Causes of the
American civil war
Which Theory?
Causes of the
American civil war
1.
Culture Theory: Clash of civilizations--sections so different
conflict was inevitable
2.
Western Theory: Struggle to control the West
3.
Economic Theory: Clash of labor and economic systems (rich
mans’ war, poor man’s fight)
4.
Political Theory: States’ rights vs Federal Supremacy
5.
Social Theory: Issue and morality of slavery
6.
Historical Theory: Establishment of Jamestown and
Massachusetts
Western Theory
• Conflict between North and
South to control new
acquisitions in the West—
Manifest Destiny
 Texas
 California
 Oregon
• Politics of the
Transcontinental Railroad
• Wilmot Proviso and the
Expansion of Slavery
Culture Theory
North saw itself as a region of
progress, activity, and
action…saw the south as an
aristocratic medieval region,
evil slave owners
A region of cities, commerce,
technological
advancement—fast-paced,
frenetic
Hamiltonian?
South saw itself as honorable,
noble, and followers of the
code of chivalry…saw the
North as corrupt, full of
immigrants, urban, “pasty
white mechanics” without
honor
A rural, agriculturally based
society with a feudalistic
social structure—deliberate,
traditional
Jeffersonian?
Economic Theory
• Two competing regions –
industrial North vs. agrarian
South
Tariff of 1828 and nullification
crisis
• Free labor vs Slave labor
Compromise tariffs of 1832
and 1833
• High tariffs vs low tariffs
Walker Tariff of 1846
Western lands: free labor vs
slave labor—Free Soil Party
Political Theory
• Political balance in the Senate
• Federal power or states’ rights
 Kentucky and Virginia
Resolutions
 Nullification and Force Bill
 Maysville Road Veto and
Webster-Hayne Debate
 “Gag” Rule and Post Office
Affair
 Hartford Convention
 Bonus Bill
• Whigs vs. Democrats
Social Theory
• Immorality of Slavery
• Nat Turner’s Revolt
• Northern Abolitionism
• Southern defense of the
“peculiar” institution
• Underground Railroad
• Fugitive Slave Law
• “personal” liberty laws
• Uncle Tom’s Cabin
Historical Theory
• The founding of Jamestown
and Massachusetts
• Differences between:
• Puritans and Anglicans
• New England and
Chesapeake
 demographics
 economies
 social structures
 geographies
 labor supply
• Tobacco, indentured
servitude, etc
Early Issues
• Missouri Compromise
• Tariff of Abominations and
Nullification Crisis
• Turner’s Revolt and Rise of
Abolitionism
• Texas Question
• Gag Rule
• Liberty Party
Manifest Destiny: 1840s
• Oregon Territory
• Texas Annexation
• California
• Free Soil Party and Election
of 1848
• Transcontinental Railroad
Compromise of 1850
The Law
Reaction
• Admit California as a free
state
•
Condemned by abolitionists (Young
Guard): “higher law”
• Ban slave trade in
Washington DC
•
Daniel Webster condemned for
“Seventh of March” speech
• Stringent Fugitive Slave Law
•
• Pay Texas $10 million to
redefine borders
Nine Northern states pass
“personal” liberty laws
•
Nashville Convention: protest the
law
•
Southern “fire-eaters” hint at
secession
•
Whigs lose 1852 election and
disappear
• Utah and New Mexico
territories to use popular
sovereignty to settle slavery
issue
Transcontinental
Railroad
Proposals
Solution
Northern Route: Illinois to San
Francisco
Senator Stephen Douglas
(D) from Illinois proposes
the Kansas-Nebraska Bill
Southern Route: New Orleans
to San Diego
Gadsden Purchase: $15 million
Political “hot potato”
Connect West Coast to East
Coast
Ostend Manifesto
Ostend Manifesto
• President Pierce in 1853 sent a
secret delegation to negotiate
with Spain the purchase of Cuba
for $130 million
• Cuba produced mainly sugar
using slave labor
• Negotiations took place in
Ostend, Belgium
• News leaked to the press and a
major controversy ensued:
Federal govt sided with the
“slavocracy”
Uncle Toms’ Cabin
Harriet Beecher
Stowe
• From an abolitionist family
• Visited Kentucky once
• 300,000 copies sold in first year; 2
million sold by 1860
• Popular in Europe
• Placed a human face on slavery;
also created stereotypes
• Harsh Southern reaction; accused
North of “wage” slavery
"So this is the little lady who made
this big war.”
