ROAD TO CIVIL WAR: 1848-1861
ROAD TO CIVIL WAR: 1848-1861 Review
In the wake of the Mexican War, sectional tensions over the Mexican Cession were temporarily eased by the
Compromise of 1850.
IX. Antislavery literatureA. Harriet Beecher Stowe: Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852)
B. Hinton Helper: The Impending Crisis of the South (1857)
X. Election of 1856A. James Buchanan – Democrat -- Platform: popular sovereigntyB. John C. Fremont – Republican -- Platform: non-extension of
slavery C. Millard Fillmore -- American
(“Know-Nothing”) Party-- Platform: anti-immigration
D. Results: Buchanan victorious
Theme #3The passage of the
Kansas-Nebraska Act destroyed the Compromises of 1820 and 1850 and spurred the creation of the Republican party, placing North and South on a direct course toward Civil War.
Kansas-Nebraska Act
VII. Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854): most important short-term cause of the Civil War
A. Stephen Douglas proposed splitting the Nebraska Territory into two: Kansas and Nebraska
1. Response to Gadsden Purchase
2. Wanted Illinois to be the eastern terminus for a new transcontinental railroad
Stephen Douglas“The Little Giant”
B. Bill passed in 18541. Northerners were shocked: saw the Compromise of
1820 as “sacred” a. Many northerners now
were unwilling to obey the Fugitive Slave Law
b. Anti-extension of slavery movement grew significantly
2. Wrecked the two previous compromises (1820 &
1850)
The Kansas-Nebraska Act
An 1856 Cartoon
An 1856 cartoon depicts a giant freesoiler being held down by James Buchanan and Lewis Cass standing on the Democratic platform marked "Kansas", "Cuba" and "Central America". Franklin
Pierce also holds down the giant's beard as Douglas shoves a black man down his throat.
C. Birth of the Republican party
1. Formed in response to the Kansas-Nebraska Act a. Included Whigs,
northern Democrats, Free-Soilers, and some Know Nothings
b. Lincoln came out of political retirement and ran for Illinois senate seat
2. Impact: emerged as the nation’s second major
party overnight3. Largely banned in the
South
Election of 1856
VIII. “Bleeding Kansas”A. New England Emigrant Aid
Company-- “Beecher’s Bibles”
B. Southerners were furious the spirit of the Kansas-Nebraska
Act was being violated C. 1855 election in Kansas for the first territorial legislature
1. Missouri “border ruffians” -- “Vote early and vote
often” 2. Southerners won the
election 3. Northerners boycotted it
D. Attack on free-soil Lawrence, Kansas
E. Preston Brooks canes Charles Sumner
1. Charles Sumner’s speech2. Preston Brooks’ attack3. Significance
F. John Brown: Pottawatomie Massacre, May 18561. Revenge for sack of Lawrence and caning of Sumner
2. A mini-civil war in Kansas broke out that later
merged with the Civil War
G. Lecompton Constitution (1857) 1. Kansas applied for statehood based on popular sovereignty 2. Southerners drafted a pro-
slavery constitution 3. Free-soilers once again
boycotted the election 4. President Buchanan supported the Lecompton Constitution 5. Douglas opposed it
6. Congress sent it back to Kansas 7. Kansas was denied statehood
H. Kansas issue split the Democratic party
1. Buchanan’s support for Kansas split the party along sectional lines
2. Douglas’ opposition to Kansas alienated him among
southerners3. Republicans would win the election of 18604. Lack of unified national
parties meant the Union could not hold
President James Buchanan1857-1861Democrat
Theme #4Major North-South crises
in the late 1850s culminated in the election of Republican Abraham Lincoln to the presidency in 1860. His election caused seven southern states to secede from the Union and form the Confederate States of America.
XI. Dred Scott Decision (March, 1857)A. Scott lived with his master for 5
years in Illinois and Wisconsin territories-- He sued for his freedom
arguing that he had lived on free soil
B. Three main questions before Supreme Court1. As a black man, was Scott
a citizen with a right to sue in federal courts?
