Kansas Territory erupted in violence in 1855

1820 Missouri Compromise invalidated by the Dred Scott decision

1860 nomination of Abraham Lincoln for President

Stowe and Helper: Literary Stowe and Helper: Literary IncendiariesIncendiaries

1852 Harriet Beecher Stowe published the novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin Sources of her antislavery sentiments lay in

the crusades of the Second Great Awakening Millions of copies of her book were sold It made slavery appear almost as evil as it

really was. Lincoln said to her, “So you’re the little

woman who wrote the book that made this great war.”

Stowe and Helper: Literary Stowe and Helper: Literary IncendiariesIncendiaries

1858 Hinton R. Helper’s The Impending Crisis of the South He hated slavery and blacks Book was banned and burned in

the South Believed that nonslaveholding

whites suffered most from slavery.

The North-South The North-South Contest for KansasContest for Kansas

Northerners searching for richer lands

Census of 1860 found two slaves out of 107,000 people in Kansas and only 15 in Nebraska

1885 election=victory for slave supporters

1856 proslavery raiders burned part of the free-soil town of Lawrence

Kansas in ConvulsionKansas in Convulsion

John Brown “Old Brown” Dedicated to abolitionist cause May 1856 led followers to Pottawatomie Creek

1856 Civil War in Kansas

1857 Kansas had enough people to apply for statehood with popular sovereignty.

Lecompton Constitution (devised by proslavery forces)

People only allowed to vote for slavery or no slavery

No matter what, there would still be black bondage as slave owners already in Kansas were protected.

Many free-soilers were upset and boycotted the polls and the 1857 constitution was approved with slavery

““Bully” Brooks and His Bully” Brooks and His BludgeonBludgeon

Senator Charles Sumner of Mass. (leading abolitionist) delivered a speech “The Crime Against Kansas” Condemned proslavery men Insulting to South Carolina and Senator Andrew

Butler

May 22, 1856 Congressman Preston S. Brooks of Carolina approached Sumner, pounded the orator with a cane, and made the victim fall bleeding to the floor

Brooks resigned and then was reelected

Sumner left for three and a half years to Europe for treatment

Mass. Reelected Sumner

““Old Buck” Versus “The Old Buck” Versus “The Pathfinder” Pathfinder”

Democrats met in Cincinnati to nominate presidential standard bearer of 1856 James Buchanan(Penn. Lawyer) chosen

“Old Buck” Buchanan

Republicans nominated Captain John C. Fremont (pathfinder of the West) who was supposed to find path to White House

Know-Nothing Party = secret American party organized by “nativists” (old stock Protestants) 1856 nominated Millard Fillmore Antiforeign and anti-Catholic Slogan “Americans Must Rule America”

The Electoral Fruits of The Electoral Fruits of 18561856

Buchanan won by beating Fremont and Fillmore

The Dred Scott The Dred Scott BombshellBombshell

Dred Scott decision was handed down by the Supreme Court on March 6, 1857

Dred Scott (black slave) sued for freedom because of his long residence on free soil

The Supreme Court ruled that the Missouri Compromise of 1820 had been unconstitutional

The court believed that because a slave was property he could be taken into any territory and legally held there in slavery.

The reason was because the 5th Amend. Forbade Congress to deprive people of their property.

The Financial Crash of The Financial Crash of 18571857

Causes California gold helped inflate currency Demands of Crimean War over stimulated growing of

grain Furious speculation in land and railroads

5000 businesses failed within a year

North was hit the hardest while the South enjoyed cotton prices

1860 Congress passed a homestead act: Public lands were available for 25 cents an acre

Vetoed by President Buchanan

Republicans given two issues for election: protection and farms

An Illinois Rail-Splitter An Illinois Rail-Splitter EmergesEmerges

Illinois Senatorial election of 1858

Republican candidate = Abraham Lincoln Born in 1809 in Kentucky to impoverished

parents Better-known trial lawyer in Illinois One term in Congress 1847-1849 Received 110 votes for vice-presidential

nomination at Philadelphia Convention of 1856

The Great Debate: Lincoln versus The Great Debate: Lincoln versus DouglasDouglas

Seven debates between August to October 1858

Most famous debate came at Freeport, Illinois Lincoln asked whether the vote of the people or the vote

of the Supreme Court would prevail Douglas’s response (“Freeport Doctrine”) was aimed

toward the people and stated that “No matterhow the Supreme Court ruled, slavery would stay down if the people voted it down.”

Douglas defeated Lincoln for Senate seat

But Douglas hurt his chances of winning presidency

John Brown Murder or John Brown Murder or Martyr?Martyr?

John Brown’s plan = invade south secretly, call slaves to rise, give them arms, and establish a black free state

On October 1859, at Harpers Ferry, Brown killed and injured innocent people

He and some of his followers were captured by U.S. Marines

“Old Brown” was convicted of murder and treason

He was hung

The Disruption of the The Disruption of the DemocratsDemocrats

Dem. Met in Charleston, South Carolina where departure was becoming a habit

Dem. Then tried in Baltimore but many walked out

Constitutional Union Party was organized Met in Baltimore and nominated John Bell of

Tenn. For presidency Believed in the Union, the Constitution, and the

Enforcement of the Laws

A Rail-Splitter Splits the A Rail-Splitter Splits the UnionUnion

Republicans met in Chicago in the Wigwam (huge, boxlike wooden structure)

A noisy election campaign broke out

Victory = Lincoln

The Electoral Upheaval The Electoral Upheaval of 1860of 1860

Election of 1860 was virtually two elections: in North and in South

Lincoln (Republican) Breckinridge (Democratic) Bell (Constitutional Union) Douglas (Democratic)

Federal gov. could not touch slavery in those states where it existed except by a constitutional amendment

Lincoln wins election with only 40% of the popular vote. Democrats together amassed more votes.

The Secessionist The Secessionist ExodusExodus

Dec. 1860 Convention at Charleston led to secessions of states in lower South (ex. Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Texas)

Feb. 1861 at Montgomery, Alabama led to creation of gov. called the Confederate States of America President Jefferson Davis

Lincoln could not take office until March 4, 1861

Buchanan was blamed for not holding the Union together.

Lincoln did the same (wait and see).

The Collapse of The Collapse of CompromiseCompromise

Senator James Henry Crittenden of Kentucky proposed Crittenden amendments to the Constitution which were designed to appease the South

Slavery would be allowed south of 36° 30’, given federal protection in all territories as well as future territories such as Cuba or Mexico.

Lincoln rejected the Crittenden plan

Farewell to UnionFarewell to Union

Many Southerners supported secession because they saw it as an opportunity and believed they would be unopposed.

13 original states had entered the Union and now 7 – ultimately 11 – Southern states were voluntarily withdrawing from it

““Act of Secession”Act of Secession”