Slavery, Sectionalism and Manifest Destiny

1820-1860

The South and the Slavery Controversy

Chapter 16

I. Cotton is King After Revolution slavery faced an

uncertain future, it was logical to think slavery would fade away

Invention of the cotton gin in 1793 changed that

Cotton became dominant crop in the south, created demand for labor and land

Quick profits from cotton drew planters to the Gulf South during this time

Caused economic spiral more cotton = more slaves, if you had more slaves you could buy more land

Northern shippers profited from cotton trade

They shipped it to England Largest American export after 1840 (1/2

of world’s supply) Southern leaders knew that cotton

production was something they could hold over heads of British

Cotton and Slaves 1820 and 1860

II. The Planter Aristocracy South was a society run be elite

wealthy planters Very few owned large amount of

slaves They had tremendous wealth,

send children to schools outside of south (kept public education from gaining foothold)

Had a sense of duty to the public Dominance by planters caused a

huge gap between rich and poor Society almost feudal (lords,

manors and serfs) Shaped the lives of women, they

managed the house and the slave staff, most did not support abolition

III. Slaves and the Slave System Search for quick profit led to over cultivation

and degradation of the environment Those that could not make it headed West and

North (Butternuts) Economic structure became monopolistic, land

owners concentrated their holdings and bought out small farmers

Land hunger led to over speculation of lands, heavy investment in slaves caused crushing debt for many planters

Dependence on one crop put South at the mercy of the world markets, caused lack of economic diversity that effect region well into the 20th century

Resentment of the northern bankers, middlemen, businessmen intensified as they grew rich off Southern cotton and made profits selling manufactured goods to the South

Slaves and high land prices kept out European immigrants, South had little ethnic diversity

IV. The White Majority 1/4 of families owned slaves Typically small farmers (more

like Midwestern or Northern farmers)

Many owned no slaves at all, they were subsistence farmers (raised corn, hogs) and lived isolated lives

Had no direct stake in slave system but supported it because there was somebody on the social ladder lower than them

Mountain whites in Appalachia disliked blacks and masters and provided strong Union support in the South during the Civil War

IV. Free Blacks: Slaves Without Masters

Free blacks in the Upper South (MD, VA, NC) traced origins to Revolution

Lower South most free were mulattoes, some purchased freedom

New Orleans had sizeable free, mulatto community Seen a third race, could not hold certain

occupations, vote In the North some states would not let them live

there, could not attend public schools, competed with Irish for menial jobs

Spread of slavery in new territory grew out of prejudice not humanitarianism

V. Plantation Slavery Number of slaves grew during first half of

1800’s King Cotton demanded tribute in slave

labor Some smuggled into country (made illegal

1808), most growth due to natural increase

Slaves planters biggest asset and they were treated like investments (for the most part)

Cotton boom sucked slaves from Upper to Lower South

Some states had majority African American populations

Slaves sold at auction, sometimes for bankruptcy

Led to breakup of families, became theme for Harriet Beecher Stowe and Uncle Tom’s Cabin

VI. Life Under the Lash Conditions for slaves varied from

region to region No slaves had civil or political

rights, no labor rights Beatings and threat of beating

substituted for wage-incentive system

Masters were never too harsh because of investment

1860 most slaves concentrated in “black belt” across Deep South

Region was southern frontier, life was rougher than Upper South

Majority lived on plantations

VI. Life Under the Lash Slaves managed to maintain family life Kept some African traditions in marriage, descent,

religion Religion was mixture of Christian and African traditions Focused on themes of persecution in the Bible Call and response preaching adaptation of caller and

dancers from West African traditions

VII. The Burdens of Bondage Slavery denied education, did not want them to get

new ideas, question position Slaves struck back by slowing the pace of work,

sabotaging equipment, took goods they produced All wanted freedom, some ran away Armed rebellion never worked 1800 Gabriel Prosser(Richmond, VA), 1822

Denmark Vesey (Charleston, SC), 1831 Nat Turner All failed, all were hung or were killed White southerners felt like they were under siege

