Chapter 15 Road to Civil War 1820-1861. I. Slavery and the West A. The Missouri Compromise, 1820 Missouri: slave Maine: free No slavery north of the 36°30’

Chapter 15 Road to Civil War

1820-1861

I. Slavery and the West

A. The Missouri Compromise, 1820 Missouri: slave Maine: free No slavery north of the

36°30’ line B. New Western Lands

Texas, California, New Mexico brought the slavery issue back

1. Conflicting Views Wilmot Proviso Calhoun said no one

could ban slavery

B. New Western Lands

2. The Free-Soil Party 1848 Election, slavery an

issue Whigs: Zachary Taylor Dem.: Lewis Cass Free-Soil: Martin Van

Buren 3. California

Applied for statehood in 1849

Banned slavery Doesn’t fit the Missouri

Compromise Would upset the balance

of power in Congress

C. A New Compromise

1. Compromise of 1850 Henry Clay and Stephen

Douglas got it passed in five bills

a. California a free state b. Slavery ok in N.M. c. Border dispute of

Texas and N.M. settled d. Slave trade banned in

D.C. e. Stronger fugitive slave

act Millard Fillmore (Taylor

died in 1850) called it a “final settlement”

II. A Nation Dividing A. The Fugitive Slave Act

All citizens had to help catch runaway slaves

Stepped up efforts to catch slaves

Often free blacks were caught

Built resentment in the north 1. Resistance to the Law

Underground RR Helped buy freedom Juries refused to convict

those who broke the law 1852: Uncle Tom’s Cabin

published by Harriet Beecher Stowe

Sold 300,000 copies the 1st year

Showed the evils of slavery to the north

B. The Kansas-Nebraska Act

Franklin Pierce elected in 1852 Supported F.S.A.

Stephen Douglas of IL, wanted the transcontinental RR through his state

Proposed the bill for popular sovereignty to organize KS & NE People chose if they

wanted slavery Abandoned the MO

compromise Passed in 1854

C. Conflict in Kansas

Proslavery and antislavery groups rushed to Kansas to vote

Only 1,500 voters, but 6,000 votes cast Proslavery won Antislavery accused

them of fraud Border ruffians from

Missouri were armed By 1856, two

governments in Kansas, both armed

C. Conflict in Kansas cont.

1. Bleeding Kansas May 1856, proslavery

attacked Lawrence Kansas

John Brown believed god chose him to end slavery

He and his sons hacked five men to death with swords at Pottawatomie Creek

More violence broke out: “bleeding Kansas”

2. Violence in Congress Charles Sumner attacked

Andrew Butler in a speech

Preston Brooks beat him down with a cane

III. Challenges to Slavery

A. A New Political Party 1854 antislavery Whigs

and Democrats formed the Republican Party

Stop the expansion of slavery

1. Election of 1856 Rep.: John C. Fremont Dem.: James Buchanan Know-Nothings: Fillmore

Buchanan won

B. The Dred Scott Decision

Two days after Buchanan was inaugurated

Dred Scott a slave, moved around the country with his owner Lived in free states His master died, he sued

for freedom 1. The Court’s Decision

Chief Justice Roger Taney stated he’s still a slave, can’t even sue

5th Amendment: can’t deprive property

No laws can take property away

2. Lincoln and Douglas

Senate election in Illinois in 1858

Douglas a probable presidential candidate in 1860

Lincoln was unknown Douglas: short, stocky,

and powerful Popular sovereignty

Lincoln tall, lanky, ugly, and had a high voice Wanted to stop the

spread of slavery

3. The Lincoln-Douglas Debates Seven debates in 1858 Main topic: slavery The whole country followed

these in the papers Douglas: Freeport Doctrine

Exclude slavery by not passing laws to protect it

Lincoln: "'A house divided against itself cannot stand.'(Mark 3:25) I believe this government cannot endure permanently half slave and half free.”

Douglas won the election, but Lincoln became a national figure

4. The Raid on Harper’s Ferry

Oct. 1859, John Brown and 18 men seized an arsenal in VA

Hoped for a slave revolt Captured, tried,

convicted, and hanged North: a hero and a

martyr South: truly believed

there was a northern conspiracy to destroy their way of life Cannot believe the

north praised him

IV. Secession and War

A. Election of 1860 Democrats split Northern Dem.: Douglas Southern Dem.: John C.

Breckinridge Constitutional Union

Party: John Bell Rep.: Lincoln Lincoln won a clear

majority even though he wasn’t on many southern ballots

More populous north outvoted the south

The South thought Lincoln would destroy their way of life

B. The South Secedes

Lincoln promised to leave slavery alone in the south

South Carolina secedes on Dec. 20, 1860

1. Attempts at compromise John Crittenden tried, too

late 2. The Confederacy

By Feb. 1861, seven states seceded

Formed the Confederate States of America

Jefferson Davis elected president

Left for state’s rights Constitution was a

contract Govt. violated it so they

left

B. The South Secedes cont.

3. Reactions to Secession Lee, “ I see only that a

fearful calamity is upon us.”

4. Presidential Responses James Buchanan did little Lincoln didn’t take over

until March 1861 “We are not enemies, but

friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection.:

C. Fort Sumter

Confederates seized some U.S. forts

Surrounded Ft. Sumter in S.C. Low on supplies Lincoln didn’t want to

provoke an attack 1. The War Begins

Lincoln announced he would give supplies

April 12, 1861: The South attacks for 33 hours until they surrendered

No casualties Lincoln called for 75,000

troops VA, NC, TN, and AR

immediately join the CSA

Chapter 15: Road to Civil War Questions

1.   What were the five points of the Compromise of 1850? Why did they have to create it and how did it differ from the Missouri Compromise? Was it the “final solution”? Why or why not?

2.   How did the Fugitive Slave Act and Uncle Tom’s Cabin change public opinion in the North? Why were they so significant in the North’s views on Slavery?

3.   What was the Kansas-Nebraska Act? How did it lead to violence and further split the nation?

4.   Why was John Brown so important in dividing the country? What did he do and what was the reaction of the North? How did the Republican Party fit in to increase southern fears?

5.   What did the Dred Scott decision say? What were the ramifications for the issue of slavery in the entire country?

6. Why did the Election of 1860 force southern states to secede? What did the South do in response and how did the Civil War formally begin? In your group’s opinion, did Lincoln do the right thing when dealing with Fort Sumter? Why or why not?