Cultural, Political, and Economic
Gap between North and South

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Are there any correlations between current political tension and the tension that led to the Civil War?
Do you think a Civil War could occur today?

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How would each of the following schools of thought view the causes of the Civil War?
- Progressivism
- Liberalism
- Republicanism
- Multiculturalism

Cotton Production after the invention of Cotton Gin 1793

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Let the first of January, the day of the abolition of the slave trade in our country, be set apart in every year, as a day of publick thanksgiving for that mercy. Let the history of the sufferings of our brethren, and of their deliverance, descend by this means to our children, to the remotest generations.
A Thanksgiving sermon, preached January 1, 1808, in St.
Thomas's (or the African Episcopal) Church, Philadelphia, by
Absalom Jones

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 http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/ natturner/slave_rebellions.html
Constant fear in minds of South
Plantation owners fear manumission / emancipation / abolition
Demonstrates presence of religion, education, and organization amongst slaves

Concentration of enslaved populations in US

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Cotton 50% of American exports
(1840)
– North and Britain benefited
Monopolistic
Financial instability
Dependence on a one-crop economy

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Cost of Slaves
– Fed on $0.10 a day
– Field hands could cost 1200-1800 by 1860
4 million slaves by 1860
Slaves as investments ($2 billion by 1860)
Profitable?
– Southern farms were 35-53% more efficient overall than Northern farms
– By 1890 slave prices would have increased 50%

South
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Some railroad development
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Less access to paved roads
Dependent on
North and Europe
North
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Railroad boom beginning
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Numerous paved roads and canals
Not as dependent on Europe

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South fails to industrialize
South lacks manufactured goods
North and Northwest connected more

North
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Industrial
Revolution
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Hired Labor
Canals, Turnpikes,
Railroads
Favored Tariffs and
Protectionism
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South
Agrarian Society
Slave Labor
Lack of infrastructure
Against Tariffs-
Nullification argument

South
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Guiding Principles-
“Benevolent Paternalism”
Old Order- Feudalism
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Based off of Ancient philosophies - Aristotle
King Cotton- lack of economic diversity = dependence on slavery
North
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Guiding Principles-Free market capitalism
New Order / Social Mobility
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Based off of Enlightenment philosophies- Smith
Industrial Rev- growing economic diversity = demands for competition

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North and South want to expand their economic systems
Both encourage strict adherence to principles
Carries over into political and social divisions between North and South

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Tone of the early part of the speech:
What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July? I answer; a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim. To him, your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty, an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sound of rejoicing are empty and heartless; your denunciation of tyrants brass fronted impudence; your shout of liberty and equality, hollow mockery; your prayers and hymns, your sermons and thanks-givings, with all your religious parade and solemnity, are to him, mere bombast, fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocrisy -- a thin veil to cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages. There is not a nation on the earth guilty of practices more shocking and bloody than are the people of the United States, at this very hour.

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Change in tone by conclusion:
Allow me to say, in conclusion, notwithstanding the dark picture I have this day presented, of the state of the nation, I do not despair of this country. There are forces in operation which must inevitably work the downfall of slavery. "The arm of the Lord is not shortened," and the doom of slavery is certain. I, therefore, leave off where I began, with hope. While drawing encouragement from "the Declaration of Independence," the great principles it contains, and the genius of American Institutions, my spirit is also cheered by the obvious tendencies of the age. Nations do not now stand in the same relation to each other that they did ages ago. No nation can now shut itself up from the surrounding world and trot round in the same old path of its fathers without interference.
The time was when such could be done. Long established customs of hurtful character could formerly fence themselves in, and do their evil work with social impunity.
Knowledge was then confined and enjoyed by the privileged few, and the multitude walked on in mental darkness.

North
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Federal
Government
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Free Soil Party
Abolitionists
Republican Party
Death of Whigs
South
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States’ Rights
Popular Sovereignty
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Fire Eaters
Nullification
Divisions in
Democratic Party

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1848- Zachary Taylor Whig (dies in office)
1850- Millard Fillmore Whig
1852- Franklin Pierce Democratic
1856- James Buchanan Democratic
1848 and 1852- Free Soil Candidate
1856- Know Nothing or Nativist Candidate

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CA free state
Other territories from Mexico- popular sovereignty
Wash D.C. end of slave trade
Fugitive Slave
Challenges Missouri Compromise

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Negates Missouri Compromise
Unofficial deal Nebraska Free and
Kansas slave
Popular Sovereignty= Bleeding of
Kansas
Lecompton Constitution Controversy

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Dred Scott lived in Free State / Territory moved to slave state
Supreme Court ruled against Scott
Supreme Court determines slaves are property not citizens
African Americans cannot be citizens- Chief
Justice Taney
Congress cannot make laws about slavery
Missouri Compromise, Compromise of 1850 and Kansas Nebraska Act - unconstitutional

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Financial Crisis in North
Speculation bottoms out
Grain surplus
South protected by cotton industry
South becomes more confident of economic independence

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Illinois Senatorial Debates
Thousands of People came to watch
Douglas takes advantage of Lincoln’s inexperience at first
Douglas- popular sovereignty and fear mongering
Lincoln- immorality of slavery and illogical nature of popular sovereignty
Lincoln does not call for equality
Lincoln loses the battle but wins the war

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Brown led a raid on armory
Failed slave rebellion
Executed for
Treason
Enraged North and
South (for different reasons)

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Lincoln wins close election
Divisions help Lincoln
South is ready for
Secession

North
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Socially Diverse
Protestant
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Work Ethic
Valued Labor
Popularity of Uncle
Tom’s Cabin
South
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Aristocracy
“Heirs to European
Society”
Ancient Republics’ negative view of labor