Prelude to War
Causes of the war Comstock Lode State of the South Worries of the South Fugitive Slave Law Fire Eaters
Whigs\Democrats Webster
Whig Party dies
Personal Liberty Laws Ostend Manifesto
Mathew Perry
Stephen Douglas
Charles Sumner v. Preston
Brooks
Election of 1856 Freeport Doctrine Lincoln’s views
Republican platform Secession of SC
Causes of the Civil War
States’ rights Slavery
Constitutional disputes Economic differences
Political problems
1848 Election
Describe the 1848 election (13)Dem: Lewis Cass– War of 1812 veteran
– Still avoided slavery in their platform
Cass let it be known he favored popular
sovereignty
Slavery was in the view of the people Whigs: Zachary Taylor
– Never held any office – Never voted in an election – No stand on any issues
Whig avoided the issues in platform
and focused on Taylor’s virtues
He was a slave owner from Louisiana
Free Soil Party
#14
Anti-slavery party of the
north
Supported Wilmot Proviso,
federal support of
infrastructure, free land for homesteaders
Martin Van Buren
Free soil, free speech, free
labor and free men
Wanted to aid poor
whites; not slaves
Not abolition; just keep
from expanding west
Pulled votes away from
#15: What happened in 1840’s
and effects?
Coincided with Taylor’s election
1848-49
Followed by others in western
territories
Miners came from all over the
world
1\3 of settlers were Chinese
More and more came into
California (49’ers) and reached over 100,000 soon
Merchants made the money False maps
Claim jumpers Few doctors
Stealing horses, tools, etc. Inflation
Carolina Gold Rush
In 1799, Conrad Reed, a 12 year-old boy discovered a
17 pound gold nugget in a creek bed in Cabarrus
County, North Carolina.
Used as a door stop for three years then sold for $3.50
What ensued was America’s first gold rush. There
was mining success in both North and South Carolina
for years, however, in 1849 a discovery in California
attracted miners to the west, and interest in the
Comstock Lode
Silver rush in Nevada
Largest silver deposit
California
The people drafted a
constitution in 1849
that excluded slavery
Bypassed the
territorial stage that
would have allowed
southerners time to
build a blockade
Encouraged by Taylor
The Good Old South
State of the South
– By 1850 the south was
well off
– President a slave owner – Majority of Supreme
Court slave owners
– Cotton expanding and
profits high
– Few saw slavery as a
threat
Worries of the South
– California becoming a
free state
– 15\15 to 16\15
– Precedent could be set
for other lands taken from Mexico
– Some called for
abolition in DC
– Runaway slaves a
The Underground Railroad
Who Am I? #16
•Helped her own parents escape and 300 others
•She made 19 trips to the south
•Had a price of $40,000 on her head •A few thousand escaped
Fugitive Slave Law
Southerners were demanding
a stronger fugitive slave law from Congress
The law of 1793 was often
ignored by the north
Estimated loss of 1000
slaves a year
More slaves actually gained
Fire-Eaters
Radical Southerners whocalled for secession
Whig leaders such as
Clay and D. Webster called for compromise
Calhoun (Democrats)
said the compromises were not enough
Calhoun went as far as
calling for a northern and southern President
They were getting old,
tired and sick
I here declare my unmitigated hatred to Yankee rule
Daniel Webster
Slavery wouldn’t be profitable in land taken
from Mexico
Made this speech and had copies pass around
Northerners liked his ideas: he favored keeping
the union together at the cost of keeping slavery
Bankers loved this
William Seward
#17: His view of slavery
As the debate went on, the
young politicians began to
get involved
Seward was from NY
Abolitionist
No compromise
Slavery was excluded in
the territories by a law
COMPROMISE OF 1850
#18
No Compromise
Taylor was being
influenced by Seward to avoid compromise
Zachary Taylor died in
office from an inflamed stomach (he was bled to death and given opium).
His successor, Millard
Fillmore supported the Compromise of 1850.
FUGITIVE SLAVE LAW
Passed in 1850 it provided for
the recovery of escaped slaves. Slave catchers had to appear before a judge and make a legal claim.
Judges received $10 if they
ruled a black person was a slave and $5 if not.
Why not defend themselves?
Slavery was finally seen up
Whig Leaders
Why did the Whig party
decline?