(rebellions, abolitionist propaganda) developed theory of superiority over blacks

American South was one of the world’s last bastions of slavery

VIII. Early Abolitionism First anti slavery societies appeared after

Revolution, main support among Quakers Earliest efforts were to send blacks back to

Africa 1822- American Colonization Society,

founded Liberia in West Africa- 15,000 went Most slaves did not see themselves as

Africans 1830’s slavery becomes moral crusade

because of Second Great Awakening 1833 –British abolish slavery in West Indies Slavery became a sin Theodore Weld and “Lane Rebels” preached

anti-slavery gospel across Old Northwest

IX. Radical Abolitionism 1831- William Lloyd Garrison publishes first

issue of The Liberator, a militantly anti slavery newspaper based in Boston

1833- American Antislavery society founded Black Abolitionists – David Walker (promoted

bloody end to slavery), Sojourner Truth (advocate for emancipation and women’s rights)

Fredrick Douglass – best known black abolitionist, escaped slave

Wrote Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass, detailed his early life and escape

IX. Radical Abolitionism Differences between Garrison and

Douglass Garrison known as inflexible, self

righteous, impractical Provided no alternative to country without

slavery Denounced politics Many abolitionist questioned the role of

women (Garrison supported women) Douglass- used politics to end slavery New political parties emerge in 1840’s

based on abolition of slavery Liberty Party (1840), Free Soil Party

(1848), Republican Party (1850’s)

X. The South Lashes Back Before 1830’s some antislavery

sentiment in the south 1831 publication of Liberator, Nat

Turner Rebellion, Nullification Crisis of 1832

All turned tide in South White southerners saw threat to way

of life, began to defend slavery Justifications- supported by Bible,

good for civilization depraved Africans, master- slave relationship was like a family (contrasted with industrial wage earners in northern factories)

1836 Southerners in House pass Gag Resolution, tables all debate on slavery (defied by John Quincy Adams)

Postmasters given permission to destroy abolitionist material across South

Widened gap between north and south

XI. Abolitionist Impact in the North Abolitionists unpopular in many parts of the

north Seen as too radical Heavy economic stake in south; cotton

production for factories, money owed to northern banks

Abolitionists seen as rocking the boat Mobs attacked abolitionists By 1850’s issue of territorial expansion, other

factors put many in north on side of abolitionists

Manifest Destiny and Its Legacy

Chapter 17

Gone to Texas Americans want Texas, remote backwater of

Spanish Empire US abandoned claim in 1819 1823- new Mexican government gives land to

Stephen Austin to bring settlers 2 conditions settlers had to become Mexican

citizens, become Catholic Ignored by settlers, annoyed by presence of

Mexican soldiers and government Settlers typical American individualist, did not

want to be pushed around Slavery an issue, outlawed in Mex., settlers

brought slaves anyway 1836 Mex. Leader Santa Ana attempts to

repress Texans independence

The Lone Star Rebellion Early 1836 Texans declare independence Santa Anna attacks Alamo and Goliad

become rallying cries for Texans, galvanized Americans behind Texas cause

Gen. Sam Houston lures Mexicans east to San Jacinto (near present day Houston), and defeats Santa Anna

Forces Santa Anna to sign treaty giving land to Rio Grande to Texas and removing troops from region

Mex. Does not recognize agreement Texas becomes an independent republic

but wanted to be part of the United States

Refused admission, abolitionists did want new slave state

Seen as a plot against slavery to Southerners

I. The Accession of “Tyler Too” 1840’s territorial expansion

dominated politics, diplomacy War with Mexico, gained

territory from Texas to California and questions of status of slavery

1841 William Henry Harrison (Whig) elected and died in office

Real leaders of Whigs Clay, Webster tried to push agenda, thwarted by John Tyler (VP, now president)

Tyler supporter of states rights Clay and others tried to push

nationalistic political agenda Whigs pushed for new bank,

tariffs; all vetoed by Tyler

II. War of Words with Britain British looked down on

Americans, increased tension with America

Americans borrowed extensively from British banks (many defaulted on loans during Panic of 1837)

