

19. Sack of Lawrence, KS
In May a proslavery mob attacked the town of Lawrence
Destroyed offices, house of the governor of the antislavery movement

20. Pottawatomie Massacre
John Brown, extreme abolitionist, led
Took seven men to cabins of proslavery neighbors and murdered five people
To avenge Sack of Lawrence
Civil War broke out in KS in response
“Bleeding Kansas” went on for 3 years

21. Violence in Congress
May of 1856, at the Capital, Charles Sumner delivered speech toward proslavery forces in KS
Packed with insults
Made fun of A.P. Butler , a senator from SC
Preston Brooks defended Butler by beating Sumner with his cane 30 times.
Southerners cheered Brooks defense of the South
Northerners were shocked at violence in the Senate

23. How did it Contribute to the Cause of the Civil War?
First bloodshed over slavery
Fighting and unrest
People couldn’t “agree” on slavery

24. Efforts to Compromise Fail
Crittenden Plan: extend the MO Compromise line to CA, but it failed
Lincoln tried to assure the South that he would not abolish slavery, he would not invade or press the South. Tried to appeal to friendship….
BUT, he would not abandon U.S. government forts in South and they would need supplied soon…….
To Be Continued