How did we get to the Civil War?
U.S. History Summer School 2014
Blame Jefferson!
• Why?
– Expansion ideas
– Ideals of Farming
– Didn’t leave Anti-slavery ideas in Dec of
Independence
Northwest Ordinance 1787
• Established that no state Northwest of the
Ohio River could be a slave state.
• This agreement works
• Then the rapid expansion of the early
1800s begins.
• The first trouble is in 1819
Missouri Territory
• Due to its location on the Mississippi River
Missouri grows very quickly.
• By 1819 it is large enough and organized to be
admitted as a state.
• Those in the north did not want Missouri
admitted as a slave state. It was not Northwest
of the Ohio River however.
• In the original statehood bill, an amendment was
added calling for the gradual ending of slavery in
Missouri.
• This riled up the states rights and slavery issue.
Missouri Compromise - 1820
• Three Parts
– Slavery would not be restricted in Missouri and
become a state.
– The area of Northern Massachusetts would become
the new free state of Maine.
• This keeps the balance of power in the senate 12-12.
– Congress agrees that in further expansion in the
Louisiana purchase, All territories north of 36 30’
would be free territories.
• Problem Solved?
Jackson’s Dilemma with South
Carolina 1832
• Tariff of 1828
– Heavy Tax on imports designed to boost American manufacturing
– Benefits the Industrial North – Forces Southerners to pay more for
manufactured goods.
• South Carolina says states have the right to challenge the
Federal Government when they think the Fed has exceeded its
authority.
• S.C. says that states have the right to “Nullify” federal laws they
feel are unconstitutional.
• 1832 another Tariff is passed and S.C. nullifies it and threatens
to secede from the Union if the government does not respect its
rights.
• Jackson, a Southerner, is angry with S.C. and threatens to
send 50,000 troops to make sure the tariffs are paid.
• Through a series of compromises S.C. finally agrees.
Wilmot Proviso
• Central Issue facing the Country in 1840s and 50s
was the issue of slavery in the territory claimed
from Mexico.
• In 1846 David Wilmot attempts to attach a small
proviso to a spending bill stating “As a condition of
obtaining land from Mexico, Slavery shall not be
permitted in any of that land.”
• The bill does not pass and Wilmot attempts to
attach the proviso to several other bill s and all fail.
• Result – Brings the issue of Slavery back into the
Congresses eye and gets everyone thinking about
it again.
The California Gold Rush 1849
• Due to the gold rush, California grows very
quickly and asks to be admitted as a free
state in 1850.
• This would change the balance of power in
the Senate.
• There were no possible slave states ready to
become states.
• South did not want California admitted,
Government wants California Tax Dollars.
• Missouri Compromise did not apply
The Compromise of 1850
• 5 Parts created by esteemed Senators Henry Clay,
John C. Calhoun and Daniel Webster.
– California admitted as Free State
– New Mexico and Utah territories would decide using
popular sovereignty
– Congress would abolish sale of slaves but not slavery in
Washington D.C.
– Texas gives up claims to New Mexico for 10 million
– Fugitive Slave Act – Orders all citizens of U.S. to assist
in the return of enslaved people to their owners and
denies a trial by jury to escaped slaves.
• Now the issue of Slavery is done right?
Personal Ambitions hurt U.S.
• Senator Stephen Douglas from Illinois has a
problem. He wants more westward development
so Chicago can continue to grow and become
an important Railroad Hub.
• He also wants to run for President but needs to
support of the southern Democrats.
• If he pushes the statehood of Kansas and
Nebraska he improves power of Chicago, but
loses support in the south because according to
the Missouri Compromise they would be Free
states.
• He comes up with the Kansas-Nebraska Act
Kansas-Nebraska Act
• 1854 – Kansas-Nebraska Act in reality repeals
the Missouri Compromise. It states that Kansas
and Nebraska should use popular sovereignty to
decide whether to be free or slave.
• Douglas does not think the states will vote to be
slave due to the harsh weather conditions.
• It will make southerners happy because it gives
slavery the opportunity to expand.
• He also thinks Northerners will support it.
• He was wrong!
Bleeding Kansas Last Straw
• Due to the Kansas-Nebraska Act, Slavery expansion becomes
a hot topic.
• The Free Soil Party, founded in 1848, moves to Kansas to
prevent Slavery in the territory.
• Organized Pro-slavery groups in Missouri, organize secretly to
oppose the free soilers.
• By 1855 Kansas had two competing capitals
– Topeka, Antislavery
– Lecompton, Proslavery
• By 1856 there was open violence.
