Give Me Liberty- Chapter 13- A House Divided, 1840-1861
What combination of issues and events fueled the creation of the Republican Party in the 1850s?
I. The Rise of the Republican Party
a. The Northern Economy
i. What was the immediate cause of political transformation the mid-1850s?
1. Explain what the rise of the Republican Party reflected
2. Explain what allowed for the unification of the Republican Party
ii. Describe the integrated economy that had developed in the North by 1860
b. The Rise and Fall of the Know-Nothings
i. Define nativism
ii. Explain why the Know-Nothings were called the “Know Nothings”
1. What were they dedicated to?
a. In which states did they win elections/support?
i. Describe what groups came together to form the Know-Nothings in the North
2. Explain why most immigrants could vote. Why was this significant?
c. The Free Labor Ideology
i. In 1856, which groups made up the Republican Party?
1. What did the party’s appeal rest in? How did it glorify the North?
a. According to the Republicans, what was the defining quality of northern society?
b. Summarize why the struggle over the West was so important.
c. Were Republicans abolitionists?
d. Bleeding Kansas and the Election of 1856
i. Describe what happened when Kansas held their election in 1854 and 1855
ii. Define “Bleeding Kansas”
iii. Describe what happened in Congress between Preston Brooks and Charles Sumner
iv. Summarize the candidates and results of the election of 1856
What enabled Lincoln to emerge as president from the divisive party politics of the 1850s?
II. The Emergence of Lincoln
a. The Dred Scott Decision
i. Describe who Dred Scott was and what he did/wanted
1. What three questions were the Justices addressing
2. Summarize the overall decision of the court
a. The court went beyond their decision- what else did the court decide about Scott?
i. What was declared unconstitutional? Why?
b. The Decision’s Aftermath
i. How did the decision affect the Supreme Court?
ii. How did the decision impact the party system
iii. What was the Lecompton Constitution?
1. How did this impact Douglas and Kansas
2. What did this convince southern democrats?
c. Lincoln and Slavery
i. Describe Lincoln’s background
ii. Summarize Lincoln’s beliefs on slavery and what he was inflexible about
d. The Lincoln-Douglas Campaign
i. Summarize what Lincoln meant by “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” (Include his beliefs on popular
sovereignty)
ii. Describe the Lincoln-Douglas debates and each person’s view of freedom
iii. Explain how Lincoln shared many racial prejudices of his day
iv. Who was reelected, why?
1. What was the 17th amendment? How would it have changed the outcome of the election?
2. Why was the outcome “remarkable”?
e. John Brown at Harpers Ferry
i. How did it impact the country?
ii. Who was John Brown?
iii. Explain what happened on October 16, 1859
1. What happened to John Brown?
f. The Rise of Southern Nationalism
i. Define Ostend Manifesto
ii. Who were “fire-eaters” and why did they want?
g.
h.
i.
The Democratic Split
i. Explain why Douglas was unacceptable to political leaders in the Deep South.
ii. Who was nominated from each part of the South?
The Nomination of Lincoln
i. Summarize why Lincoln was nominated as the Republican’s candidate.
1. Explain his party’s platform
The Election of 1860
i. Summarize the “two presidential campaigns” that took place in 1860
ii. Explain what was most striking about the election returns
iii. Explain why Lincoln was elected in 1860
What were the final steps on the road to secession?
III. The Impending Crisis
a. The Secession Movement
i. What did southerners believe was at stake?
1. What happened after Lincoln’s election?
i. Who was first to secede? Why?
b. The Secession Crisis
i. Explain why Buchanan was paralyzed
ii. Summarize the Crittenden compromise/plan
iii. Explain who made up the Confederate States of America and their government
c. And The War Came
i. Explain why Lincoln did not believe war was inevitable?
1. Summarize Lincoln’s inaugural address
ii. Describe Lincoln’s first month as president
1. What was Lincoln’s goal with regards to hostilities with the South
iii. Summarize what happened at Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861