1837 Caroline incident with Canada, 1841 slaves offered asylum in Bahamas (southern fear of Caribbean becoming haven for escaped slaves), 1842 border disputes in Maine (settled by Webster- Ashburton Treaty)

III. Texas and Oregon 1836- Texas achieves independence, not recognized

by Mexico Britain, France interested in Texas as place for cotton

production, check American power Texas as independent nation threatened US Presidential campaign 1844 issue of expansion Texas annexed by joint resolution of Congress 1844 James K. Polk won election on expansion platform Texas became state 1845 Oregon country enormous wilderness Claimed by many different countries until 1825, then

only US and Britain British claims based on occupation American claims based on exploration and occupation 1830’s American missionaries settle Willamette

Valley, stimulates interest of Americans 1840’s number of Americans increases, came over

Oregon Trail British had few settlers, weaker claim than Americans

IV. Manifest Destiny and the Election of 1844 Election of 1844 between Henry Clay

and James Polk Major election issue Manifest Destiny Feeling that America’s duty was to

spread ideals of democracy across continent (idea of expansion and liberty)

Expansion ignored national boundaries, came at the expense of others

Expansionist Democrats won election felt they had a mandate to take Texas and Oregon

New President James K. Polk had 4 point program – lower tariff, create independent treasury, acquire Oregon and California

1846 US and Britain compromise on Oregon territory border (dying fur trade made British lose interest in Oregon)

V. War with Mexico Americans wanted San Francisco and

San Diego Bays as ports on Pacific and to expand American trade to Asia

Americans saw weakness in Mexican control of borderlands

Polk eager to buy California, Mexicans would not sell

Wanted California to balance admission of Texas with a free state

US/Mexico issues over boundary of Texas

Mexican claim was boundary at Nueces River, American claim was Rio Grande

Rumors of British wanting to purchase California, could not be tolerated under Monroe doctrine

1846 Polk sends troops to Texas, march from Nueces River to Rio Grande

April 1846 US soldiers killed and Polk asks for war, Congress overwhelmingly supports it

V. War with Mexico Many northerners and Whigs saw this as a land grab and war for

extension of slavery Lincoln (then Rep. from Illinois) pushes “spot resolutions” to show where

blood was shed on American soil Both sides wanted war, America to teach Mexicans a lesson, Mexicans saw

US a bully to the north South and West supported war The US unprepared for the war. Ill equipped volunteers filled the American

army Advantages over the Mexican military that had outdated equipment and

little motivation to fight. American industrial base to prepare and equip an army, superior

leadership United States won easily over the Mexican forces in 1847 California- John Fremont led a revolt against Mexican rule and declared

the state “The Bear Flag Republic”

V. War with Mexico 1848- War ended with Treaty of

Guadalupe Hidalgo Gave US vast new territory, paid Mexico

$15 million dollars for land Many Americans thought that US should

not stop with Mexico European countries had new respect for

American military The Mexican American War was a blatant

war of conquest that would have occurred through migration eventually

The war also trained the next generation of generals (Lee, Grant) to fight America’s next war – the Civil War

Turning point in US relations with Latin America, became suspicious of “Colossus of the North”

War aroused issue of slavery and its expansion

1846- David Wilmot tries to introduce amendment that slavery should not exist in new territory, never passed the Senate but symbolized issue of slavery in territories (Wilmot Proviso)

Renewing the Sectional Struggle1848-1854

Chapter 18

Differences between the North and South

I. Popular Sovereignty Panacea 1848 war with Mexico ends, issue of extending slavery

opened up, split politics along sectional lines, North and South

Political parties had appealed to people across sectional lines, during this period it was split by northern abolitionists and southern fire-eaters

Election of 1848- Democrats turn to Lewis Cass, war hero, Democratic platform was silent on the issue of slavery

Lewis Cass was not, he supported “popular sovereignty” to determine status of slavery

Idea took question of slavery out of national politics and made it a series of local issues; followed democratic ideal of self determination

