CHAPTER 17 Road to Civil War - Davenport Schools · 2014-11-03 · CHAPTER 17 Road to Civil War:...

1846–1849 1850–1853

538 UNIT 6 Rift and Reunion: 1820–1877

1852 The South African Republic isestablished

1853 The Crimean War begins betweenTurkey and Russia

Road to Civil War1850–1860

CHAPTER 17★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★

FocusUntil the mid-1800s the North and South handled their differences

peaceably. The disagreements focused on one main question: Whatwould be the status of slavery in new western states? A series ofcompromises kept an uneasy truce through the 1850s. With the elec-tion of Abraham Lincoln in 1860, however, the South believed it hadno choice but to leave the Union.

Concepts to Understand★ How expansion was influenced by geography and the

environment★ How conflict and cooperation over slavery led to secession

Read to Discover . . .★ the major differences between the North and the South.★ the events that led

seven Southern statesto secede from theUnion.

SETTING THE SCENE

Journal NotesEvents during the

1850s were influenced

by a number of out-

standing political

figures. As you

encounter these men

and women, make a

note of their names

and your first impres-

sions of their personal-

ities and motivations.

United States

World

Chapter OverviewVisit the American History: The Early Years to1877 Web site at ey.glencoe.com and click onChapter 17—Chapter Overviews to previewchapter information.

HISTORY

1850 Compromise of 1850 passed

1848 Zachary Taylor elected President

1848 Free-Soil party formed

http://www.glencoe.com/sec/socialstudies/ushistory/ahey2001/chapter17/overview.html

539CHAPTER 17 Road to Civil War: 1850–1860

1854–1857 1858–18611857 Indian soldiers revolt against

British rule in the Sepoy Rebellion1861 Czar Alexander II abolishes

serfdom in Russia

1854 Kansas-Nebraska Act passed1857 Supreme Court makes Dred Scott

decision

1859 John Brown raids Harpers Ferry1860 Abraham Lincoln elected

President1860 South Carolina secedes

View of Harpers Ferryby Ferdinand Richardt, 1858

John Brown, an abolitionist, targeted the armory atHarpers Ferry for his attack. Yet Danish painter Ferdinand Richardt depicts a peaceful view of the town.

History

A R TAND

� LINCOLN CAMPAIGN POSTER

Settling Differences★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★


SECTION 1

GUIDE TO READING

� SLAVE TAGS �

Reading StrategyOrganizing Information As you read aboutgrowing sectionalism, use a diagram likethe one shown here to describe the result ofthe debate over slavery in the territories.

Read to Learn . . .★ why the Mexican Cession divided the

North and the South.★ how Northerners and Southerners tried

to settle their differences.

Terms to Know★ sectionalism ★ popular sovereignty★ Free-Soil party★ secede★ Compromise

of 1850

Main IdeaAs they grew farther apart, North-erners and Southerners sought com-promise on the issue of slavery.

Debate over

Slavery

Result

Daniel Webster fixed his dark gazeon the other senators as he began hisspeech on March 7, 1850:

I wish to speak today, not asa Massachusetts man, nor asa Northern man, but as anAmerican. . . . I speak todayfor the preservation of theUnion. . . . [F]or the restora-tion to the country of thatquiet and that harmonywhich make the blessingsof this Union so rich and sodear to us all. . . .

Many of Webster’s listeners shared hisanxiety about the country’s future, but theSenate was as divided as the rest of the

”

“nation. What developments had robbedthe country of harmony and threatenedthe Union?

★ Regions Grow Further Apart

While the addition of new territoriesgave the country room to grow andexpand, it also raised questions thatbrought deep divisions. In the mid-1800s,the United States gained vast new territo-ries in the West. Eventually, those territo-ries would become states. Would they beslave or free states? The issue of slavery inthe West would set the North against theSouth.


The issue of slavery in new states wasnot new. You read in Chapter 12 that theMissouri Compromise of 1820 kept thenumber of slave states and free statesequal. The Missouri Compromise appliedonly to those states carved out of theLouisiana Purchase. The Mexican Cessionin 1848 added a vast stretch of westernlands not covered by the Missouri Com-promise. Once again, the question of slav-ery in the territories became an issue.

Dispute Over Slavery in the WestEven before the war with Mexico had

ended, growing antislavery feelings in theNorth led the House of Representatives,with its Northern majority, to pass theWilmot Proviso. An antislavery Democrat,David Wilmot, introduced this measure. Itwould outlaw slavery in all territoryacquired from Mexico. The bill was defeat-ed in the Senate, where the North andSouth were equally represented.

The debate over slavery in the territo-ries strengthened feelings of sectionalism.Sectionalism means that people are moreloyal to their state or region than to thecountry as a whole. Southerners united intheir support for slavery and accused theNorth of threatening their way of life.Northern abolitionists believed slavery tobe morally wrong and demanded that thenational government outlaw it.

Some politicians suggested other waysto settle the question of slavery in the ter-ritories. Senator Lewis Cass of Michiganrecommended that the voters who livedin a territory should decide whether thestates they formed would be slave or free.This idea supported popular sovereignty,or the notion that people should have theright to rule themselves.

★ The Election of 1848There seemed to be no way of reconcil-

ing the opposing views on slavery in the

new territories. In the election of 1848,both Northerners and Southerners tried toplay down any discussion of slavery. TheDemocrats, although controlled by theirSouthern wing, nominated Northern Sen-ator Lewis Cass of Michigan as their pres-idential candidate. The Whigs, whoenjoyed strong support in the North,nominated Zachary Taylor, a hero of theMexican War who owned a plantation inLouisiana with more than 100 slaves. Hisrunning mate, Millard Fillmore, was amoderate New York politician.

The Free-Soil PartyMany Northern Whigs backed Taylor

because he seemed a sure winner, but“conscience Whigs” rebelled. Theyrefused to back a slaveholder or risk open-ing the West to slavery. They broke withthe Whigs and united with NorthernDemocrats to form their own party. TheFree-Soil party chose former PresidentMartin Van Buren as their candidate andcampaigned with the slogan, “Free soil,free speech, free labor, and free men.”

Although Taylor became President, theFree-Soil party received an impressivenumber of votes. Clearly, the slavery issuehurt both major parties.

� ZACHARY TAYLOR


★ The California QuestionThe California Gold Rush in 1848 inten-

sified questions about slavery in the newterritories. By the end of 1849, an estimat-ed 95,000 forty-niners from all over theworld had settled in California. Alongwith this tremendous growth came anurgent need for government.

President Taylor believed statehoodcould become a solution to the issue ofslavery in the territories. As long as landsremained territories, the federal govern-ment decided the issue of slavery. Once theterritories became states, their own govern-ments could settle the slavery question.

At the suggestion of President Taylor, aconvention met in Monterey, California,in the fall of 1849 and adopted a constitu-tion that prohibited slavery. The newlycreated government immediately appliedfor admission to the Union as a free state.California’s application for statehoodtouched off a long and bitter debate.

