Two Nations
North
•Against slavery, but
prejudice exists.
South
•Pro-slavery – viewed
it as one big happy
family. Believes the
North is motivated by
profit.
•Uncle Tom’s
•Cannibals All!(1857)
Cabin(1852) – Harriet – George Fitzhugh
Beecher Stowe
Two Nations
North
South
•Advanced in banking
industry, transportation,
trade, manufacturing.
•Large population(21.5
million)
•Primarily
agricultural. Very
slow to modernize.
•Smaller
population(9
million)
The Coming of the Civil War
The Compromise of 1850
Background –
•California applied for statehood as a free
state.
•Equal balance between slaves states and
free states is threatened.
The Coming of the Civil War
The Compromise of 1850
•California is admitted as a free state.
•In territories won from Mexico, voters will
decide slavery issue.
•Sale of enslaved people outlawed in
Washington D.C.
•Fugitive Slave Act requires all citizens to
help return escaped slaves.
The Coming of the Civil War
The Compromise of 1850
The Effects –
•Compromise is only temporary.
•Neither Northerners or Southerners are
satisfied.
The Coming of the Civil War
Rise of New Parties –
•Decline of the Whigs
•Rise of the Know-Nothings (antiimmigration, nativists, anti-Catholic, antislavery, pro-Americanize)
•**Republicans – Anti-slavery, nativists,
consisted of some Free Soilers, small business
people, farmers, and craft workers.
The Coming of the Civil War
Kansas-Nebraska Act –
•Proposed by Stephen Douglas.
•Looked to benefit from western
development and had further political goals.
•Needed support from both Northern and
Southern Democrats.
•Supported Popular Sovereignty – let the
people in the territory decide on the issue of
slavery. Seeking to repeal the Missouri
Compromise.
The Coming of the Civil War
“Bleeding Kansas” –
•Proslavery and antislavery groups poured
into Kansas to win a majority of the votes to
decide issue of slavery.
•Antislavery Free-Soilers set up communities.
•Proslavery – Capital at Lecompton
•Antislavery (John Brown) – Capital at Topeka
•Summer of violence in these areas.
The Coming of the Civil War
“Bleeding Sumner”•Charles Sumner (antislavery speech) vs.
Andrew Butler (proslavery).
•Preston Brooks (member of the House and
nephew of Butler) attacked Sumner at his
Senate desk.
The Coming of the Civil War
The Election of 1856 –
•James Buchanan (Democrat) vs. John C.
Fremont (Republican). Buchanan wins with
strong support from the South.
Dred Scott Decision –
•The Supreme Court ruled that slaves were
not citizens, had no right to sue, and had no
Due Process. In addition, Congress had no
power to regulate or ban slavery.
The Coming of the Civil War
John Brown’s Raid –
•Federal arsenal at Harper’s Ferry, Virginia.
•Brown and supporters seized arms and gave
them to enslaved people to promote a
rebellion.
•John Brown was hanged for treason.
•Northerners hailed Brown as a martyr while
Southerners believed he was a criminal.
The Coming of the Civil War
The Election of 1860 –
•Lincoln (Republican), Breckenridge (S.
Democrat), Bell (Constitutional Union Party),
Douglas (Democrat).
•Border States and Lower South have two
different candidates.
•Lincoln wins and the Lower South secedes to
form the Confederate States of America and
elects Jefferson Davis as President.
Presidential
Candidate
Abraham Lincoln (B)
John Breckenridge (G)
John Bell (Y)
Stephen Douglas (R)
Political
Party
Popular Vote
Electoral Vote
Republican
1,855,993
39.65%
180
59.4%
Southern Democrat
851,844
18.20%
72
23.8%
Constitutional Union
590,946
12.62%
39
12.9%
Democratic
1,381,944
29.52%
12
4.0%
The Coming of the Civil War
Crittenden Compromise –
•Last minute compromise that would allow
slavery in territories south of 36* 30*.
•Lincoln opposed the plan and the Senate
rejected it.
The Coming of the Civil War
The Attack on Fort Sumter –
•Federal troops occupied Fort Sumter in
Charleston, South Carolina.
•Lincoln sent needed supplied to the Fort.
•The Confederates opened fire on the fort
and captured it.
•Lincoln believes this is an act of rebellion
and calls on volunteers to fight.
•The Upper South secedes from the Union.