II. Political Triumphs of General Taylor Whigs nominate Mexican War hero

Zachary Taylor (Clay was old, had too many enemies)

Pushed personality of candidate Anti slavery people not satisfied

with either candidate, establish own party “Free Soil” Party

Free Soil Party- for Wilmot Proviso, broadened appeal by advocating federal aid for internal improvements, free government homesteads for settlers in new territory

Party attracted industrialists from North, those who wanted cheap land in west to allow free white workers a chance to make money

Nominate Van Buren as candidate Foreshadowed emergence of

Republican party

III. “Californy Gold” 1848 gold discovered in California,

Americans flock to region to strike it rich 300,000 go to CA (forty-niners) Most money made by those that

provided services to miners Influx of settlers overwhelm territorial

government, to bring order they draft a constitution in 1849 (it excluded slavery), and tried to bypass territorial stage, Taylor saw it as a way to end stalemate over slavery

He felt slavery could be permitted where it existed but not expanded

Supported by free soilers; appalled Southern politicians, knew it would upset balance of slave and free states

IV. Sectional Balance and the Underground Railroad

1850- South relatively well off, cotton prices high, political sentiment was in their favor, president was southern, political sectional balance was well maintained

South worried that new territory would be free and upset the sectional political balance (California, New Mexico, Utah)

Texas and New Mexico dispute over border, Texas threatened to send troops to take Santa Fe in defiance of federal government

IV. Sectional Balance and the Underground Railroad

Southerners angered by runaway slaves and assistance of Underground Railroad

Assisted by abolitionists it was a series of “stations” where slaves were safe during their escape to freedom

Southerners upset at prospect of abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia

Southerners wanted stronger fugitive slave laws, free states refused to cooperate to capture slaves

Upset with moral righteousness of abolitionists

Said Constitution protected slavery and laws that Congress passed to provide for slave catching

V. Twilight for the Senatorial Giants 1850- Congress needed to act decisively on

issue of slavery before country fell apart Last of second generation statesmen- Webster,

Calhoun, Clay were at center of fixing issue (or arguing against it)

Clay and Stephen Douglas of Illinois introduced a series of compromises to solve problem

Wanted north and south to make concessions Calhoun upheld Southern position of states

rights and political balance, argued that slaves were property and protected by 5th Amendment and Article IV of Constitution

March 7th speech- Webster gave impassioned speech about compromise and was accused as being a traitor to the north, speech helped turn tide for compromise in north

These politicians were the last of a generation to support union at all costs ,new breed more sectional in outlook

VI. Deadlock and Danger on Capitol Hill Young Guard from north led by William Seward of NY

argued sections could no longer compromise Said the was a “higher law” to be followed President Taylor also believed in higher law and was

bent on vetoing any action by Congress Taylor dies suddenly in 1850 and new president

Millard Fillmore signed series of compromise measures known as Compromise of 1850

Many eager to compromise because of prosperity brought by gold riches from California and growing spirit of goodwill

Southern extremists still opposed to concessions and planned to meet in Nashville to secede from Union

VII. Balancing the Compromise Scales Compromise 1850- series of bills

passed to end slavery question, for the most part it favored the North

a) California admitted as a free state

b) New Mexico, Utah organized a territories, open to slavery on basis of popular sovereignty (not going to be slave)

c) Land dispute between Texas and NM settled, NM given land, TX receives $10m to pay off government debt

d) Slave trade outlawed in D.C.

e) Most controversial part was Fugitive Slave law

Escaped slaves could not testify on their behalf or given a trial by jury, bounty paid to federal commissioners, people found aiding slaves were subject to criminal penalties

VII. Balancing the Compromise Scales Northerners became galvanized around issue of

slavery and many states passed personal liberty laws

Many would not support law, further turned tide against south; it became a moral issue

Sectional balance would favor north and growing population would insure it

North was more industrial and wealthy Through the 1850’s they gained moral and

material strength South dug in their heels to protect their way of

life

Uncle Tom’s Cabin Published in 1852, written

by Harriet Beecher Stowe (daughter of anti slavery minister) united northerners against slavery

