CAUSES OF THE CIVIL WAR. FOUR MAIN CAUSES 1. Slavery Moral v. Political issue 2. Constitutional Disputes Federal government v. states rights 3. Economic.

CAUSES OF THE CIVIL WAR

FOUR MAIN CAUSES 1. Slavery

Moral v. Political issue

2. Constitutional Disputes Federal government v. states rights

3. Economic differences Industrialization v. agriculture

4. Political extremism-new parties

WESTERN TERRITORIES Free Soil Movement-believed slavery should be

prohibited in the Mexican Cession South viewed any attempts to restrict slavery as a

violation of their Constitutional rights Popular Sovereignty

Lewis Cass Let the people in the territory decide whether or not to

have slaves

ELECTION OF 1848 Democrats-Lewis Cass Whigs-Zachary Taylor

Mexican War hero

Free Soil-Martin Van Buren Taylor wins

ZACHARY TAYLOR1849-1850

CALIFORNIA 1849-Beginning of gold rush 100,000 settlers No law and order Drafts a state constitution that banned slavery Taylor supports annexation South threatens to secede Compromise of 1850

Henry Clay

COMPROMISE OF 1850 1. Admit California as free state 2. Divided Mexican Cession into two territories

(NM & UT) 3. Popular Sovereignty 4. Disputed land between Texas and New Mexico

went to New Mexico 5. Federal Government assumes $10 million of

Texas debt 6. Slave trade banned in Washington DC 7. New Fugitive Slave Law

COMPROMISE OF 1850 Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, & John C.

Calhoun-major debates All die before decided Pres. Taylor (opposed) also dies Millard Fillmore (supported) quickly passes

Compromise Most controversial aspects-popular

sovereignty & fugitive slave law

MILLARD FILLMORE 1850-1853 Clayton-Bulwer Treaty

1850 Canal in Central America

ELECTION OF 1852 Whigs-Winfield Scott

Mexican War hero Ignored slavery issue-focused on internal

improvements Democrats-Franklin Pierce

Supported Fugitive Slave Law-accepted in south Pierce won all but four states Decline in Whig party

FRANKLIN PIERCE1853-1857

KANSAS-NEBRASKA ACT Need a transcontinental railroad Stephen Douglas (senator from IL) wants it

to go through Chicago Needs the support of southern politicians

1854-Kansas-Nebraska Act Popular Sovereignty in the Kansas & Nebraska

Territories Repeals the Missouri Compromise line

NEW POLITICAL PARTY Republican Party

1854 Created in direct response to the passing of the

Kansas-Nebraska Act Made up of Free-Soilers, anti-slavery Whigs, &

anti-slavery Democrats Called for the repeal of the Kansas-Nebraska Act

& the Fugitive Slave Law Against the spread of slavery to the territories

OSTEND MANIFESTO Pierce instructs the ambassador to Spain to buy

Cuba from the Spanish They turn down offer Pierce orders James Buchanan to write document

(Ostend Manifesto) If Spain does not sell Cuba, the US will take by force

Press finds out and leaks idea to American Public Popular idea in South Angers North & West

Never given to Spain

ELECTION OF 1856 Republicans-John C. Fremont

Platform-no expansion of slavery, free homesteads, & protective tariff

Democrats-James Buchanan Not connected with the Kansas-Nebraska Act

“Know Nothings”-Millard Fillmore Won 20% of popular vote

Buchanan wins the popular & electoral vote Fremont carried 11 of 16 free states

JAMES BUCHANAN1857-1861

“BLEEDING KANSAS” Aftermath of Kansas-Nebraska Act Both sides send in settlers Violence erupts Two capitals

Lecompton-proslavery Topeka-antislavery

Democratic party splits between north & south

DRED SCOTT V. SANFORD Dred Scott-slave taken to live in a free state, sued for

his freedom Appealed to the Supreme Court Decision given in March 1857

1. Dred Scott had no right to sue-not a citizen, furthermore all blacks were not citizens

2. Congress had no right to take away property, if slaves property, then Congress could not exclude slavery from any state

3. Repealed the Missouri Compromise Southerners delighted Northerners shocked-blamed all Democrats

ELECTION OF 1858 Congressional election Lincoln-Douglas Debates

“House Divided” speech Republicans win many seats Bad news for the south

RAID AT HARPERS FERRY October 1859-Virginia John Brown led a slave revolt Tried to take over federal arsenal Killed 7 Federal troops led by Gen. Robert E. Lee

captured Brown & 6 others tried & hanged Seen as martyr

ELECTION OF 1860 Republicans-Abraham Lincoln Democrats split

Northern-Stephen Douglas Southern-John Breckinridge

New Party-Constitutional Union-John Bell South threatened to secede if Lincoln elected Lincoln carried every free state

59% of electoral vote 40% of popular vote

Breckinridge carried the deep south

SECESSION Dec. 1860-South Carolina secedes Within 6 weeks-7 more states secede Feb. 1861-Created the Confederate States of

America Established Montgomery, AL as capital Elected Jefferson Davis as President

CRITTENDEN COMPROMISE President did nothing to stop the southern

secession Last ditch effort by Congress

Crittenden Compromise Reenact the Missouri Compromise line in west Lincoln did not support