Chapter 15, Section 4

Republicans Challenge Slavery

People in the territories were looking for a new political voiceNeither the Whig party or Democratic

party would take a stand against slaveryRepublican Party: mixture of Free Soilers,

northern Democrats, and antislavery Whigs

Main goal of the Republican Party was to keep slavery out of the Western TerritoriesA few were abolitionists hoping to end

slavery in the SouthJohn C. Fremont: selected by Republicans

in 1856 to run for PresidentLittle political experience but opposed

the spread of slavery

The Republican Party

James Buchanan: Democratic nominee from PennsylvaniaSympathized with the Southern position

on slaveryBuchanan won the electionFremont won 1/3 of the popular vote

without the support of any southern state

1858 Abe Lincoln, a Republican, challenged democrat Stephen Douglas for his seat in the Senate

Abe Lincoln of Illinois

Born in the backcountry of KentuckyHis family moved often to find better landLincoln spent only a year in school but taught

himself how to read and writeHe opened a store in Illinois Studied law on his ownSpent 8 years in the state legislatureOne term in CongressHe opposed the Kansas-Nebraska Act1858 ran for the Senate

A Self starter from Kentucky

Lincoln was not a national figureTo the people of Illinois Lincoln was just

folks

“Just Folks”

Stephen Douglas drew big crowds on the senate campaign trail

Lincoln could not draw crowds this largeHe followed Douglas on the campaign

trail answering him speech for speech

The Lincoln – Douglas Campaign Trail

Lincoln challenged Douglas to a series of debatesDebated seven times

A series of debates

Called Lincoln a hot headed abolitionist who wanted blacks and whites to be equal

Douglas warned Lincoln’s call to end slavery would result in war

Popular sovereignty was the best way to solve the slavery crisis

Douglas speaks

If slavery is wrong then Lincoln and other Americans could not ignore it

Lincoln did not believe in perfect equalityHe did believe slavery was wrong

Lincoln replies

Newspaper reprinted their speechesThe more northerners read Lincoln’s

speeches the more they thought of the injustive of slavery

Douglas won the election by a small margin

Lincoln was known throughout the country

The two rivals would meet again in two years

A leader emerges

John Brown carries his antislavery campaign from Kansas to the east

He led a group of followers including 5 African Americans to Harper’s Ferry VirginiaThere they raided a federal arsenal: Gun

warehouseBrown thought African Americans would

flock to the arsenalHe would give them weapons and lead

a revolt

John Brown’s Raid

No slave uprising took placeRobert E. Lee led troops killed 10 raiders

and captured John BrownBrown was found guilty of treason and

murder and sentenced to death

Seizing the arsenal

Because he showed dignity during his trial Brown became a hero to many northerners

Northern church bells rang the morning he was hanged

White southerners were outraged by the northerners response

Trial and death