Admission of California would tip thebalance of power in the Senate in favor offree states, which already held a majorityin the House. Southern leaders threatenedto leave the Union if it admitted Californiaas a free state.

★ Threats to the Union In January 1849, South Carolina Senator

John C. Calhoun acted against what hesaw as a threat to the Southern way of life.Calling a caucus, or private meeting, ofthe Southern members of Congress, hedenounced the Ordinance of 1787 and theMissouri Compromise of 1820 as attackson the South.

Calhoun claimed that any more similarNorthern-sponsored measures wouldbring an end to slavery, start a race war,and lead to rule by African Americans.Calhoun warned that the South wouldsecede, or leave the United States.

Calhoun’s views seemed too extremefor many people. Even slaveholding sen-ators, including Sam Houston of Texasand Thomas Hart Benton of Missouri,opposed him. Many Southern newspa-pers also declared their loyalty to theUnion. Some Southern members of Con-gress, however, agreed with Calhoun. Inthe Southern states, some state legisla-tures, local conventions, and newspapereditors adopted his ideas.

In Congress debate over California’sstatehood dragged on for a year. WhenCalhoun first talked of seceding, Repre-sentative Robert Toombs of Georgia loud-ly opposed any such move. Before 1849ended, however, Toombs stood in theHouse and declared, “I am for disunion.”

★ Compromise of 1850To resolve the crisis, Congress turned to

Senator Henry Clay. Clay had earned thenickname the “Great Compromiser” for

� SENATE DEBATE An intense debate raged inthe Senate over the admission of California asa free state. What bill did Congress pass tohelp resolve the problem?

istoryPicturingH

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Linking Past and Present


working out the details of the MissouriCompromise of 1820. Now, 30 years later,the 73-year-old Clay used all his charmand eloquence to persuade Congress tocompromise one more time.

Clay’s ProposalIn January 1850 Clay presented a bill in

Congress with the following provisions:(1) admission of California as a free state;(2) organization of New Mexico and Utahas territories with popular sovereignty; (3)payment to Texas for giving up some ter-ritory in New Mexico; (4) an end to theslave trade, but not slavery, in the Districtof Columbia; and (5) passage of a strictfederal law enforcing the return of run-away, or fugitive, slaves. Clay designedthe proposals to give both sides some oftheir demands. Eventually the proposalswould become the Compromise of 1850.

Opposition and Support Senator Calhoun—so ill that he had to

sit grimly in his seat while another senatorread his speech for him—rejected anycompromise as unfair to the South. Hisspeech stated that some of “the cordswhich bind these states together in onecommon Union” had already been brokenor weakened by the North’s hostility. Hewarned that continued unrest over slav-ery “will snap every cord” so that “noth-ing will be left to hold the states togetherexcept force.”

Three days later, Senator Daniel Web-ster delivered a speech in favor of thecompromise. Although he had beenClay’s rival for decades, Webster support-ed Clay’s attempt to save the Union. Likemany Northerners he disagreed with theinstitution of slavery. Breaking up theUnion, however, seemed even worse.

Paper BagsThe world seemed a differ-

ent place without the com-mon paper bag. It was once achallenge to carry home gro-ceries, and people could not“brown-bag” lunches, either.

ThenBaskets and Boxes

In 1852 shoppers in WestDennis, on Massachusetts’s

Cape Cod,

smiled in delight as they madetheir rounds of the shops.Instead of carrying a clumsyshopping basket or jugglingmany small parcels, they addedpurchase after purchase to thesame brown paper bag. Inven-tor Luther C. Crowell had comeup with a bag of stiff brownpaper folded and sealed at oneend. It could be made in manyhandy sizes.

NowNot Just Brown Anymore

Shoppers today use billions ofpaper bags, not only brown butmany different colors—some-times prettier than the items they

hold! Many bags are printed withstore symbols. No matter whathue, however, each is still foldedand sealed at one end, much likeCrowell’s original design.

� SHOPPING IN THE 1990S

� SHOPPING IN

THE 1800S


Checking for Understanding1. Define sectionalism, popular sovereignty,

Free-Soil party, secede, Compromise of 1850.2. Why did Northern Whigs form the Free-Soil

party?

Critical Thinking3. Drawing Conclusions Do you think the

Compromise of 1850 was fair to both sides?Why or why not?

4. Summarizing Re-create the chart shownhere, and describe what the North and Southeach gained from the Compromise of 1850.

Webster was willing to compromise andsupport the South’s demand that fugitiveslaves be returned if doing so would savethe Union.

The angry debates continued. Evenwith Webster’s support, Clay had to pleadfor his compromise again and again. By

August Clay realized his five proposalswould have a better chance of passing sep-arately. At this point Stephen A. Douglas,a young senator from Illinois, hammeredfive bills out of Clay’s proposal. Douglasguided each bill through and won Senateapproval for all of them.

The Compromise Is Passed In September 1850 Congress passed the

bills. Together, they closely resembledClay’s original compromise proposals.President Taylor—who might havevetoed them—had died in July. His suc-cessor, Millard Fillmore, signed the billsinto law.

Webster wrote a friend shortly afterpassage of the bills:

I can now sleep of nights.We have gone through themost important crisis thathas occurred since thefounding of the govern-ment, and whatever partymay prevail, hereafter theUnion stands firm.

For a time, the compromise patched upthe North-South quarrel. Yet basic differ-ences persisted. Many Southerners agreedwith Calhoun’s charges that the Northhad wronged the South. They alsoremembered his remedy—secession.

”

“

MEXICO

Oreg.Terr.

UtahTerr.Calif.

1850 N. Mex.Terr.

Unorganized

Terr.

Minn.Terr.

Iowa1846

Wisc.1848 Mich.

1837

Texas1845

0

0 350 kilometers

350 miles

Free statesSlave statesTerritory closedto slaveholding

Territory open to slaveholdingIndian Territory

The Compromise of 1850

Place In 1850 members of Congressagreed on where slaveholding would beallowed or not allowed in the westernterritories. Which territories wereclosed to slaveholding?

INTERDISCIPLINARY ACTIVITY

★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★Section 1 ★ Assessment★ SECTION 1 ASSESSMENT ★

5. Citizenship Create a campaign poster forone of the candidates in the 1848 election.Include slogans or symbols to gain support.

Northern GainsCompromise of 1850

Southern Gains

Moving Closer to Conflict★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★


SECTION 2

GUIDE TO READING

Reading StrategyOrganizing Information As you readabout how the North and South movedtoward conflict, use a diagram such as theone shown here to trace the steps that led to bloodshed in Kansas.

Read to Learn . . .★ how Northerners reacted to the

Fugitive Slave Act.★ why the Kansas-Nebraska Act caused

bloodshed.★ how the Dred Scott decision affected

slavery in the territories.

Terms to Know★ Fugitive Slave Act★ Kansas-Nebraska Act

Main IdeaThe slavery issue continued to drivethe North and South further apartduring the 1850s.

