Transcript Slide 1
Chapter 19
DRIFTING TOWARD DISUNION
UNCLE TOM’S CABIN
Harriet Beecher Stowe
published
Uncle Tom's Cabin in 1852
It stirred the North's sense of morality against slavery
Second best selling book of the 19th Century (next to the
Bible)
Fictional book about life as a slave in the South
EFFECTS OF THE BOOK
Uncle Tom’s Cabin
Catalyst to the beginning
of the war
Stirred abolitionist fervor
in the north
Kept Britain from
officially supporting the
South
SOUTHERN CRITICISM OF THE BOOK
Harriet Beecher Stowe had never even been to
the south
Her
depiction of slavery was touted as inaccurate
by the South
THE NORTH-SOUTH CONTEST FOR KANSAS
Because of popular sovereignty, Kansas
became the new slavery battleground
the
north and south send thousands of new settlers
into Kansas to attempt to sway the vote
KANSAS’ OUTCOME
When the election came
pro-Southern people came over from Missouri to
Kansas to "vote early and often."
The
South "won" the election for Kansas to become a
slave state
set up a government at Shawnee Mission.
THE FIGHT FOR KANSAS CONTINUES
The “Free-Soilers” said the election was unfair,
and set up their own government in Topeka.
After
the election, there were two state
governments:
One
supported slavery and was based on a corrupted
election (Shawnee Mission)
one free, but illegitimate (Topeka).
VIOLENCE ERUPTS IN KANSAS
William Clark Quantrill
Pro-slavery
shot
outlaw
up and burnt down free-soil Lawrence, Kansas.
BLEEDING KANSAS
John Brown
sets out for revenge for
Lawrence being burned.
At Pottawatomie Creek he
killed and “chopped up” 5
slavery supporters.
Because of the numerous
acts of violence between
1854 and 1860, Kansas
became known as "Bleeding
Kansas."
APPLYING FOR STATEHOOD
1856 – Kansas applies for statehood
The
pro-slavery government wrote up the
“Lecompton Constitution” which allowed for slavery
in Kansas (Constitutionally).
“BULLY” BROOKS AND HIS BLUDGEON
Sen. Charles Sumner (northern abolitionist)
criticized a South Carolina Senator who was not present to defend
himself
Preston Brooks, a fellow S.C. Congressman (and nephew), took offense to
Sumner's comments.
Preston Brooks beat Charles Sumner over the head on the floor of the
Senate with a walking cane.
Sumner was severely injured
Proved that even “civilized” Americans were willing to turn violent to resolve
conflict over slavery.
THE ELECTION OF 1856
James Buchanan
(Democrat) Wins the
election
THE DRED SCOTT BOMBSHELL
1857
Dred Scott (slave)
Sues his master for
freedom on the grounds
that they were living in a
free territory (Wisconsin
and Illinois)
THE DECISION
Dred Scott lost.
The Supreme Court Rules:
1.
2.
Slaves weren‘t citizens, therefore could not sue
The Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional
Congress had no power to outlaw slavery in federal territories.
The people could not decide the status of federal territories.
Major victory for the South
AN ILLINOIS RAIL-SPLITTER EMERGES
The Illinois Senate race of 1858
The
Democrats run Sen. Stephen Douglas
Republicans run Abraham Lincoln.
Douglas was likely the "biggest name" Senator
of the day
Lincoln was relatively unknown
THE GREAT DEBATE: LINCOLN VERSUS DOUGLAS
Lincoln challenged
Douglas to a series of
debates
The "Lincoln-Douglas
debates" were a series
of seven debates
spread across Illinois.
Lincoln proved that he
could stand and argue
toe-to-toe with Douglas.
THE FREEPORT DEBATE
The most noteworthy debate took place at
Freeport, IL.
Lincoln asked, “Mr. Douglas, if the people of a territory
voted slavery down, despite the Supreme Court saying
that they could not do so (point #2 of the Dred Scott
decision), which side would you support, the people or
the Supreme Court?”
Douglas (“Mr. Popular Sovereignty”) replied with his
“Freeport Doctrine.”
…”since
ultimate power was held by the people, slavery
should be banned if the people indeed voted it down,
regardless of how the Supreme Court ruled.”
DOUGLAS WINS THE BATTLE, BUT LOSES THE
WAR
Douglas won the Illinois Senate race over
Lincoln.
BUT
the South turned against Douglas.
His bid for president in 1860 was ruined
because he lost support in the south due to the
Freeport Doctrine.
JOHN BROWN: MURDERER OR MARTYR?
John Brown re-emerged in Harper's Ferry,
Virginia
His
1.
2.
3.
plan:
to take over the federal arsenal in Harper's Ferry
pass out weapons to local slaves
initiate a huge slave revolt, and thus free the slaves.
WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED
The Result:
He and his men took over a building but were quickly holed up by the
U.S. Marines, led by Lt. Col. Robert E. Lee.
He was captured, tried, convicted, sentenced to death, and hanged.
BROWN’S LEGEND
Brown's death had a strong impact on the
North and South.
To
the South, justice had been served to a
murderer.
In the North, many viewed Brown as a martyr.
True
or not, the martyr image gave strength to the
moral cause of abolition.
THE 1860 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
The Republicans nominated
Abraham Lincoln
Support came from
free-soilers (stopping slavery's
expansion)
manufacturers (a higher tariff)
immigrants (civil rights)
westerners (a Northwestern
railroad)
farmers (cheap homesteading
land).
Lincoln was not an abolitionist,
just a free-soiler.
he wanted to stop the spread of
slavery, but allow it where it
currently existed.
THE ELECTORAL UPHEAVAL OF 1860
Lincoln got only 40% of the popular vote, yet he
won the presidency
It was a very sectional race:
the North went to Lincoln
the South to Breckinridge (Southern Dem)
the “middle-ground” went to Bell
Missouri went to Douglas (Northern Dem)
THE SOUTH STANDS STRONG
Despite the presidency
The
South had a 5-to-4 majority in the Supreme
Court.
The
Republicans didn't control either the House or
Senate.
THE SECESSIONIST EXODUS
During the campaign
South
Carolina had pledged to secede from the
union if Lincoln won.
S.C.
seceded in December of 1860.
The
"Deep South" (Alabama, Mississippi, Florida,
Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas) followed over the next six
weeks
Four other Southern states would leave the U.S. later.
THE CONFEDERATE STATES OF AMERICA
The seceded states met
in Montgomery, AL in
February, 1861, and
formed the
"Confederate States of
America".
Jefferson Davis was
elected as the president
of the C.S.A.
THE LAME DUCK BUCHANAN
President Buchanan's actions (or inactions)
during the secession were weak.
He did little or nothing to stop the states from
leaving the U.S.
He is consistently rated as our worst president
FAREWELL TO UNION
The Southern states seceded because they felt
their slave-based way-of-life was being
threatened
1.
2.
Southerners felt starting a new nation would
enable them to mature economically—to grow
their own industry, banking, shipping, etc.
The South likened their situation to the American
colonies of 1776 who broke away from England.