Webster and Calhoun
died in 1850
Clay in 1852
Leaders die and support
slips after 1852 defeat
Know-Nothings pull
Personal Liberty Laws
Guaranteed jury trials
1852 Election…another weak
president
#20 Franklin Pierce
Democratic dark horse Served in Mexican War
without much distinction
– Fell off his horse due to a
groin injury and was
called the fainting general
No enemies and a
pro-southern northerner
Platform supported the
Whigs chose another general….
Winfield Scott
Northern and Southern Whigs divided
Antislavery Whigs supported Scott, but not his platform that support the Fugitive Slave Law Southern Whigs like this, but didn’t know if they
could trust him
Manifest Destiny rides again!
Southerners want to expand south
since they were halted to the west
William Walker #21
Tried to take the Baja
Peninsula from Mexico in 1853
He took over Nicaragua
(civil war) in 1855 and gained temporary
recognition from the US
He wanted to unite all of
Central America under his rule
He was overthrown and
CUBA #22 Why was it
prized?
Already had slaves
and sugar plantations
Polk offered 100
million dollars to the
Spanish
NO!
Some private armies
tried to take it over,
but were easily
Conflicts could lead to war
The Spanish seized the
steamer “Black Warrior”
Pierce could provoke war
without worry from Europe…..fighting the Crimean War
Ostend Manifesto
Pierce sent three delegates to
Ostend, Belgium to
negotiate to buy Cuba from Spain ($120,000,000)
If they failed to sell, the
US had reason to attack
Spanish ownership of
Cuba endangered the US
The manifesto leaked out
to the press and aroused the Anti-slavery men in Congress
The scheme had to be
Foreign Trade was increasing due
to cotton and western grains
Whale oil was in big demand
Matthew Perry: Friends
America wanted to open
trade with Asia
Matthew Perry (brother
of Oliver Hazzard Perry)
went to Japan with a
fleet of warships to
persuade the Japanese to
open trade with America
Stephen Douglas (23-24)
Presented a plan to organize
the Kansas and Nebraska
Territories; needed southern
support
Wanted to build railroads and
make Chicago a central
meeting point
He owned real estate and stock
that would make him great
profits
After months of debate the
Kansas-Nebraska Act, 1854
Reason for the Ks-Nb Act and Id it.
Introduced by Stephen Douglas to organize the territory
which was above the 36,30 line.
Popular sovereignty allowed
The south favored this thinking they would vote for
slavery
Seemed to repeal the Missouri Compromise He made the abolitionists mad!!!
Results
After the K-N Act, the Fugitive Slave Law
was basically ignored
Wrecked the Missouri Compromise and
Compromise of 1850
Creation of Republican Party (1854)
–
Whigs, Democrats, Free-Soilers, Know
Those not wishing to join the
Democrats had to find a new party… Republicans #25
Most Republicans want to stop
slavery from expanding; not abolition
After the Ks-Neb. Act, 1854,
the party was formed around several issues: abolition
(territories) was among them.
War Hero John C. Fremont was
the first candidate for President from the party
The party made quick gains and
by 1856 elected a Speaker of the House
Most Republicans would not be
Harriet Beecher Stowe
Uncle Tom’s Cabin #26
1852
Showed the truth about slavery to the north Influenced by Elijah Lovejoy
Only 5000 copies printed; sold out in 2 days Sold over 300,000 copies in one year
The North loved it and the south hated it
Showed what the south didn’t want people to
know
Stowe had never been to the deep south, but had been to Kentucky and lived in Ohio
which was the center of the Underground RR
Who was Uncle Tom?
Slave who is sold from his
family to a cruel master, Simon Legree
Tom is eventually lashed to
death and as he dies he
forgives his black overseers who beat him
Propaganda book
So this is the little lady who
made the big war
New England Emigrant Aid
Company
#27
People began to pour
into Kansas and some
were aided by northern
abolitionists or Free
Soilers…..why?
NE Company aided
2000 people
Many brought their
SLAVERY ISSUE
Proslavery men often came without
their slaves as they were expensive
and didn’t want them hit by a stray
bullet
Two Governments in Kansas
#28
Slavery would be decided in Kansas by popular sovereignty
in 1855 (enough population to vote for territorial legislatures)
During the vote, some people from Missouri crossed to
border and voted
Which way would they vote?
Created a pro slavery and anti slavery govt. in Kansas
and each claimed they were the legitimate govt.