� HARRIET BEECHER STOWE’SUNCLE TOM’S CABIN

step step step

The crowd in Syracuse, New York, fellsilent as Reverend J. W. Loguen stood tospeak. Years before, Loguen had escapedto freedom on his master’s horse. He hadgone to college and become a minister.Now his audience waited to hear what hehad to say about the Fugitive Slave Act:

The time has come to changethe tones of submission intotones of defiance—and totell Mr. Fillmore and Mr.Webster, if they propose toexecute this measure uponus, to send on their blood-hounds. . . . I don’t respectthis law—I don’t fear it—I won’t obey it! It outlaws me, and I outlaw it. ”

“

Although the Compromise of 1850 keptpeace for a few years, the provisions of theFugitive Slave Act aroused deep anger inthe North. It aroused new calls for an endto slavery.

★ Growing Support for Abolition

A Fugitive Slave Act had been in effectsince 1793, making it a crime to help run-away enslaved persons. The new FugitiveSlave Act, passed as part of the Compro-mise of 1850, however, set up harsherpunishments. Now anyone caught aidingfugitive slaves could be fined $1,000 andbe jailed for six months.


With the new law, slaveholders huntedfiercely for runaways, whom theythought of as valuable lost property.They sent agents, offered rewards, ortraveled north themselves to hunt downthose who had run away. Agents evencaught free African Americans andclaimed they were fugitives. Free orenslaved African Americans could nottestify in their own defense to prove thatthey were not fugitives.

Abolitionist ProtestsWatching fugitives being brutally

seized and driven back into slavery con-vinced more people of the evils of slavery.Despite the penalties, many Northernersopenly assisted runaways.

Former slaves and free-born AfricanAmericans worked harder than ever tohelp their people. Harriet Tubman, one ofthe best-known conductors on the Under-ground Railroad, began guiding runawayslaves all the way to Canada. In Ohio Eli-jah Anderson led more than 1,000enslaved African Americans to freedombetween 1850 and 1855.

To win support for the abolitionistmovement, Frederick Douglass and oth-ers who had gained freedom spoke atmeetings and church services. Some wrotetheir life stories, known as “slave narra-tives.” One of these books, Narrative ofSojourner Truth: A Northern Slave, was pub-lished in 1850 by the well-known aboli-tionist editor William Lloyd Garrison. Thebook depicted the effects of slavery in theNorth.

Biography ★★★★

Sojourner Truth, Striving for Truth“I was born a slave in Ulster County,

New York,” Isabella Baumfree beganwhen she told her story to audiences.Called “Belle,” she lived in the cellar ofher master’s mansion house. Born around1797 Belle’s life changed drastically whenshe became free in 1828 under a New Yorklaw that banned slavery.

In 1843 Belle chose a new name.“Sojourner Truth is my name,” she said,“because from this day I will walk in thelight of [God’s] truth.” She began to workin the movements bothfor abolition and forwomen’s rights.

Sojourner Truth hadnever been taught toread or write, but shespoke with wit andwisdom. In 1852at a gathering

546

Footnotes to HistoryFreedom Packages Many Northerners defied the Fugitive Slave Act andhelped slaves escape. Henry Brown, a slave in Richmond, Virginia, had a friendbuild a box to send through the mail. Brown poked three breathing holes in it andplaced himself inside. The trip to freedom was rough. At one point the box wasthrown so hard that Brown’s neck was almost broken. Brown reached Philadel-phia, though, and when his Northern friends opened the box, the former slavestood up and fainted.

� SOJOURNER TRUTH


of Ohioans, a rowdy farmer challenged her:The Constitution did not oppose slavery.Was she against the Constitution?

In answer, Sojourner used an examplethe farmer could understand. She knewthat insects called weevils had eaten thatyear’s wheat crop in Ohio. So shedescribed walking near a wheat field andtouching the tall, healthy-looking stalksbut finding no grain there. “I says, ‘God,what’s the matter with this wheat?’ Andhe says to me, ‘Sojourner, there’s a littleweevil in it.’”

The farmer started to interrupt but shewent on: “I hears talk about the Constitu-tion and rights of man. I come up and Itakes hold of this Constitution. It looksmighty big. And I feels for my rights. Butthey not there. Then I says, ‘God, what ailsthis Constitution?’ And you know whathe says to me? . . . ‘Sojourner, there’s a lit-tle weevil in it.’” ★★★

A New Picture of SlaveryMany of the people who read slave nar-

ratives and listened to the stories told byfreed African Americans already believedin abolition. A new novel published in1852, though, brought the cruel story ofslavery to a wider audience, moving themto tears and anger.

Harriet Beecher Stowe came from afamily of well-known educators and cler-gy. After moving from Connecticut toOhio, she heard stories about slavery fromthose escaping by the Underground Rail-road. She also visited plantations in near-by Kentucky. After the passage of theFugitive Slave Act, Stowe used her experi-ences to write the novel Uncle Tom’sCabin—portraying a kindly plantationfamily, the brutal overseer Simon Legree,and a saintly enslaved man, Uncle Tom.

First printed as a series in an abolition-ist newspaper, Uncle Tom’s Cabin came outas a book in 1852. In the first week, it sold10,000 copies. Later it was reprinted in 37languages, sold more than 1 million

copies in the British Empire, and became ahit play. While Stowe portrayed someSoutherners sympathetically, her descrip-tions of a suffering slave and heartlessslaveholder swayed more Northernersthan ever against slavery.

Uncle Tom’s Cabin also turned Southern-ers against the North. In South Carolina,Mary Chesnut spoke for many slavehold-ers when she complained in her diaryabout Stowe and other Northern aboli-tionists. She believed that they did notknow what they were talking about. Theirantislavery opinions, she said, were an“obsession with other decent people’scustoms” and a “self-serving” way tomake money.

★ Kansas-Nebraska ActIn 1854 the political truce over slavery

ended with the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act. Senator Stephen A. Dou-glas of Illinois proposed the act to set up

� WARNING TO AFRICAN AMERICANS


territorial governments in the NebraskaTerritory and to encourage rapid settle-ment of the region. Douglas and otherNorthern leaders also hoped to build atranscontinental railroad through theirstates rather than through the Southernpart of the country.

The Nebraska Territory stretched fromTexas to Canada and from Missouri westto the Rocky Mountains. Douglas knewthat the South did not want to add anoth-er free state to the Union. He, therefore,proposed dividing the region into two ter-ritories, Nebraska and Kansas. In each ter-ritory settlers would decide the issue ofslavery by popular sovereignty.

Leaders throughout the South support-ed the proposal. They believed slavehold-ers in Missouri would move across theborder into Kansas. Eventually, Kansaswould become a slave state. PresidentFranklin Pierce, a Democrat elected in1852, also supported Douglas’s proposal.With the President’s help, Douglaspushed the bill through Congress.

Northerners became outraged. Theyfelt betrayed. Popular sovereignty inKansas and Nebraska, in effect, canceledthe Missouri Compromise. The Kansas-Nebraska Act opened the possibility ofnew slave states in the West—an area thathad been free for more than 30 years.