Made slavery seem “real”, not removed from everyday life

Showed indignity of slavery from cruel masters to the ripping apart of slave families

Best selling novel of the 1800’s

VIII. Defeat and Doom for the Whigs 1852- Franklin Pierce of New

Hampshire nominated by Democrats, held pro southern views, wanted territorial expansion, endorsed Compromise of 1850, seen as compromise candidate

Took votes away from southern Whigs, also he was a weak and indecisive man

Whigs nominate another war hero Winfield Scott

Campaign based on personality and Pierce wins

Spelled the end of the Whig party, end of national politics

Legacy was it was the party of union and great leaders (Clay and Webster)

IX. Expansionist Stirrings South of the Border Expansionist impulses of the late 1840’s led to the

Young America movement Thought they could transform world through

spreading of “American” institutions (democracy, capitalism; part of reforming impulse of antebellum America)

Latin America- Clayton- Bulwer Treaty of 1850 with British to secure right of transit across isthmus of Panama (later used to justify land grab for Panama Canal)

Southerners wanted new slave territory, looked to Central America

William Walker briefly was president of Nicaragua and made slavery legal (he was eventually executed)

Cuba had a large population of slaves but it was controlled by Spain

1850, 1851 two filibustering expeditions sent to Cuba but were repelled and tension escalated between Spain and US

Secretly US, France and Britain draft Olmsted Manifesto that recommended US could take Cuba if certain conditions met

Northern free soilers protested and the Pierce administration backed off of plans

X. The Allure of Asia West coast possessions made US Pacific power Americans wanted to enter Asian markets 1844 Americans gain entry to Chinese trade and

missionaries (compromised cultural integrity of China in the long run)

1852 Millard Fillmore sends US navy under leadership of Matthew Perry to open trade with Japan

Japan had been closed off from the rest of the world for 200 years but show of American military forced open society, within a decade the “Meiji Restoration” would modernize Japan

XI. Pacific Railroad Promoters and the Gadsden Purchase New western territory needed

to be connected to rest of country, transcontinental railroad was a necessity

Northern and southern sections competed to see would have the railroad and the wealth that went with it

James Gadsden purchased piece of desert from Mexico in 1853 for 10 million

Purpose was for southern rail route that would have been easier to build and it went through already organized territory, easier to protect with US military

XII. Douglas’s Kansas-Nebraska Scheme 1854- Stepen Douglas “The Little Giant”,

sought to break the deadlock of western expansion

Called the Kansas-Nebraska Act He proposed a northern route for the railroad,

it would begin in Chicago and spread a string of settlements to the Pacific

To gain southern support he split the Nebraska Territory into two parts-Kansas and Nebraska, their status regarding slavery would be decided by popular sovereignty

Problems- it contradicted the Missouri Compromise, a sacred sectional pact

President Pierce supported the plan Douglas also had other motives- he owned

land along the proposed route and he wanted to be president

Douglas defeated the free soil group in Congress and pushed the bill through

XIII. Congress Legislates a Civil War Kansas-Nebraska Act greased the slope

to the Civil War Northerners saw the events of the

previous decade as a southern conspiracy (popular theme in American history)

Compromise was harder to come by , each side would not give in to the other

Democrats torn apart by the Kansas-Nebraska Act and would not put another president into the White House for 28 years

Caused the Republican party to emerge, it consisted of anti-slavery groups, Know-Nothings, Free-Soilers

It quickly gathered strength in the years leading up to 1860, the party was supported only in the north

Drifting Toward DisunionThe 1850’s

Chapter 19

I. Stowe and Helper: Literary Incendiaries Hope for compromise and keeping Union together fell

apart in the last half of the 1850’s Kansas erupted into violence, the Supreme Court in the

Dred Scott decision validated feeling of a “Southern conspiracy”

Attitudes on both sides hardened 1852 Uncle Tom’s Cabin published, novel had great

political force- no Northerner wanted to support “peculiar institution”; also popular across Europe

