Divisive Politics of Slavery Chapter 4 Section 1
Dec 25, 2015
Compromise of 1850Pleased the North Pleased the South
O California admitted as free state
O More effective Fugitive Slave lawO No trial by juryO $1,000 fine and 6
mos. Imprisonment
O Fugitive slaves no longer safe in U.S., went to Canada
Popular SovereigntyO Debate over the extension of
slavery into the territories widened the rift between North and South
O Threats of succession by the South increased
O Secession-formal withdrawel of a state from the Union
O Popular SovereigntyO Introduced by Stephen DouglasO Part of Compromise of 1850O The right of states do decide for
themselves whether to accept or reject slavery
Underground Railroad
O System of escape routes set up by a secret network of abolitionists to bring slaves to freedom
O Harriet Tubman-slave who “conducted” over 300 slaves to freedom in the North
Uncle Tom’s Cabin-1852O Book describing the
moral struggle of slave life in the South
O Written by Harriet Beecher Stowe ( who had never been in the South)
O Read by the general public who had their first glimpse of slave life, fired up the abolitionists
Bleeding Kansas-1855O Missouri Compromise made
slavery illegal in Kansas and Nebraska
O Compromise of 1850-by introducing concept of popular sovereignty, Congress forced to make an agreement (Kansas-Nebraska Act) that Nebraska would be kept free, Kansas could decide for itself
O Both slave and free men fled to Kansas to vote; violence broke out
O Two rival governments set up, one slave, the other free
New Republican Party-1856
O Coalition of many parties (former anti-slavery Whigs, Know-Nothings who were anti-immigrant but also against extending slavery into territories ,Free-Soilers who were against extending slavery into territories but also for preventing blacks from moving into their communities and taking their jobs; and the Liberty Party who were abolitionists.)
O Opposed the extension of slavery into the territories
Dred Scott Decision-1857
O Dred Scott-slave whose owner took him into free territory (Wisconsin and Illinois) then back to Missouri
O Sued for freedom because he had been in a free territory
O Decision:O Could not sue in federal
court because he was not a citizen (he was property)
O Being in a free state does not make a slave free because slaves are property and property is protected under the Fifth Amendment
Lincoln-Douglas DebatesO Both men from Illinois and running for the Illinois
Senate seat in 1858O Lincoln
O No extension of slavery into the territoriesO Slavery immoral
O DouglasO Popular sovereignty
Harper’s Ferry-1859
O Abolitionist John Brown takes over an arsenal at Harper’s Ferry to try to incite slave uprisings around the country
O FailsO John Brown
hanged
Election of 1860O Four candidates;
Democratic Party split over slavery
O Abraham Lincoln wins with 39.9% of the votes
O Lincoln’s victory seen as vote against the South
O Seven states secede from the Union and form the Confederate States of America. The Confederacy with Jefferson Davis as president