NebraskaTerritory

New MexicoTerritory

MinnesotaTerritory

UtahTerritory

OregonTerritory

KansasTerritory

WashingtonTerritory

Free states

Slave states

Territory closed to slavery

Territory open to slavery

Indian territory

The Kansas-Nebraska Act divided the NebraskaTerritory into separate territories, and repealedthe prohibition of slavery north of the MissouriCompromise line. The citizens of each territorywould be able to determine by vote whethertheir state would be slave or free.

Kansas-Nebraska Act, 1854

Region The Compromise of 1850 had closed the area ofKansas and Nebraska territories to slaveholding. How didthe Kansas-Nebraska Act affect the agreementreached in the Compromise of 1850?

� KANSAS

FREE-SOIL

POSTER


Bleeding KansasThe passage of the Kansas-Nebraska

Act started a race to win Kansas for oneside or the other. Backers of slavery fromMissouri and other slave states moved tothe territory. Under popular sovereignty,they could vote for Kansas to enter theUnion as a slave state.

To counter the proslavery groups, theNew England Emigrant Aid Societyhelped Free-Soilers, members of the Free-Soil party, to migrate to Kansas and “voteto make it free.” The settlers built thetown of Lawrence, Kansas, which becamea Free-Soil stronghold. Other emigrant aidsocieties in Free-Soil states also sent set-tlers and weapons.

Antislavery settlers soon outnumberedproslavery ones. In 1855 Kansas held elec-tions to choose its lawmakers. Hundredsof drifters known as border ruffianscrossed the border from Missouri. Theyharassed antislavery settlers in Kansasand voted illegally for a proslavery gov-ernment.

As a result, Kansas elected a proslaverylegislature. Its members passed what theFree-Soilers called “black laws.” One lawpunished antislavery talk with 5 years inprison. Another law gave 10 years in jailto anyone caught helping escaped slaves.Antislavery forces refused to obey thenew government in Kansas. They drafteda free-state constitution and elected theirown representative to Congress.

Violence increased. Shootings andbarn-burnings became common. On April23, 1856, a proslavery sheriff was shot out-side the town of Lawrence. Proslaverynewspapers blamed the town’s Free-Soil-ers and cried for war. In May an army ofborder ruffians and proslavery Kansanslooted and burned Lawrence, killing fiveabolitionists in the process.

John Brown, a fanatical abolitionistfrom the Northeast, had come to Kansaswith his 5 sons to join the antislaveryforces. When Brown heard of the murders

at Lawrence, he decided he had to avengethe crime. On the night of May 24, Brownand some followers murdered 5 proslav-ery settlers at Pottawatomie Creek. Morefighting and killing followed. By late 1856,more than 200 people had been killed.Americans began to call the territoryBleeding Kansas.

★ Violence in the SenateThe violence extended to the nation’s

capital, where anger over the issue of slav-ery exploded in the Senate. SenatorCharles Sumner of Massachusetts made along speech viciously denouncing South-ern slaveholders and Senator AndrewButler of South Carolina as supporters ofthe crime of slavery in Kansas. The speechenraged Butler’s nephew, South Carolinarepresentative Preston Brooks.

Two days later—the day after the burn-ing of Lawrence, Kansas—Brooks ap-proached Sumner at his desk on theSenate floor and beat him with a heavycane, splintering the wood. Bleeding andhalf-conscious, Sumner was helped out ofthe Senate. Shocked Northerners viewedSumner as a martyr and held protestmeetings against the violence. For someSoutherners, however, Brooks became ahero. Admirers sent him more canes. Onecane bore the inscription “Hit him again.”Meanwhile in Kansas the struggle overslavery continued. Antislavery settlerseventually won the fight because of theirgreat numbers. In 1861 Kansas entered theUnion as a free state.

★ The Dred Scott DecisionDuring the 1850s Southerners often

criticized the federal government fortreating them unfairly. In 1857, however,the Supreme Court took their side on thequestion of slavery and pushed the Northand South further apart.


In the 1830s an army doctor in Missouribought an enslaved man, Dred Scott. Thedoctor then moved with his household toIllinois, a free state, and next to WisconsinTerritory, where slavery was banned bythe Missouri Compromise. Later the fam-ily returned to Missouri, where the doctordied. In 1846 Dred Scott decided to sue forfreedom for himself and his family. Heclaimed that living in free territory hadmade him a free person.

With the help of antislavery lawyers,Scott’s case eventually reached theSupreme Court. Many of the justices,however, favored slavery. The Court voted7 to 2 against him. On March 6, 1857, ChiefJustice Roger B. Taney (TAW•nee) deliv-ered an opinion that upheld the Southernview that Scott had no right to sue in afederal court. The Court ruled againstScott because the founders of the UnitedStates did not intend for African Ameri-cans to be citizens. In addition, Scott’stravels to free territory had not affected hisstatus as a slave. Slaves were property,said Taney, and the Fifth Amendment pro-hibited Congress from taking propertywithout “due process of law.” He also saidthat the Missouri Compromise ban onslavery north of the 36°30´ line was uncon-stitutional because Congress had no rightto prohibit slavery in the territories. Ineffect, the decision meant that the Consti-tution protected slavery. Abolishing slav-ery would require a constitutionalamendment.

Rather than settling the issue, the DredScott decision aroused bitterness amongthe abolitionists and increased tensionsbetween the North and South. ManySoutherners now happily considered allterritories open to slavery. StunnedNortherners vowed to fight the decision.

Checking for Understanding1. Define Fugitive Slave Act, Kansas-Nebraska

Act. 2. How did the Fugitive Slave Act affect the

abolitionist movement?

Critical Thinking3. Making Comparisons Uncle Tom’s Cabin

sparked high tensions between the Northand South. How was it similar to ThomasPaine’s Common Sense?

4. Analyzing Issues Re-create the diagramshown here, and list the reasons the Dred Scottdecision outraged Northern abolitionists.

� DRED SCOTT The SupremeCourt ruled that as an AfricanAmerican, Dred Scott could notsue for his freedom because he

was not a citizen. What did the Supreme Courtrule unconstitutional in the Dred Scott case?

istoryPicturingH



5. The Arts Find a slave narrative at thelibrary and choose one incident in it. Turn the incident into a brief first-personmonologue that you can present in class.

Dred Scott Decision

How did cotton become the “king” crop inthe southern United States? Europeans andAmericans of the 1700s and 1800s called cot-ton a miracle fiber. It was light, cool, soft,durable, and easy to dye, sew, and care for.Cotton had been one of the first productsbrought from India by British explorers andmerchants in the late 1600s. Employees of theBritish East India Company, suffering inIndia’s hot climate, thankfully exchangedtheir heavy woolen clothes for light cottonclothing. They also began sending supplies ofthe wondrous fabric back to England. Thematerial quickly became immensely popular.

