1. Bell Ringer!
Why were sectional differences developing in the United States?
Economic conditions, geography and interests in each region varied
North – industrial economy
South – plantation economy
What is a political party?
organized group of people with at least roughly similar political aims and opinions
Disputes over slavery lead to the creation of new political parties

2. *Republican Party (1854) Free Soil Party Anti-Slavery Democrats Whigs
opposed the spread of slavery into new territories
*Republican Party (1854)

3. 1856 Election
White House here I come!
Fillmore – Know-Nothing party (received 22% of vote)
Fremont – Republican party (received 33% of vote)
Buchanan – Democratic party from PA (received 45% of vote) *WINNER!

4. What were the main positions they held on slavery?
Abraham Lincoln
Stephen Douglas
What were the main positions they held on slavery?
Why were these debates important?
2 minute clip

5. Lincoln – Douglas Debates Lincoln became a nationally known figure
In 1858, Abraham Lincoln challenged incumbent Stephen Douglas for his seat in the Senate.
Results:
Douglas won the election by a slim margin
If he lost, then why are debates so important?
Lincoln became a nationally known figure

6. Lincoln – Douglas Debates
Stephen Douglas:
VOTERS in territories to decide whether or not to allow slavery
Popular Sovereignty

7. Lincoln – Douglas Debates
Abraham Lincoln:
• Slavery was a moral wrong and should be kept out of the new territories
• Slave owners can keep their slaves and slavery will continue to exist where it is
• Sectional differences threatened to destroy the Union

8. ‘A house divided against itself cannot stand.’
“I believe this government cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved – I do not expect the house to fall – but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing, or all the other”
Abraham Lincoln (1858), from first campaign speech running for US Senate

10. “PRESERVE THE UNION”

13. Could Lincoln have stopped the war?

14. FAIL! Crittenden Plan Proposed Amendments to the Constitution:
*Slavery "hereby recognized" and could not be interfered with by Congress.
*Congress could not prohibit or interfere with the interstate slave trade.
*No future amendment of the Constitution could change these amendments or authorize or empower Congress to interfere with slavery within any slave state.
FAIL!

15. Secede – to withdraw or leave “Southern secession” means that states in the South are leaving the United States and creating their own new country

17. What argument did Lincoln use against secession of the Southern states?
The government was a union of PEOPLE
NOT of states

18. Lincoln’s Election and the Start of the American Civil War

19. A NATION DIVIDED

22. Video! Fort Sumter