2. Had prolonged residence in a free state and territory make Scott free?
3. Did Congress have the right to impose the 36˚30’ line to restrict slavery in certain areas of Louisiana Territory?
C. Roger B. Taney’s Decision 1. Scott was a slave & not a citizen
-- Result: All blacks, North & South, were no longer
citizens! 2. Slaves could not be taken away from owners without due process of law (5th Amendment)
-- Slaves could be taken
into any territory and held there
3. Missouri Compromise was ruled unconstitutional
-- Congress couldn’t
forbid slavery in the territories even if the territories wished it
D. Impact1. Contributed to the split in
the Democratic party a. Northern Democrats
who favored popular sovereignty were horrified (e.g. Stephen Douglas)
b. Southern proslavers were overjoyed and saw the possibility for the creation of several new slave states in the territories
2. Republicans were infuriated
a. Many claimed that the decision was merely
an “opinion” and that it was non-binding
b. Southern proslavers saw the Republican view as further evidence that the North would not obey the Constitution
XII. Financial Crash of 1857A. Causes
1. Overspeculation on railroads and land
2. Inflation due to California “Gold Rush”3. Overproduction of grain
(Crimean War)
B. Results1. Industrial North was
hardest hit -- Southerners boasted
that “King Cotton” was superior to the flawed northern economy
2. Renewed demand for free farms in the West3. Demand for higher tariffs
XIII. Lincoln-Douglas DebatesA. Republican Abraham Lincoln vs. Stephen Douglas for Illinois’
national senate seat 1. Douglas was one of the most powerful politicians in the country
2. Lincoln’s “House Divided” Speech: given during his acceptance of his
nomination
*See next slide for excerpt
“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. Either the opponents of slavery will arrest the further spread of it, and place it where the public mind shall rest in the belief that it is in the
course of ultimate extinction; or its advocates will push it
forward, till it shall become alike lawful in all the States, old as well as new — North as well as South.”
Abraham Lincoln, 1858
B. Lincoln challenged Douglas to a series of seven debates
1. Douglas advocated for popular sovereignty
2. Lincoln advocated non- extension of slavery3. Debates received national attention
C. Freeport Doctrine1. Lincoln insisted Douglas address the Dred
Scott case2. Douglas declared a
territory could pass laws to undermine slavery
3. Douglas’ position further split the Democratic party and damaged his run for president in 1860
D. Results1. Douglas’ popular
sovereignty position prevailed
2. Steppingstone for Lincoln’s presidential ambitions 3. Cost Douglas the presidency in 1860
XIV. John Brown attacks Harper’s Ferry, 1859
A. Brown’s scheme: invade Virginia and start a massive
slave rebellionB. Attack failed; several were killed and Brown was captured and executed
U.S. forces, led by Capt.
Robert E. Lee, attack
Brown’s position.
C. Northern abolitionists viewed Brown as a
martyr
D. Viewed as ominous in southern eyes
1. Brown seen as an agent of northern abolitionism and anti- slavery conspiracy
2. Southern states began to arm
3. Perhaps the most important cause of disunion (except for Lincoln’s election)
XV. Election of 1860A. Nominating conventions of 1860
1. Democratic party split in two
a. Northern Democrats nominated Stephen
Douglas b. Southern Democrats nominated John C. Breckenridge2. Constitutional-Union
Party: John Bell
3. Republicans nominated Lincolna. Republican platform Non extension of slavery Protective tariffs Transcontinental railroad Internal improvements Free homesteads No loss of rights for
immigrantsb. Southerners threatened secession if Lincoln
was elected
An 1860 Republicancampaig
n flag
Lincoln and Stephen Douglas struggle to control the northern and western states while John C. Breckinridge claims the south and John
Bell attempts to glue the map back together.
Bell: “Bless my soul I give up”
Breckenridge: “ That long legged abolitionist is getting ahead of us all
Douglas: “I never run so in my life”
B. Election Results 1. Lincoln elected with only 40% of the vote
-- Most sectional election in U.S. history
2. The Democrats still had control of both houses of Congress which was dominated by the South
-- A majority of Supreme Court justices were southerners
President Abraham Lincoln
1861-1865Republican
XVI. Southern states secede from the Union
A. December 1860, South Carolina unanimously voted to secede from the UnionB. 6 other states seceded during
Buchanan’s “lame duck” period: MS, FL, AL, GA, LA, TXC. Confederate States of
America-- Jefferson Davis
D. Buchanan’s response
E. Reasons for southern secession1. Political balance seemed to
favor the North2. Hated victory of the
Republican party that seemed anti-South
3. Angry over free-soil criticism & abolitionism, northern
interference (Underground RR), and John Brown’s raid
4. Many southerners thought secession would be
unopposed5. Desired end to dependence
on the North 6. South had the moral high ground
XVII. Crittenden Compromise1. Motive: appease the
South2. Provisions3. Lincoln’s response
XVII. Crittenden Compromise1. Motive: appease the
South2. Provisions3. Lincoln’s response
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