Planters in the southern American coloniesfound that cotton would thrive in the hot,humid climate, though it took the hard workof many people. The South’s growing seasonwas long enough for a cotton crop to ripeneach year.

With the invention of the cotton gin in the1790s, cotton production and exports increasedastoundingly. By 1840 the United States pro-duced more than 60 percent of the world’s

cotton. By 1860Southern planta-tions produced morethan 1 billion pounds(454,000,000 kg) yearly.The greatest amount was still being shipped toEngland. At the same time, however, newAmerican textile factories began to increase thedemand for cotton.

Making the Geography Connection1. How did cotton growing become a part

of the British and American way of life?

2. What geographic factors made it pos-sible for Southern states to base theireconomy on cotton?

551

ACTIVITY3. Using an encyclopedia, make a list of

products using cotton or cottonseed (forexample, clothing, towels, oils). Make alist of ways you use cotton, in as manydifferent categories as possible.

King Cotton

M A T H T H E A R T S E C O N O M I C S S C I E N C E

HistoryAND

G E O G R A P H Y

� COTTON CARDING

PADDLES

� COTTON PICKERS, BY ETHEL MAGAFAN, 1940

GUIDE TO READING

A New Political Party★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★


SECTION 3

� JOHN C. FRÉMONT

Reading StrategyOrganizing Information As you readabout the formation of the Republicanparty, use the diagram shown here to listwhat groups formed the party and what itsmain views were.

Read to Learn . . .★ how the Republican party formed.★ the issues and results of the Lincoln-

Douglas debates.

Terms to Know★ Republicans★ debate★ Freeport Doctrine

Main IdeaA new political party that sought tostop the spread of slavery arose.

Groups

Republican Party

Views

brought together fragmented groups ofstate-level Republicans, abolitionists,Free-Soilers, and anti-Nebraska Whigsand Democrats. Members of the newparty accused Southerners of forcing slav-ery on the territories. Some thought thatthe institution of slavery kept wages lowfor white workers. Others consideredslavery immoral. All Republicans agreedthat Congress should keep slavery out ofthe western territories. Most Republicansdid not expect to eliminate slavery in theSouth.

★ The Election of 1856Members of the new Republican party

met in June in Philadelphia to nominate apresidential candidate. They chose JohnC. Frémont, a western explorer and leader

Disagreement over the Kansas-Nebraska Act split the old Whig party andbrought about new political alliances. TheWhigs had refused to take a stand on slav-ery in the territories. As a result, proslav-ery Whigs drifted into the Democraticparty. Meanwhile Whigs and Democratsopposed to the Kansas-Nebraska Actjoined Free-Soilers in loosely organizedanti-Nebraska groups.

Gradually, the anti-Nebraska groupsunited. They organized first on the statelevel. In Wisconsin they met in the townof Ripon on February 24, 1854. The chair-man suggested that they call themselvesRepublicans. Eventually the Republicansbecame a new national party.

The first national convention of theRepublican party took place in Pittsburgh,Pennsylvania, in February 1856. It


of the California uprising against Mexicoin 1846. Republicans rallied around theircandidate with the cry “Free Men, FreeSoil, Frémont.”

By 1856 the Democratic party wasmade up mostly of Southerners. Meetingin Cincinnati, Ohio, they nominatedJames Buchanan of Pennsylvania, anexperienced diplomat and former mem-ber of Congress. They endorsed the notionof popular sovereignty.

The American party, or Know-Nothingparty, had grown quickly between 1853and 1856 by attacking immigrants andpromoting temperance. The Know-Noth-ings nominated former President MillardFillmore. This new party lost supportquickly because it ignored the issue ofslavery in the territories.

Due to large support in the South,Buchanan won the election. With only aminority of the popular vote, he won allof the Southern states except Marylandand received 174 electoral votes against114 for Frémont and 8 for Fillmore. Fré-mont carried 11 of the 16 free states. Theelection of 1856 made it quite clear thatsectionalism now played a critical role inAmerican politics.

★ Abraham LincolnBecomes a National Figure

As a young man Abraham Lincolnmoved to New Salem, Illinois, where hepurchased a country store. He entered

politics in 1832, losing the race for statelegislator. In 1834 he again ran for the leg-islature and won. During this time hebegan studying law and received hisattorney license in 1836.

Lincoln had belonged to the Whigparty for more than 20 years. From 1834to 1841 he served in the Illinois state leg-islature and in 1846 voters elected him tothe House of Representatives. Republi-cans and not Whigs, though, addressedthe spread of slavery—one of Lincoln’s

Footnotes to HistoryA Humble Start Two Presidents, Millard Fillmore and Andrew Johnson, wereonce indentured servants. An indentured servant, unlike a slave, was under acontract to a master for a certain length of time. Like slaves, though, indenturedservants did not have many rights.

Andrew Johnson ran away from his master. Fillmore served his master for sev-eral years and then bought his freedom for $30.

� JAMES BUCHANAN JamesBuchanan defeated John C.Frémont and Millard Fillmore inthe election of 1856. What

helped Buchanan win the election?

istoryPicturingH


concerns. After the Whig party collapsed,he joined the Republicans. Lincoln cam-paigned vigorously for Frémont. As Illi-nois voters listened to him speak, theyenjoyed the way he made complex argu-ments easy to understand.

People admired Lincoln’s honesty, wit,and soft-spoken manner. He served oneterm in the United States House of Repre-sentatives. Ten years later, in 1858, hedecided to challenge Senator Stephen A.Douglas for his seat in the Senate. Whenaccepting the nomination, Lincoln deliv-ered a stirring speech to a cheering crowdat the Illinois Republican convention. Ashe began to speak, he seemed afraid andstiff, but soon he energetically swung hislong arms and rose up on his toes to stresseach point:

A house divided againstitself cannot stand. I believethis government cannotendure permanently halfslave and half free. I do notexpect the Union to be dis-solved—I do not expect thehouse to fall—but I doexpect it will cease to be divided. . . .

★ The Lincoln-DouglasCampaign

The next month, Douglas kicked off hiscampaign in Chicago. He exclaimed to athrong of excited Democrats that Lin-coln’s “house divided” speech called forwar between the North and South. Dou-glas attacked the idea of African Ameri-can equality. The American government,Douglas claimed, “was made by the whiteman, for the benefit of the white man, tobe administered by white men.”

Speaking the following night, Lincolndenied Douglas’s charge of wanting war.Whereas Douglas thought of slavery as apolitical concern, Lincoln raised themoral question of slavery. Lincoln con-sidered slavery an evil that must be lim-ited so that it would die out. “Let usdiscard all this quibbling about . . . thisrace and that race and the other racebeing inferior.” He urged his listeners to“once more stand up declaring that allmen are created equal.”

Lincoln knew he could not attract thelarge crowds that Douglas did. Therefore,he followed Douglas across the state,often traveling on the same train. Douglasrelaxed in a private car while Lincoln rodein a public coach.