–Abraham. Lincoln
Kansas-Nebraska Act
Sen. Stephen Douglas
Proposed northern route of
transcontinental railroad
through unorganized territory
of old Louisiana Purchase
Used popular sovereignty to
determine slavery in new
territories (above 36o 30’) to
attract Southern votes
Pierce signs bill into law in 1854
Repealed the Missouri
Compromise
“The Little Giant”
Rise of Republican
Party
1852
Republican Party
Whigs lose Presidency
Mix of Free-Soilers, abolitionists,
“conscience” Whigs, Liberty Party
Whigs are split between
“cotton” Whigs and
“conscience” Whigs
•
Favored stronger central government
•
Stronger banking system
•
Both Webster and Clay die in
1852
Opposition to the expansion of
slavery
•
Free homesteads in territories
•
Public education system
Whigs disappear
•
Favored moral reforms
•
Federal funding of transcontinental
railroad and other infrastructure
•
Protective tariffs
•
Immigration restrictions
Republican Party formed in
1854 in Ripon, Wisconsin
“Bleeding” Kansas
Conflict
• People rush into Kansas:
abolitionists and border
“ruffians” from Missouri
• Slave or free state
• Towns sacked and others
burned, 200 settlers killed,
battles, millions in damages
• Lecompton Constitution
controversy: prohibited future
import of slaves, but did not
prohibit slavery
Pottawatomie Massacre
Sumner-Brooks Affair
Charles Sumner
Preston Brooks
• Abolitionist senator from
Massachusetts (Young Guard)
• Congressman from South
Carolina
• Gave speech in Senate”
“Crime against Kansas”
• Nephew of Sen. Butler
• Personal attacked on Sen.
Andrew Butler: "a mistress
who, though ugly to others, is
always lovely to him; though
polluted in the sight of the
world, is chaste in his sight—I
mean, the harlot, Slavery."
• Attacked Sumner in the
Senate with a cane: beaten
to unconsciousness
Sumner-Brooks Affair
• Sumner severely beaten
• Took three years to recover
• Massachusetts re-elects
Sumner in 1858
• South Carolinians send
scores of new canes to
Brooks
• South Carolina re-elected
Brooks
Dred Scott Decision
Dred Scott
• Slave of a physician
• Wife (Harriet) and Scott sue
for freedom in state courts
because they have lived most
of their lives in free territory
• Used Northwest
Ordinances, forbidding
slavery, as grounds for
freedom
Scott v Sandford
(1857)
• In 7-2 vote, Chief Justice
Roger Taney cited the
following:
 Any African descendent,
free or slave, could not be a
citizen of the U.S.
 Congress could not regulate
slavery in the territories
 Missouri Compromise is
unconstitutional
Consequences
Dred Scott
Decision
• Panic of 1857: Only
affected the North
• South overjoyed
• North condemned the
“slavocracy”
• Slavery free to expand
anywhere
• Douglas issues Freeport
Doctrine: cities and
counties could simply not
enforce state law
permitting slavery
LincolnDouglas
Debates
Senate Race in Illinois in
1858
Seven debates in seven towns
Issue: the extension of
slavery
Sen. Douglas won reelection
Launched Lincoln into
national prominence
Debate: Transcript
October, 1859
John Brown’s
Raid
John Brown leads 20 men on
raid at the Federal Arsenal
in Harper’s Ferry
Goal: Incite a slave
insurrection in Virginia
Buchanan sends U.S.
Marines under Robert E.
Lee recapture Federal
arsenal: 10 killed including
two of Brown’s sons
Brown wounded and
captured
Hung on December 2, 1859
John Brown’s
Execution
Last words: “I, John Brown,
am now quite certain that
the crimes of this guilty
land will never be purged
away but with blood. I
had, as I now think, vainly
flattered myself that
without very much
bloodshed it might be
done.”