Lecture 4, Wednesday 9/19/12 – Sectionalism to Secession
Compromise of 1850 -what did it do? – [For Friday, check out the Christiana Riot and find a source about it]
The Fight over Kansas – Problematic Popular Sovereignty in Action, S. Douglas & K-N Act 1854
Consequences: artificial immigration & rival governments
Missouri Border Ruffians / New England Emigrant Aid Co rival territorial governments, one pro-slavery, one anti- [March/ Nov.1855]
“ Bleeding Kansas ” - Spring 1856 – Lawrence, Pottowatomie Creek, etc.
Bleeding Sumner : Preston Brooks & Charles Sumner -- [5/1856] --
“
The Crime Against Kansas
”
Dred Scott Case – 1857 – African Americans as Citizens?
-- Validity of Missouri Compromise?
-- Validity of Popular Sov.?
Political Manifestation of Sectional Tension on the National Level
Why a Republican Victory in 1860? Pol. Backgrnd.– rise of new parties/end 2 nd party syst.
Trouble for the Democrats in the 1850s
Stephen Douglas’s complicated road to a presidential nomination
Kansas-Nebraska 1856
Freeport Doctrine [Freeport, IL] – 1858 -- llinois’s Senatorial election
Envisioning Extremists at the Gate
John Brown’s Raid on Harper’s Ferry, VA [1859]
1860 election campaign – four candidates

Response to Lincoln’s election
Secession – Lower South
Secessionists – who were they?
The Legality of Secession?
Fort Sumter -- “Star of the West”
Creation of the Confederacy – February 1861/ Montgomery, AL/ moderates in command

How can I grow in stature as a politician?
…would a big railroad help?
Stephen Douglas -- IL Senator
Pop. Sovereignty  Kansas-Nebraska
Act - 1854

Stephen Douglas
IL Senator – Head of Senate
Committee on Territories
Popular Sovereignty
Kansas-Nebraska Act
“ If we will only act conscientiously and rigidly upon this great principle of popular sovereignty, which guarantees to each State and Territory the right to do as it pleases on all things, local and domestic, instead of Congress interfering, we will continue at peace one with another . . . Under that principle we have become, from a feeble nation, the most powerful on the face of the earth, and if we only adhere to that principle, we can go forward increasing in territory, in power, in strength and in glory until the Republic of America shall be the North Star that shall guide the friends of freedom throughout the civilized world.
” – Senator Stephen
Douglas,1858

John Brown

Lecture 4, Wednesday 9/19/12 – Sectionalism to Secession
Compromise of 1850 -what did it do? – [For Friday, check out the Christiana Riot and find a source about it]
The Fight over Kansas – Problematic Popular Sovereignty in Action, S. Douglas & K-N Act 1854
Consequences: artificial immigration & rival governments
Missouri Border Ruffians / New England Emigrant Aid Co rival territorial governments, one pro-slavery, one anti- [March/ Nov.1855]
“ Bleeding Kansas ” - Spring 1856 – Lawrence, Pottowatomie Creek, etc.
Bleeding Sumner : Preston Brooks & Charles Sumner -- [5/1856] --
“
The Crime Against Kansas
”
Dred Scott Case – 1857 – African Americans as Citizens?
-- Validity of Missouri Compromise?
-- Validity of Popular Sov.?
Political Manifestation of Sectional Tension on the National Level
Why a Republican Victory in 1860? Pol. Backgrnd.– rise of new parties/end 2 nd party syst.
Trouble for the Democrats in the 1850s
Stephen Douglas’s complicated road to a presidential nomination
Kansas-Nebraska 1856
Freeport Doctrine [Freeport, IL] – 1858
Illinois’s Senatorial election
Envisioning Extremists at the Gate
John Brown’s Raid on Harper’s Ferry, VA [1859]
1860 election campaign – four candidates

Rep. Preston Brooks
[SC]
Sen. Charles Sumner [MA]
Sen. Andrew Butler [SC]

Dred Scott Case 1857
The justices addressed three questions:
Could a black person be a citizen and therefore sue in federal court?
Did residence in a free state make Scott free?
Did Congress possess the power to prohibit slavery in a territory?

Lecture 4, Wednesday 9/19/12 – Sectionalism to Secession
Compromise of 1850 -what did it do? – [For Friday, check out the Christiana Riot and find a source about it]
The Fight over Kansas – Problematic Popular Sovereignty in Action, S. Douglas & K-N Act 1854
Consequences: artificial immigration & rival governments
Missouri Border Ruffians / New England Emigrant Aid Co rival territorial governments, one pro-slavery, one anti- [March/ Nov.1855]
“ Bleeding Kansas ” - Spring 1856 – Lawrence, Pottowatomie Creek, etc.
Bleeding Sumner : Preston Brooks & Charles Sumner -- [5/1856] --
“
The Crime Against Kansas
”
Dred Scott Case – 1857 – African Americans as Citizens?
-- Validity of Missouri Compromise?
-- Validity of Popular Sov.?
Political Manifestation of Sectional Tension on the National Level
Why a Republican Victory in 1860? Pol. Backgrnd.– rise of new parties/end 2 nd party syst.
Trouble for the Democrats in the 1850s
Stephen Douglas’s complicated road to a presidential nomination
Kansas-Nebraska 1856
Freeport Doctrine [Freeport, IL] – 1858
Illinois’s Senatorial election
Envisioning Extremists at the Gate
John Brown’s Raid on Harper’s Ferry, VA [1859]
1860 election campaign – four candidates

Lincoln-Douglas Debates
1858 Senatorial Election
Freeport Doctrine – “ slavery cannot exist a day or an hour anywhere unless supported by local police regulations ”
Interpretation: Slavery as unnatural institution, needing unnatural protection

Response to Lincoln’s election
Secession – Lower South
Secessionists – who were they?
The Legality of Secession?
Fort Sumter -- “Star of the West”
Creation of the Confederacy – February 1861/ Montgomery, AL/ moderates in command

THE STEAMSHIP "STAR OF THE WEST.
“
From Harper
’ s Weekly, January 19, 1861

• If cotton had not become the premier cash crop, would sectionalism have been a problem in the
United States?
• If US territory had remained bound to the eastern side of the Mississippi River, would sectionalism have intensified?
• It Texas had remained outside of the US, would that have altered the course of events?
• If the US had not gone to war with Mexico, would the North and South have become so diatremically opposed to one another around one issue?