Chapter 19Drifting Toward Disunion

1854-1861

Nicholas QuigleyErica Souza

Stowe and Helper: Literary Incendiaries

• In 1852, Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin, succeeded in showing the horrors of slavery though her novel

• Its lasting impression on the North led to the Civil War.

•Hinton R. Helper, from North Carolina, wrote The Impending Crisis of the South in 1857. •He attempted to prove that the non-slaveholding whites were the ones who suffered the most from slavery.

The North-South Contest for Kansas

•The free-soilers set up their own government in Topeka. •In 1856, a Civil War in Kansas started and continued until in merged with the nation's Civil War.

•In 1855, pro-slavery people came in from Missouri to set up their own government at Shawnee Mission.

•Northern abolitionists wanted Kansas to become a free-state.•The New England Emigrant Aid Company was one of these groups

Kansas in Convulsion

• In order to stop it from becoming a free state, pro-slavery politicians created the Lecompton Constitution. – This document stated that the people could only vote on

whether the constitution would be "with slavery" or "without slavery." The constitution would still protect those who already owned slaves in Kansas.

• Many free-soilers boycotted voting, so the pro-slaveryites approved the constitution to include slavery

John Brown was an abolitionist who, in response to the pro-slavery events in Lawrence, hacked to death 5 pro-slavery men

Democrat Stephen Douglas was strongly opposed to the document and he campaigned against it.

A compromise was finally reached that allowed the people of Kansas to vote on the Lecompton Constitution. .. It was revoked.

James Buchanan, a democrat, succeeded Pierce as the President of the United States. • He had a strong southern influence and approved of the Lecompton

Constitution.

President Buchanan divided the Democratic Party by antagonizing the Douglas Democrats of the North. This led to the Civil War.

“Bully” Brooks & His Bludgeon• Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts delivered a blistering

speech; “The Crime Against Kansas”• He condemned proslavery men• Congressman Preston S. Brooks of South Carolina opposed Sumner’s

views.• On May 22, 1856, Brooks clubbed

Sumner with his cane until it broke at his senate desk.

• The Sumner-Brooks Clash was among the first blows of the Civil War

“Old Buck” vs. “The Pathfinder”

Anti-foreignism and huge amounts of mudslinging played roles in the campaign.

Democrats met in Cincinnati to nominate James Buchanan – “Old Buck” as their presidential candidate.

Republican delegates met in Philadelphia and nominated John C. Fremont – “The Pathfinder.”

The Know-Nothing Party – composed of mainly “old-stock” Protestants – nominated ex-president Millard Fillmore.

• BUCHANAN WON THE ELECTION• IN THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE, THE VOTES TALLIED 174 TO 114

• THE POPULAR VOTE:– 1,832,955 FOR BUCHANAN – 1,339,932 FOR FREMONT– 871,731 FOR FILLMORE

THE ELECTORAL FRUITS OF 1856