Short Term Causes of the Civil War
Dec 16, 2015
Setting the Stage
• In 1819 there are 11 Free States in the North and 11 Slave States in the South
• Representation in Congress is balanced• BUT…– New states wanted to be added– should they be free or slave? – Which side will get more power in government?
Missouri Compromise
• Developed by Henry Clay• Tried to keep balance between number of free
and slave states in govt. (wanted same number of representatives)
• Missouri was added as slave state• Maine was added as a free state• Imaginary line drawn at 36’30 (north of line
was free territory, south of line was slave)
Compromise of 1850
• California wanted to enter as free state- this would upset the balance in govt.
• Compromise allowed California to enter as a free state
• Utah and New Mexico use popular sovereignty (vote) on slavery
• Slave trade in Washington D.C. would be ended- no new slaves imported
• Strict Fugitive Slave law to capture runaway slaves
Fugitive Slave Act
• Made it a crime to help runaway slaves and allowed police to arrest suspected fugitive slaves
• Slaves not allowed to testify at their own trial• Judges paid more to find slaves guilty ($5
innocent, $10 guilty)
Kansas-Nebraska
• Divided land into states Kansas and Nebraska• Each state would vote on whether or not to
allow slavery• Elections were corrupt and violent • “Bleeding Kansas”– Bloodshed over slavery issues- predicts the battles
of the civil war
Dred Scott
• Slave that moved with his owner to the free state Wisconsin
• When his owner died, Dred Scott sued for his freedom
• Supreme Court ruled that slaves were not citizens, had no legal rights
• Unconstitutional to prevent slavery- govt. could not control a person’s property
Election of 1860
• Lincoln wins presidential election- would not end slavery, but would not allow it to expand to new states
• South worried about way of life and began secession- formally leaving the country
• South Carolina first to leave, followed by Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Texas, Georgia, and Louisiana