Drifting Toward Disunion 1854-1861 AMH2010 Chapter 19.

Drifting Toward Disunion

1854-1861AMH2010

Chapter 19

Themes

• Events leading to the election of 1860.

• Violence in Kansas.

• 1856, 1858, and 1860 elections.

• Secession

Literary Incendiaries

• 1852– Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe- Millions printed- Powerful imagery- Incited North to action- Condemned in the South

• 1857– Hinton R. Helper’s The Impending Crisis of the South- hated both slavery and blacks- slavery hurt poor Southern whites - Published in the North, banned in the South.

Kansas

• Kansas was the scene of a contest between North-South over slavery.• The South assumed by the Kansas-Nebraska Act, that Kansas would be a

slave state.• However, groups of financed Free-Soilers poured in Kansas, the South

felt betrayed.• Pro-slavery groups brought small groups of people in Kansas.• On election day, “border ruffians” from Missouri voted early and often. • Slavery supporters won fraudulently Free-Soilers set up a rival

government.

Bleeding Kansas

• 1856– Proslavery forces shot-up and burned down part of Lawrence, Kansas.• John Brown, radical abolitionist, slaughtered 5 supposed

proslavery people at Pottawatomie Creek.• Civil War erupted in Kansas and it would occur intermittently

until the Civil War started in 1861.• Yet, only two slaves were counted in Kansas in 1860

Kansas In Convulsion

• By 1857, Kansas had enough people to apply for statehood. Mainly Free-Soilers had moved into Kansas.• Slave-Staters proposed the Lecompton Constitution. Free-Staters

boycotted. • Senator Charles Sumner(MA) made a speech called “Crimes Against

Kansas.”- Sen. Preston Brooks(SC) caned Sumner on the Senate Floor, severely injuring him.- Sen. Brooks was not impeached but resigned

Election of 1856

• Democratic Party– James Buchanan- Pro-South Yankee- Bad Secretary of State, worse President

• Republican Party– John Fremont- no political experience- illegitimate - southerner

• Republican Party– party of one issue- Stop extension of slavery in the territories

Dred Scott Case 1857

• Slave sued for freedom based on 5 yrs. residence inn free territory.• Court dominated by Southerners• Decided Scott lacked standing, property, not a citizen, could not sue.

- 5th Amendment• Missouri Compromise, Compromise of 1850, and Kansas-Nebraska

Act were unconstitutional. • Slave owner could take slave to any territory.

Panic of 1857

• The Panic was caused by- California gold rush inflated currency- Crimean War/ grain prices- land Speculation, Railroads

• The North was hit hardest because of grain- Little impact in the South due to strong grain prices- North demanded homesteading- South opposed because it would expand free state pop.

Illinois Senate Race 1858

• Democratic Party: Stephen Douglas- household name across the country.

• Republican Party: Abraham Lincoln- who?- relatively unknown- lawyer, “Honest Abe”, refused cases that went against his morals.

• So Lincoln challenged Douglas to a debate…

Lincoln Vs. Douglas

• 7 seven debates across the state of Illinois• At Freeport, Illinois

- Freeport Doctrine- Lincoln: If people in territories oppose slavery,

should they prevail despite Dread Scott?- Douglas: If people oppose slavery, vote it down.

Douglas Wins the Election

• Because Illinois voters supported Popular Sovereignty.

• But antagonized South because he rejected Dred Scott case.

• Won the battle(debate), lost the war… for the Presidency.

• After the debates, Lincoln became a household name.

Harper’s Ferry

• October 1859, John Brown and 20 followers seized the Federal Arsenal.• The plan was to have a slave uprising and arm them.• Captured by Lieutenant Colonel Robert E. Lee.

- convicted in state court of murder and treason (hung)- 13 close relatives were insane

• North: dignified bearing, martyr to abolitionist.• South: Proof that Yankee abolitionist plan to free the slaves by force.

John Brown

1st Democratic Party Convention

• Held in Charleston, South Carolina.- Stephen Douglas was discredited.- Southern delegates walked out.

• The Convention collapsed without a nominee.• Another Convention held in Baltimore, had the Northern members of

the Democratic Party nominate Stephen Douglas.• Southern Democrats held their own convention and nominated John

C. Breckinridge.• Constitutional Union Party nominated John Bell.

Republican Party Convention 1860

• Held in Chicago,- William H. Seward was the obvious choice, too

radical.- On the 3rd ballot Lincoln won.

• Platform– stop expansion of slavery into territories- Railroad, National Bank- homesteading and industry

All before Lincoln was Inaugurated

• After the election, Lincoln kept quite so as not to cause more trouble, he did that for four months.• President Buchanan did nothing in response to the secession of

states, his cabinet was mostly Southern.• Senator John Jordan Crittenden of Kentucky proposed recreating a

type of Missouri Compromise.- Lincoln reject this- he opposed an extension of slavery.

Secession

South Expected to Depart Unmolested

• Southerners saw a parallel with the American Revolution- George Washington a rebel.- threw off yoke of King George III.- Jefferson Davis, rebel.- throwing off the yoke of the North.

• South’s delusions were reinforced by do-nothing Buchanan.• Real issue= slavery in the territories.