Slavery Dominates Politics

Chapter 15, section 3

Republican Party Forms*Whig party split over slavery issue!-Northern Whigs joined with slave

opponents and formed the Republican Party.

-gained support in the N. *1856 Presidental Election:Republicans: John C. FremontDemocrats: James Buchanan *wins*Fremont still won 11 Northern states

showing how nation was sharply split on slavery.

Republican John C. Fremont

Democrat James BuchananWon election of 1856

Case of Dred Scott*Slave taken into free

states by his master-claimed he was now free

and sued for freedom*Case: Dred Scott v.

Sandford, reached Supreme Court

**Ruling: Not a citizen, therefore cannot sue in U.S. courts and were property (voted 7-2)

*The decision heightened tensions between the North and the South, causing outrage among abolitionists, slaves and their sympathizers.

SOOOO…..What happened to Dred Scott?*Dred Scott, his wife and daughters were

formally freed by his owner on May 26, 1857, less than three months after the Supreme Court decision.

*Scott worked as a porter (carrier) in St. Louis for about 17 months before he died from tuberculosis in September 1858.

Lincoln-Douglas Debates*Rep. believed Dem. wanted to make

slavery legal in all states.Main target: Senator Stephen A.

Douglas (Democrat from Illinois)*1858, Douglas ran for reelection to

senate. *Rep. Abraham Lincoln ran against

him.*Had a series of debates about the

expansion of slavery.

Stephen Douglas

Abraham Lincoln

*Position??Lincoln: Argued that slavery should NOT be

expanded.Douglas: Argued that voters in each territory should

decide the slavery issue for themselves. Who won?? Douglas won

However!! The Lincoln-Douglas debates made Lincoln a national figure!!

Harpers Ferry*Abolitionist John Brown hoped to inspire

slaves to rebel.*October 16, 1859: Captured the

weapons in the U.S. arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia

*Sent word to arm slaves, slaves did not join the fight

*Brown was captured, tried, convicted, and executed.

*Brown praised in North, South furious at this

Abolitionist John Brown

Lincoln’s Election &Southern Secession!

Chapter 15, Section4

Presidential Election 1860*Republican candidate – Abraham LincolnNorthern Democratic candidate – Stephen

A. DouglasSouthern Democratic candidate – John

Breckinridge Why two Democrats???*Democrats could not agree on what to say

about slavery!Northern Democrats: Support popular

sovereignty (let people vote)Southern Democrats: Defend slavery

The Election of 1860*Lincoln and Breckinridge had most

extreme views on slavery. Lincoln: Against expanding into the

territoriesBreckinridge: Wanted federal

government to protect slavery in any territory.

*Nation tired of compromise!!!-Lincoln won the North. -Breckinridge won the South.

RepublicanAbraham Lincoln

Southern DemocratJohn Breckinridge

*North had more people…Lincoln won the election.

*Lincoln said he would do nothing about slavery in the South.

*White Southerners did not trust him.-Viewed his victory as a THREAT to

slavery and their way of life!*Southerners warned: If Lincoln were

elected, the Southern states would secede, or withdraw from the Union!

Yikes!!

Southern States Secede*Dec. 1860 – South Carolina 1st state to

secede*By Feb. 1861, six more-formed the Confederate States of America*Jefferson Davis President of Confederacy.Union Response???-Northerners said unconstitutional!Pres. Buchanan said states didn’t have the

right to leave the Union: federal government, not states, was sovereign.

Lincoln and the South*Assured South he would not abolish

slavery*Spoke strongly against secession*Did not want to force the South to stay in

the Union.

*Several forts in South under Union control that needed to be resupplied.

*Whole nation waited to see what would happen…..