The Great DebatesIn late July Lincoln challenged Douglas

to a series of debates, or public discus-sions, on slavery. After some hesitation,Douglas accepted the challenge. Duringthe campaign, the men debated seventimes. The debates centered on the exten-sion of slavery into the free territories.

Lincoln and Douglas held their firstdebate in Ottawa, Illinois, before a crowdof 10,000 people. The two rivals sat sideby side on the speakers’ platform. Dou-glas—short but powerfully built, with alarge head—looked the part of his nick-name, “Little Giant.” He dressed smartly,sometimes wearing a ruffled shirt and”

“

� ABRAHAM LINCOLN

� AD FOR LINCOLN-DOUGLAS DEBATES


broad-brimmed plantation hat. Tall, thinLincoln, on the other hand, wore a baggysuit and kept his carpetbag of notes besidehim.

Douglas spoke in a deep voice and ges-tured with clenched fists. Knowing thatmany voters disliked abolitionists, helabeled Lincoln and his party “BlackRepublicans.” In a shrill but forcefulvoice, Lincoln accused Douglas of havinga “don’t care” attitude toward the spreadof slavery into the territories. Douglasoften ridiculed Lincoln for declaringAfrican Americans equal to whites.

As the debates continued, Lincolndevised a way to discredit Douglas with-in his own party. During the debate atFreeport, Illinois, Lincoln asked Douglasif the people of a territory could excludeslavery prior to the formation of a stateconstitution. In other words, was popularsovereignty still workable despite theDred Scott decision?

Lincoln had trapped Douglas. If heanswered “yes,” Douglas would appearto support popular sovereignty, therebyopposing the Dred Scott decision. Such ananswer would improve his chances forreelection as a senator but cost him South-ern support for the presidential race in1860. A “no” answer would make it seemas if he had abandoned popular sover-eignty, on which he had based his political

career. This answer would be welcomedin the South, but it might cost him the sen-atorial election.

To solve the dilemma, Douglas statedthat the decision did not necessarily voidpopular sovereignty in the territories. Yes,he admitted that the Supreme Court hadsaid that neither Congress nor the govern-ments of the territories could prohibitslavery by law. On the other hand, inplaces where Free-Soilers made up themajority, they could destroy slavery sim-ply by refusing to pass laws that protectedit. Douglas’s explanation later becameknown as the Freeport Doctrine.

Lincoln continued to stress this funda-mental difference between himself andDouglas. Douglas ignored the moralquestion of slavery, while Lincoln regard-ed it as morally, socially, and politicallyevil.

An End . . . and a BeginningDouglas won the 1858 election by a nar-

row margin and kept his place in the Sen-ate. Still, he lost the support of manyDemocrats outside Illinois. Lincoln wonan impressive popular vote in the state,and the election debates made him anational figure. At the time, however, adisappointed Lincoln predicted that hewould “now sink out of view.”

Checking for Understanding1. Define Republicans, debate, Freeport

Doctrine.

2. How did Abraham Lincoln become a nation-al figure in politics?

Critical Thinking3. Interpreting Primary Sources Why did

Douglas and other Democrats charge thatLincoln’s “house divided” speech was a callfor war between the North and South?

4. Analyzing Issues Re-create the chart shownhere, and describe the position taken byAbraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas intheir debates.



5. Citizenship Choose an idea from one of Lincoln’s speeches and design a bulletinboard display around it.

Douglas’s PositionLincoln-Douglas Debates

Lincoln’s Position

GUIDE TO READING

Election of 1860 and Secession★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★


SECTION 4

� LINCOLN-HAMLINCAMPAIGN FLAG

Reading StrategySequencing Information As you readabout how the nation broke apart, create atime line of events that led to the secessionof Southern states. Use the dates providedas a guide.

Read to Learn . . .★ why John Brown invaded

Harpers Ferry.★ how Southern states tried to form

a separate nation.

Terms to Know★ homestead act★ armory★ Crittenden Plan

Main IdeaIn 1860 Abraham Lincoln capturedthe presidency, which promptedSouthern states to begin secedingfrom the union.

October 1859

November 1860 February 1861

December 1860

The people of Springfield, Illinois,began to jump in the streets, singing andshouting. Some threw their hats in the air.Still others climbed to their rooftops tocheer. In the statehouse, dignified politi-cians rolled on the carpet. Everywhere,people sang:

Ain’t I glad I joined the Republicans,

Joined the Republicans,Joined the Republicans,Ain’t I glad I joined the

Republicans,Down in Illinois.

The wild election-night celebration ofAbraham Lincoln’s victory in the 1860 presidential election echoed in other

”

“

places in the North. In the South, howev-er, the news brought confusion, anger,and despair.

★ An Uneasy DecadeThe United States had little to celebrate

during the 1850s. Year after year, relationsbetween the North and South grewworse. A serious depression, or economicdownturn, hit the North in 1857. To helpbusinesses and poor farmers, Northern-ers pressed for higher tariffs and freeland. Southerners in Congress would notact to raise tariffs, however. Congresspassed a homestead act offering free landto settlers, but President Buchananvetoed it.


Violence over slavery continued to ragein Kansas. Then in October 1859, aboli-tionist John Brown brought his waragainst slavery into Virginia, not far fromthe nation’s capital.

John Brown’s RaidNow almost 60 years old, with a long

white beard, Brown thought of himself asan avenging angel doing God’s will bydestroying slavery, even if it meant killingpeople. Brown had formed a small armyof 18 followers. On the night of October16, 1859, Brown and his men invadedHarpers Ferry, Virginia (now West Vir-ginia). They occupied a federal armory, orstorehouse for weapons. Then they seizeda nearby rifle factory and took severalhostages. They hoped to use capturedguns and rifles to arm all the enslavedpersons in the area and ignite a slaverevolt that would end in freedom for allenslaved African Americans.

By morning, local farmers and militiahad rushed to town in a panic, fearing aslave rebellion. Brown and his followersprobably could have escaped, but Brownrefused. No others tried to escape until itwas too late. By the time Brown tried tonegotiate with the militia, they hadtrapped him.

Rumors spread in Washington of ahuge slave rebellion. President Buchanansent in army troops and a company ofUnited States Marines, commanded byColonel Robert E. Lee. On the secondmorning, the marines—plus a hugecrowd—surrounded Brown. When Brownrefused to surrender, the soldiers battereddown the door and attacked with bayo-nets. One of the officers wounded andcaptured Brown.

John Brown’s raid on the arsenal hadlasted 36 hours. No local people hadjoined his cause. Ten of Brown’s men,including two of his sons, had been killed.Brown’s raiders had killed 4 civilians, 1marine, and 2 slaves.

Reactions in the Northand South

Northerners had mixedreactions to the raid. WasJohn Brown a courageousmartyr to the cause of free-dom or a madman? At histrial, Brown testified in amoving and dignifiedmanner. Northernabolitionists espe-cially admired hishatred for slavery,and many believedthat his executionwould give their causea martyr and hero.

