North and South

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The American Colonization Society proposed to end slavery by establishing an independent colony in Africa for freed slaves. In 1822,
President Monroe founded the nation of
Liberia in Africa


Abolitionist were those people opposed to slavery that wanted it
“abolished” or done away with.
Many wealthy free African
Americans gave a lot of money for the cause, as well as some wealthy white.

The most famous of the African
American abolitionist was Frederick
Douglass. As a child, he defied the
Slave codes and taught himself how
To read. Later he would escape to the
North (Boston) and become the
Leading speaker on the evils of slavery.
And the need for freedom. In 1847, he
Would begin publishing the North Star, an
Anti-slavery newspaper.

Leading white abolitionists included
William Lloyd Garrison, a fiery
Outspoken man who published the
Liberator

Angelina and Sarah
Grimke, think primary
Source reading, were
Daughters of South
Carolina slave holders,
Lectured on the morality
(or lack of) slavery.

Harriet Tubman was
The greatest conductors
Of the Underground
Railroad.

The Underground Railroad would aid
Escaped slaves through the stations to
The North and finally Canada, to escape
Fugitive Slave Laws and gain freedom.

The Missouri Compromise
Was basically an agreement
To keep the balance of free
And slave states. Henry
Clay suggested admitting
Missouri as a slave state and
Maine as a free state.

It also drew an imaginary line
Through the west at Missouri’s
Southern border at 36*/30*N.
This line would show that slavery
Would be permitted south of this
Line and banned north of the line.
Missouri would be the exception.

The issue of slavery spreading
Into western lands was a hot topic.
The Wilmot Proviso called for a law
To ban slavery in lands taken from
Mexico. The House passed the act
But the Senate defeated it.


The events of the Mexican War would fuel the idea of sectionalism. In many cases the North and South were like two different worlds with much disdain for one another. Moderates of the time supported the idea of popular sovereignty or let the people of the region decide by their vote.

In 1848, anti slavery members of
The Democratic and Whig parties
Founded the Free Soil Party. The
Their slogan was “free soil, free
Speech, free labor and free men”.
The main goal of the party was to
Keep slavery out of the west.

Most were not abolitionist
And did not call for an end to
Slavery in the South. Zachary
Taylor, the Mexican War hero
Won the election, but 13 Free
Soilers won seats in Congress
Which elevates the issue of
Slavery to a national issue.

The Gold Rush in California and
The call to admit California as a
Free state, along with fears that
Other territories such as Utah and
Oregon would as well. Heated
Debates and the rumblings of
Secession, place a silent call for the
“Great Compromiser”, Henry
Clay to find a solution.

The feud between Clay and
John C. Calhoun of South
Carolina made it seem as if
No compromise would be
Reached and if the North
Would not agree to the
South’s demands their would
Be a parting or secession.




In 1850, John Calhoun would die and Daniel
Webster would push for a compromise. Henry
Clay set up the Compromise of 1850. which included…
1. California would enter the Union as a free state.
2. Divided the rest of the Mexican cession into the territories of Utah and New Mexico, voters in each territory would decide the issue of slavery by popular soverignty.


3. It ended slavery in Washington D.C.

4. It included a strict Fugitive Slave law.

5. It settled the border dispute between New
Mexico and Texas.

6. It … no, I guess that’s it!

Required all citizens help tp
Catch runaway slaves. People
That allowed slaves to escape
Could be fined $1000. and
Jailed six months. The law
Enraged anti-slavery
Northerners by making them
Responsible to catch runaway
Slaves, linking them to the
Slave system.

Uncle Tom’s Cabin by
Harriet Beecher Stowe
Created a huge stir. The
Novel showed the evils of
Slavery and the injustices of
The Fugitive Slave laws.

Abolitionists in the North were
Enlivened and the majority of
The people in the North beginning
To feel they could no longer ignore
Slavery. Critics stated that the novel
Did not give an accurate picture of
What slave life was really like and it
Is true that Stowe’s exposure to slaves
Was quite limited.

The Kansas-Nebraska Act
Knowing that the south
Would reject another free
State addition, it was
Proposed to split the large
Nebraska territory into two
Territories – Kansas and
Nebraska and that each
Territory could decide the
Issue of slavery by popular
Sovereignty - all Stephen
Douglass’s idea.

The South was happy as
They felt people from
Neighboring Missouri
Would move in and
Create a slave state.
People in the North were
Outraged as the Missouri
Compromise had already
Banned slavery in this area.

The effect of the act led factions from
Both groups to Kansas and created the
Situation known as Bleeding Kansas.
The Territory was marred by voting
Fraud, bullying, and the formation of two
Legislatures, one pro- slavery and one
Anti-slavery. Pro-slavery forces went and
Trashed Lawrence, destroying homes and
The Free Soil Newspaper press.

John Brown led a party of
Anti-slavery men to
Pottawatomie where they drug
Five men out into the middle of
The night and murdered them.
This led to both sides engaging
In guerilla warfare.

Charles Sumner denounces
Pro-slavery legislature of Kansas
And bad mouths elderly Senator
Andrew Butler of South Carolina.
He wasn’t there, but a few days later,
His nephew, Congressman Preston
Brooks went tot the Senate and beat
Sumner senseless with a cane. Ahh,
The golden age of the genteel South.

The Dred Scot Decision – Scot, a slave
Living free in Illinois and Wisconsin
Moves back to Missouri with the
Owner , who then dies. Lawyers argue
That since Scot had lived in a free state
He was a free man. The Court said that
Scot could not file a lawsuit as a slave
Because he was not a citizen. The Court
Went on to say that slaves were property.

It also went on to say that
Congress did not have the power
To outlaw slavery in any territory
Meaning the Missouri Compromise
Was unconstitutional. Can you say
Judicial Review?

The Republican party was formed from
A group of Free Soilers, anti-slavery
Whigs, Northern Democrats and Oddlots
At a party convention in Michigan.
There goal was to stop the spread of
Slavery.

As to slavery, Stephen Douglas
Wanted to settle issue by letting
States and people decide in each
State, or popular sovereignty.
Lincoln wanted to stop the spread
Of slavery to the west, but allow it
To remain in areas that already had
It.

John Brown went to raid the arsenal
Thinking slaves would rebel if armed.
The slaves did not know about the raid
And Brown is captured easily. He sits
Quietly while being tried and
Convicted and is put to death. The
South is jubilant and the North sees
Brown as a martyr.

He wanted to draw a line to the
Pacific enforcing the Missouri
Compromise and add an
Unamendable amendment to the
Constitution making slavery legal.
The compromise bill received little
Support.

The original states that secede are
South Carolina (the first), Alabama,
Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana,
Georgia, and Texas. Jefferson Davis
Will be chosen as the President.

Lincoln’s goals for the nation
Were to preserve the Union and
Avoid war.