Chapter 10 – Section 4 The System Fails Danielle Haltzman Allegra Straub Lindsey Schmidt Blair Burak Allie Friedland.

Chapter 10 – Section 4Chapter 10 – Section 4The System FailsThe System Fails

Danielle HaltzmanDanielle HaltzmanAllegra StraubAllegra Straub

Lindsey SchmidtLindsey SchmidtBlair BurakBlair Burak

Allie FriedlandAllie Friedland

Setting the SceneSetting the Scene

Voters in Kansas decide to become free Voters in Kansas decide to become free or a slave stateor a slave state

Both groups try to win majority of votes Both groups try to win majority of votes Proslavery won the first battleProslavery won the first battle William H. Seward announced that William H. Seward announced that

abolitionists would fight for a free abolitionists would fight for a free KansasKansas

Violence EruptsViolence Erupts

Antislavery groups set up Antislavery groups set up societies to send New societies to send New Englanders to fight in Englanders to fight in KansasKansas

New settlers were known as New settlers were known as free soilersfree soilers

Free soilers- worked to Free soilers- worked to end slavery in the end slavery in the territories territories

Violence Erupts Violence Erupts (continued)(continued)

Proslavery set up secret societies Proslavery set up secret societies to oppose free soldiersto oppose free soldiers

They crossed into Kansas to vote They crossed into Kansas to vote illegallyillegally

In 1855, Kansas had two In 1855, Kansas had two competing capitals competing capitals

In 1856, tensions escalated into In 1856, tensions escalated into open violence (when southerners open violence (when southerners took advantage)took advantage)

““Bleeding Sumner”Bleeding Sumner” Violence spread to the United States Violence spread to the United States

capital capital Senator Charles Sumner of Senator Charles Sumner of

Massachusetts gave a speech titled Massachusetts gave a speech titled “The Crime Against Kansas”“The Crime Against Kansas”

Sumner attacked Southerners for Sumner attacked Southerners for forcing slaveryforcing slavery

““Bleeding Sumner” Bleeding Sumner” (continued)(continued)

• He made insults against Senator Andrew Butler of South Carolina

• Preston Brooks, Butlers nephew, was angered by his uncles remarks and was determined the South

• Brooks beat Sumner with his cane; Sumner was badly injured and never returned to full health

• Brooks was re-elected

Slavery and National Slavery and National PoliticsPolitics

Violence of 1856 passed and Violence of 1856 passed and peace returned to the countrypeace returned to the country

Slavery issues continued to Slavery issues continued to dominate national parksdominate national parks

The Election of 1856The Election of 1856

• At the convention, James Buchman was At the convention, James Buchman was nominated as the Democratic Presidentnominated as the Democratic President

• The republicans chose John C. Fremont, who The republicans chose John C. Fremont, who had no connections to “Bleeding Kansas”had no connections to “Bleeding Kansas”

• Democrats supported the Compromise of Democrats supported the Compromise of 1850 and the Kansas Act1850 and the Kansas Act

• Republicans declared federal government Republicans declared federal government could restrict slavery and called for could restrict slavery and called for admission of Kansas as a free stateadmission of Kansas as a free state

• Republicans received strong northern Republicans received strong northern supportsupport

The Dred Scott Decision• In 1857, the Supreme Court handed

down one of the most controversial decisions in history

• Dred Scott was an enslaved man who filed a suit against his owner

• Supreme Court ruled 7 to 2 against Scott

• Also ruled that living in a free state did not make Scott free

• Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional

The Lecompton The Lecompton ConstitutionConstitution

1857- small proslavery group elected 1857- small proslavery group elected members to write the constitution members to write the constitution required to attain statehoodrequired to attain statehood

Most of Kansas was opposed to Most of Kansas was opposed to slavery and refused to vote on the slavery and refused to vote on the constitutionconstitution

Lincoln was born in a log cabin in Kentucky in 1809› He studied law & was a postmaster

and a rail splitter› In 1837 he settled in Springfield,

Illinois and practiced law› In 1840 he served one term in

congress› Had a good performance in the

debates with Douglas

The Lincoln Douglas Debate was a series of 7 debates on the issue of slavery

Senator Douglas criticized Lecompton constitution› Because of principal and public opinion

› Campaign in 1858; the peoples views on slavery were divided

Douglas’ nickname was “Little Giant”, since he was short

Believed in slavery & thought whites were superior to blacks

Also believed that blacks and that whites should chose the government

Abe Lincoln ran against Douglas

The Lincoln Douglas Debates

• News papers commented on how Lincoln looked compared to Douglas

• The debate focused on majority & minority rule

• Douglas supported popular sovereignty • Lincoln did not believe minority rules• Lincoln sometimes agreed with Douglas

On October 16, 1859, John Brown attacked the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry Virginia

He was with 12 men, 5 African Americans included.

Brown & followers hoped to seize the weapons from the arsenal and give them to enslaved people so they could rebel

They wanted to end slavery, punish slave holders and lead the US to moral renewal

Alerted of the attack, US troops under command of Colonel Robert E. Lee

The troops killed half of Brown’s men including two of his sons

Brown was convicted of treason and was sentenced to be hanged

He accepted the death sentence In many churches, abolitionist

clergy rang bells on the day he was hanged in solemn prayer

Northern sympathy for John outraged Southerners who accused him as a tool of Republican abolitionists

In the eyes of white southerners, Brown was a criminal who had tried to launch a rebellion aimed at their very lives

Brown’s raid deepened the anger between the north and south

FUN FACT!

August 2, 1858- In a straight up or down vote required by the U.S Congress for admission, the Lecompton Constitution as modified by the English Bill is overwhelmingly defeated. It is so bad that both pro-slave and free-state fractions vote against it and the state must approve a different Constitution.