In the South people’s reactions to theraid consisted of fear, anger, and hatred.Southerners became convinced that theycould not live safely in the Union. Northernsupport for Brown horrified Southerners asmuch as the raid itself. Many Southernersfeared the possibility of a slave rebellion,and they became convinced that the Northhoped to produce one.

Southern towns organized militias anddeclared martial law. Rumors of plots andrevolts spread like wildfire. Plantersenforced harsh discipline, threatening towhip or hang any enslaved persons whoacted at all rebellious.

Government authorities convicted JohnBrown of treason and murder and sen-tenced him to hang on December 2, 1859.

★ The Election of 1860John Brown’s raid became a major theme

in the presidential election campaigns of

� JOHN BROWN

Student Web ActivityVisit the American History: The Early Years to 1877 Website at ey.glencoe.com and click on Chapter 17—Stu-dent Web Activities for an activity on John Brown’s raid.

HISTORY

http://www.glencoe.com/sec/socialstudies/ushistory/ahey2001/chapter17/webact.html


1860. Democrats grabbed the chance to hurtRepublicans. They branded the raid a“Black Republican” plot and accused partyleaders of plotting with Brown.

The issue distressed Republicans. Manyadmired Brown’s ideals but not hisactions, which they saw as crimes. “JohnBrown was no Republican,” Lincolnprotested. Still, Southerners remainedsuspicious of Republicans and anyonewho refused to support slavery.

Parties and Their CandidatesThe issue that splintered the nation

also broke apart parties. In 1860 StephenA. Douglas tried to hold onto his leader-ship in the Democratic party. However,he insisted that as President he wouldnot annul laws that discouraged slaveryin the territories.

This stand lost Douglas the support ofSouthern delegates at the Democratic con-vention in Charleston, South Carolina. Itsplit the Democratic party. NorthernDemocrats nominated Douglas for Presi-dent and supported popular sovereignty.Southern Democrats chose John C. Breck-inridge of Kentucky, supporting theideals of the Dred Scott decision.

Alarmed by sectional divisions, a groupof former Whigs put together the Consti-tutional Union party. They nominatedSenator John Bell of Tennessee and cham-pioned the Union and the Constitution,attempting to avoid the slavery issue.

Before John Brown’s raid, Republicansconsidered William H. Seward their firstchoice for President. Many voters, howev-er, considered Seward’s views againstslavery too extreme. Democrats blamedhim for inspiring the raid on HarpersFerry. Abraham Lincoln, who had fewerenemies and remained popular outsidethe Northeast, seemed a safer choice.Although he opposed extending slaveryinto the territories, he conceded Southern-ers’ right to have slavery in the South.

Republican PlatformThe Republican platform also called for

a homestead act, a transcontinental rail-road, and a protective tariff. These goalsappealed to farmers, Westerners, andmanufacturers. Southerners, however,detested the Republicans’ platform andtheir candidate. Many Southernersthought of Lincoln as an abolitionist andbelieved the Republicans wanted to makewar upon the South. They feared that ifLincoln became President, they wouldlose their voice in the national govern-ment. Lincoln’s name did not even appearon the ballot in 10 Southern states. Anewspaper in Atlanta, Georgia, insistedthat the South “would never submit to . . .the inauguration of Abraham Lincoln.” Itpredicted the South would secede ratherthan accept Lincoln as President.

Oreg.

Calif.

Minn.

Iowa

Mo.

Ark.

La.Miss.

Ala.Ga.

Fla.

S.C.N.C.

Va.

Tenn.Ky.

Wis.

Ill. Ind.

Mich.

Ohio

N.Y.

Vt.N.H.

Maine

Mass.

R.I.Conn.N.J.

Del.Md.

Texas

Pa.NonvotingTerritories

Electoral vote:303

Lincoln

Breckinridge

Bell

Douglas

Republican

Southern Democrat

Constitutional Union

Northern Democrat

Popular vote:4,689,568

1,865,593

848,356

592,906

1,382,713

180

72

39

12

Election of 1860

Location Lincoln found support in theNorthern and Western states. Whichstates supported Douglas?


Election ResultsOn November 6, 1860—Election Day—

telegraph wires flashed the results fromthe nation’s polls to Springfield, Illinois.Lincoln and his friends celebrated victo-ries in New England, the Northwest, andPennsylvania. Then the news came thatNew York voted Republican. Those voteswon Lincoln the presidency.

The final tally showed Lincoln carriedevery free state except New Jersey. Thisgave him a majority of the electoral votes.Yet, because of the three-way race, hereceived only 40 percent—less than amajority—of the popular vote.

★ Moving TowardSecession

Southerners reacted differently to Lin-coln’s election. In Charleston, South Car-olina, people set off fireworks and firedcannons to salute the South Carolina flag.Southerners were certain that a newnation would be born in South Carolina.A Charleston newspaper editorial pro-claimed, “The tea has been thrown over-board, the revolution of 1860 has beeninitiated.” A few days later, the UnitedStates senators from South Carolinaresigned from Congress, and the state

Oregon

Texas

Ark.

Kansas

IndianTerr.

Mo.

Iowa

Minn.DakotaTerritory

Nebraska Territory

ColoradoTerritory

New MexicoTerritory

NevadaTerritory

Wash.Territory

UtahTerr.

Wis.

Ill.

Mich.

Ind.Ohio

Ky.

Tenn.

Miss.Ala. Ga.

Fla.

S.C.

MaineVt.N.H.

Mass.

R.I.Conn.

N.J.

N.Y.

Pa.

N.C.Va.

W.Va.*

Md.Del.

La.

Calif.

ATLANTICOCEAN

PACIFICOCEAN

130° W

40° N

30° N

20° N

100° W120° W 110° W 80° W 70° W 60° W90° W

Union free state

*West Virginia seceded from Virginia in 1861 and was admitted to the Union in 1863.

Union slave state

Slave state secedingbefore Ft. Sumter, April 1861

Slave state secedingafter Ft. Sumter, April 1861

Confederate states

2000 400 miles

2000 400 kilometers

Seceding States, 1860–1861

Region After the attack on Fort Sumter, four more Southern states joined theseven that had already seceded from the Union. Which slave statesremained in the Union?


legislature called a convention to decidewhat steps to take. For South Carolina,the time to secede had come.

Dissenting SouthernersNot all Southerners seemed as eager to

leave the Union as the people inCharleston. Alexander H. Stephensimplored the Georgia legislature not to actunless the federal government movedagainst the South. He thought the Southcould defend its rights better within theUnion. Stephens said, however, that ifGeorgians decided to secede, he wouldsupport his state: “Their cause is mycause, and their destiny is my destiny.”

Senator John Crittenden of Kentuckyalso tried to save the Union by proposinghis Crittenden Plan, which involved sev-eral amendments to the Constitution. Onewould guarantee the existence of slaveryin the states where it already existed.Another would bring back the old Mis-souri Compromise line prohibiting slav-ery in the territories but allowing apopular vote at the time of statehood.