Lawrence, Kansas #29
Lawrence, Ks: Anti slavery town
looted and attacked by pro-slavery forces
John Brown
Pottawatomie Creek Swords
Brown left the territory
His and other actions led to the mini
Lecompton Constitution #30
Which govt. would the President accept? In 1857 Kansas voted for statehood
Proslavery groups created the Lecompton Constitution: the
people were not allowed to vote for or against the Constitution as a whole, but whether or not it would have slavery
If they voted against slavery, slaveholders would be protected
by an established article
Many boycotted the polls and it was approved with slavery in
1857
Douglas gets involved
Wanted a popular vote of the whole
Constitution and it was defeated
Ks remained a territory until 1861 when
southerners left Congress
This turned Southern Democrats against
him and divided the only national party
Sumner v. Brooks:
Round One
1856: Charles Sumner
is attacked in Congress after speech supporting a free Kansas (using harsh language) by
southern Congressman Preston Brooks
He used a golden cane
Southern sympathizers
1856 Election
Dem: James Buchanan
Rep: John C. Fremont (war hero from
Mex-Am. War)
Republicans view of slavery? Won 11 of 16 free states and
Republicans thought it possible to win an election if all northern states voted Republican
Know-Nothings ran Fillmore Buchanan won
– Bachelor President
– Enjoyed the drink
Many northerners
Dred Scott Decision
1857….#31
Scott v. Sanford, 1857
Scott sued for his freedom when his master
moved to the north and later back to Missouri
Does freedom apply to residency? All blacks in the US were not citizens Slavery can exist anywhere
Missouri Compromise unconstitutional 5th Amendment forbade Congress to
1857 Depression
Blamed on the greedy north
Only reason south not effected as much
Stephen Douglas and Abraham
Lincoln Debates (1858)
#32
Race for the Illinois
Senate
They were complete
opposites
Key issue is debate over
slavery
Douglas proposed the Freeport Doctrine
– slavery should be
determined by
popular sovereignty in the territories
Lincoln said that Dred
Scott Decision said that the territories couldn’t exclude slavery
– Abe saw slavery as
Harper’s Ferry, Va.
#33
Studying slave revolts and wanted
to create a free black state
John Brown led 18 to the arsenal at
Harper’s Ferry to get weapons and incite a slave rebellion
It was put down by federal troops led
by Robert E. Lee
Brown was sentenced to be hanged
Defenders tried to prove he was
insane (13 of his near relations regarded as insane)
“I am quite certain that the crimes of
John Brown's body lies a-mold'ring in the grave John Brown's body lies a-mold'ring in the grave John Brown's body lies a-mold'ring in the grave His soul goes marching on
Glory, Glory! Hallelujah! Glory, Glory! Hallelujah! Glory, Glory! Hallelujah! His soul is marching on
He captured Harper's Ferry with his nineteen men so true He frightened old Virginia till she trembled
through and through
They hung him for a traitor, themselves the traitor crew His soul is marching on
John Brown died that the slave might be free, John Brown died that the slave might be free, John Brown died that the slave might be free, But his soul is marching on!
REPUBLICAN PLATFORM
Appealed to many: no slavery
expansion, support tariffs, immigrant
aid, internal improvements, free
Reactions
Southerners threatened to secede if
Lincoln was elected
1860 Election
#34
Republican Abraham Lincoln wins Minority President (60%) of people
didn’t want him
Sectional President; many southern states didn’t have Lincoln on the ballot Democrats were divided
– Douglas
– John C. Breckenridge (KY)
• Favored unrestricted
expansion of slavery and annexation of Cuba
SC seceded six weeks after the election
A house divided against itself
No Disunion
If the Democrats had been able to remain together,
they probably would have won the election
For a while there was no disunion
It seemed the south was going to allow Lincoln to
be President and stay in the Union
South still controlled the Supreme Court and the
Republicans had no majority in Congress
The North couldn’t pass amendments over
Confederate States of
America
Navy Jack
Navy Jack
Stars and Bars
Buchanan reacts…….not
Buchanan didn’t think the
states could secede, but saw no authority in the
Constitution to stop them with arms
Before Lincoln took office 7
states were gone and 8 southern states remained
Southern Congressmen
resigned
Buchanan did nothing
Lincoln was still looking
Henry Crittenden (KY)
#36
Slavery would be prohibited north of the
Missouri Compromise line
South of the line given federal protection in
all existing and future land
Little Fear from the South
Many southerners had little fear of
northern men who would fight
They were bankers and manufacturers
North needed cotton and bankers wanted
Independence for the South
Trade directly with England
Develop own banking and trading
system
Saw disunion as positive in many
ways and wanted to depart in peace