– Proslavery groups loot free soil offices and homes in Lawrence Kansas.
– Antislavery advocate John Brown and his supports go to proslavery
settlement at Pottawatomie Creek, take 5 men from their beds and
murder them in front of their families
Violence extends to Capital
• Antislavery Senator Charles Sumner from Mass.
Gives speech “The Crime Against Kansas”
• In speech he insults Sen. Andrew Butler from South
Carolina.
• Butler’s Nephew, Representative Preston Brooks,
goes to defend his Uncle and the Honor of the
South.
• Brooks approaches Sumner at his desk and beats
him with his cane nearly to death.
• Brooks resigns in H.O.R. but re-elected 6 months
later.
• Brooks becomes a hero to the South
• Sumner becomes a martyr in the North
Election of 1856
• Two Major Parties are Democrats and newly formed
Republicans
– Buchanan for Democrats
– Freemont for Republicans
• Democrats supported Kansas-Nebraska Act. Republicans
denounced it.
• Buchanan wins due to winning all of the South and a few key
northern states. Republicans have strong support in North
but become a major party.
• Buchanan pledged he would stop “Northern agitation of the
slavery issue”
• He also expected the Supreme Court to finally decide the
issue once and for all.
• The opposite happens!
Dred Scott Decision 1857
• 1857 – Dred Scott v. Sandford
– Dred Scott was slave in Missouri. He filed a lawsuit
against his owner. He states because he and his wife
once lived in states and territories where slavery was
illegal, then the couple was in fact free.
• Decision 7-2 Against Scott - 3 parts
– Slaves were not citizens and had no right to sue in court.
– Living in a free state or territory, even for many years, did
not make you free.
– Declared the Missouri Compromise Unconstitutional
because slaves were property and Govt. could not
deprive citizens of life liberty or property without due
process according to 5th amendment.
Lecompton Constitution
• 1857 small proslavery group get together and write a
constitution so Kansas can become a state.
• Most Kansans were opposed to slavery and refused to vote
for constitution because both options on ballot guaranteed
slavery.
• Buchanan hoping the slavery issue would go away when
Kansas became a state ENDORSES the Lecompton
Constitution!
• Disregarding Popular Sovereignty causes northern
Democrats to leave party.
• In 1858 the Constitution is returned to Kansas for a final vote
and it is soundly defeated.
• But due to the Dred Scott decision, Slavery is now open to
all territories!
Lincoln-Douglas Debates
• Douglas had annoyed many of his moderate supporters due
to the Kansas-Nebraska Act and Republicans felt they could
win his Senate seat in the 1858 congressional elections.
• Republicans nominate Lincoln to run against Douglas.
• In a series of 7 debates the two discuss the issue of slavery
in the states and territories.
• The debates are legendary at times going on for 4-5 hours
drawing huge crowds.
• Lincoln loses to Douglas in the election but gains national
attention through these debates. He also states his opinion
on what he believed was the coming confrontation of slavery.
– “A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this government
cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free.”
John Brown’s Raid
•
•
•
•
October 16th, 1859
Attacks Arsenal at Harper’s Ferry
Hoped to seize weapons so slaves could rebel.
They fail with half of the men being killed including
Brown’s sons.
• Brown is convicted and hanged for Treason
• Worst fear for the south and they get more
paranoid
• Brown becomes Martyr in North
Election of 1860
• Democrats split into Northern and Southern
factions.
• Republicans only on ballot in Free States
• Older moderate Whigs in middle states form new
party Constitutional Union.
• Republicans expected to nominate Seward, but
as convention goes along they feel his antislavery views are too extreme. They decide they
need a more moderate voice.
• Abraham Lincoln
Results
Election of 1860 - Results
• Proves division in country is beyond repair
–
–
–
–
–
–
Lincoln wins by winning nearly all free states
Democrat split causes them to lose
Lincoln wins without nearly a single vote in the south
Gains only 39 percent of popular vote
Lincoln wins 180 electoral votes which is majority needed.
It was a decisive win, but a sectional one
• South outraged a man could be elected without any
Southern votes. Calls for secession begin!
Secession
• South Carolina secedes December 20th 1860.
• 6 more secede over the next 2 weeks.
• Before Lincoln is inaugurated, S.C., Florida,
Alabama, Mississippi, Texas, Louisiana, and
Georgia.
• They meet February 1861 in Montgomery,
Alabama and create new nation.
– The Confederate States of America
• Elect former Senator Jefferson Davis President