Although not yet in office, Lincolnwielded power as head of his party. Headvised Republicans in Congress tooppose the Crittenden Plan. Otherwise,he said, the Republican party wouldbecome “a mere sucked egg, all shell and

no meat—the principle all sucked out.”Republicans voted down the plan.

Secession!On December 20, 1860, before Lincoln

was sworn in as President, delegates atthe South Carolina convention votedunanimously to secede from the UnitedStates. By February 1861, Mississippi,Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana,and Texas had also voted to leave theUnion. These states based their right tosecede on the theory of states’ rights. Theydefined the Constitution as a contractamong sovereign states. The Northernstates had broken that contract by refus-ing to enforce the Fugitive Slave Act andby denying the Southern states their equalrights in the territories.

On February 4, delegates met in Alaba-ma to form a new nation. They named itthe Confederate States of America, or theConfederacy. They elected JeffersonDavis, a former member of Congress andthe cabinet, as president.

Word of the Confederacy spread fast. InGalena, Illinois, a man ran into a leathergoods store owned by a former army offi-cer Ulysses S. Grant. As he blurted out thenews, Grant turned to him and said,“Davis and the whole gang of them oughtto be hung!”

Checking for Understanding1. Define homestead act, armory, Crittenden

Plan.2. What was the goal of John Brown’s raid on

Harpers Ferry?3. Why were there four parties and candidates

in the presidential election of 1860?

Critical Thinking4. Making Comparisons Re-create the dia-

gram shown here, and describe how people

in the North and the South reacted to JohnBrown’s raid.



5. Citizenship Make up a campaign sloganor song for one of the candidates in the1860 presidential election.

John Brown’s RaidNorth

South

561561

Social Studies SkillsBUILDING SKILLSBUILDING SKILLS

Interpreting an Election Map

Learning the SkillAn election map shows the support for

candidates in different areas. For example, apresidential candidate might win manyvotes in western states but very few in theEast.

A presidential election has two kinds ofresults: the popular vote and the electoralvote. The candidate with the most popularvotes in a state wins all that state’s electoralvotes. (The number of electors from eachstate equals the combined number of its sen-ators and representatives in Congress.)

Wis.4

Iowa4

Mo.7

Ark.3

Texas4

NonvotingTerritories

La.6

Miss.6

Ala.9

Tenn. 13

Ky. 12

Ill.9

Ind.12

Ohio23

Mich.5

Va.17

Pa.26

N.Y.36

N.C. 11

S.C.9Ga.

10

Fla.3

Md. 8

Del. 3

N.J. 7Conn. 6

R.I. 4

Mass.12

Maine9Vt.

6

N.H. 6

Electoral vote:

Zachary Taylor

Lewis Cass

Martin Van Buren

Whig

Democratic

Free-soil


1,222,342

291,263

163

127

0

The 1848 Presidential Election, Electoral Votes

Practicing the Skill1. What color is the Democratic party?

2. What was the popular vote for Cass?How many electoral votes did he win?

APPLYING THE SKILL3. In an almanac, newspaper, or other ref-

erence work, find the results of a recentcity, state, or national election. Thencreate an election map with a key.

Glencoe’s Skillbuilder InteractiveWorkbook, Level 1 provides in-struction and practice in key socialstudies skills.

CHAPTER 17 ★ ASSESSMENT


Using Key VocabularyChoose the term in each pair that best com-

pletes the sentence.

1. The (Wilmot Proviso/Freeport Doctrine)would have banned slavery in land obtainedfrom Mexico.

2. The (Compromise of 1850/Kansas-NebraskaAct) reversed the Missouri Compromise’s banon slavery in the lands north of Missouri.

Reviewing Facts1. List the proposals that made up the Compro-

mise of 1850.

2. Describe how Northerners reacted to theFugitive Slave Act of 1850.

3. Explain how the Kansas-Nebraska Act led toviolence in Kansas.

Understanding ConceptsGeography and the Environment1. Re-create the diagram shown here, and list

how the Dred Scott decision weakened thecivil rights of African Americans.

Conflict and Cooperation2. What caused the Democratic party to split in

1860?

History and GeographySlave Versus Free States

Study the maps below and answer the ques-tions.

1. Location After the Compromise of 1850,what territories were left open to slavery?

2. Location Under the Kansas-Nebraska Actwhat territories were left open to slavery?

OregonTerritory

UtahTerritoryCalif.

New MexicoTerritory

MinnesotaTerritory

NebraskaTerritory

KansasTerritory

Missouri CompromiseLine

36°30'

After Compromiseof 1850

After Kansas-NebraskaAct of 1854

New MexicoTerritory

UtahTerritory

OregonTerritory

Wash.Territory

MinnesotaTerr.

UnorganizedTerritory

Calif.

Free states

Slave states

Territory closed to slavery

Territory open to slavery,decision left to votersIndian territory

Slave and Free States

Self-Check QuizVisit the American History: The Early Years to1877 Web site at ey.glencoe.com and click onChapter 17—Self-Check Quizzes to prepare forthe chapter test.

HISTORY

Dred Scott decisionAfrican

Americans’ CivilRights Weakened

http://www.glencoe.com/sec/socialstudies/ushistory/ahey2001/quiz.shtml?BOOK=002&CHAPTER=17&TITLE=Road+to+Civil+War

CHAPTER 17 ★ ASSESSMENT

Practicing SkillsInterpreting an Election Map1. Which party won in Illinois?

2. Where did Buchanan run strongest?

Critical Thinking1. Drawing Conclusions Do you think popular

sovereignty was the best way to decide theslavery issue in new territories? Explain.

Interdisciplinary Activity:Debate

Form a group and have each person play HenryClay, Daniel Webster, John C. Calhoun, or WilliamSeward. Find the speeches these senators gaveabout the Compromise of 1850. Use the speeches tostage a debate for the class.

Technology ActivityUsing a Word Processor

Use the Internet and otherlibrary resources to compile a listof current political parties. Make atable that brieflysummarizeseach party’smain views.

Cooperative

Learning

CHAPTER 17 Road to Civil War: 1850–1860

Using Your JournalLook over your notesabout important peopleof the 1850s and choosethe one who interests youmost. Write a short skitor one-act play in whichthat person is the maincharacter.

History

WritingABOUT

Electoral vote:296

James Buchanan,Democrat

John C. Frémont,Republican

Millard Fillmore,Whig


1,838,169

1,341,264

874,534

174

114

8

Calif.4

Iowa4

Mo.9Ark.

4La.6

Miss.7

Ala.9

Ga.10

Fla.3

S.C.8

N.C. 10

Va. 15

Tenn. 12Ky. 12

Wis.5

Ill.11

Ind.13

Mich.6

Ohio23

N.Y.35

Vt. 5

N.H.5 Maine

8

Mass. 13

R.I. 4Conn. 6

N.J. 7Del. 3

Md. 8

Tex.4

Pa. 27NonvotingTerritories

The Presidential Election of 1856

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

563

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