1857 Impending Crisis of the South by Hinton Helper tried to prove that non-slave holders in South suffered the most from slavery (poor whites could not get ahead)

Planter elite feel attacked from all sides

II. The North-South Contest for Kansas Kansas issue on popular sovereignty came

to a head Various groups came to Kansas- regular

pioneers, groups financed by northern abolitionists (some armed by New England Emigrant Aid Company)

Southern spokesmen under the impression Kansas would be slave, Nebraska free and began to sponsor slave owning families to move to Kansas (risky to take slaves to region)

1855- crisis in Kansas blows up (Bleeding Kansas)

Elections for first territorial legislature, many came over border from slave state Missouri to vote (early and often)

Slavery forces won election, free soilers see this as an illegal conspiracy and set up own government

State home to two separate governments Tension increased when proslavery raiders

attacked free town of Lawrence

III. Kansas in Convulsion 1856- John Brown, insanely dedicated

abolitionist, moved to Kansas Led a band of abolitionist to a pro slavery

settlement on Pottawatomie Creek and hacked to death a group of five proslaveryites and brought swift retaliation from proslavery forces

Civil war erupted in Kansas after this attack 1857 Kansas applies for admission to US with

proslavery constitution (Lecompton Constitution) approved in 1857

Constitution supported by President Buchanan, many saw this a popular fraudulency

Issue divided Democratic party along north-south lines and broke last strands that kept Union together

IV. “Bully” Brooks and His Bludgeon 1856- US Senator Charles Sumner

(MA) and Congressman Preston Brooks (SC) demonstrated how inflamed the political passions had become

Sumner gave a two day long speech on slavery and the Kansas issue

During the speech he insulted a relative of Brooks and he attacked and beat Sumner with a cane on the Senate floor

Brooks resigned and was reelected, Sumner had to leave office because of his injuries and his Senate seat remained empty

V. Old Buck Versus The Pathfinder 1856 presidential election Democrats nominate

James Buchanan a Pennsylvania lawyer not tainted by Kansas controversy

Republicans nominate John Fremont who had little political experience, also not part of Kansas dispute

Republican platform against extension of slavery under any circumstances

Democrats supported popular sovereignty Know Nothings and their stand against

foreigners also nominated Millard Fillmore, party cut into Republican strength

VI. The Electoral Fruits of 1856 Buchanan won easily Democrats won because of threats of secession if

anybody else elected Many northerners wanted to preserve Union and keep

business connections with South Events had not gotten bad enough to see no chance for

reconciliation (KS trouble had yet to explode) Democrats were losing strength as evidenced by election

of 1854

VII. The Dred Scott Bombshell Dred Scott lived with master in Illinois and free

territory of Wisconsin, master died and he sued for his freedom on basis of his residency on free soil

Dred Scott vs. Sanford (1857) Pro southern Supreme Court said he could not

sue in federal court because he was a black slave and not a citizen

Said slaves were private property and they could be taken to any territory (free or slave) and they were still slaves

Basis was the 5th Amendment, it protected private property from the government

Southerners happy with decision, further drove a wedge between north and south

Used as a rallying cry for anti slavery forces, refused to follow decision

South wondered how they could exist with a group willing to defy the Supreme Court

VIII. The Financial Crash of 1857 1857 economic panic CA gold had artificially

inflated currency Over production of grain to

feed Europeans (Crimean War over and it was no longer needed), grain prices dropped

Over-speculation in land and railroads

Hit north harder than south, Southerners saw this as proof cotton was king

VIII. The Financial Crash of 1857 Northerners called for free land to help out (provide

employment), met opposition from industrialists because it would drain away people needed for factories

Opposed in the South because plantation agriculture could not flourish on small homesteads and if territories filled up it would further tip sectional balance

1860- Congress does pass Homestead Act, public lands available for 25 cents an acre

Panic caused clamor for higher tariff rates, surplus funds caused Treasury to lower tariff rates and panic wiped out surplus

North wanted higher tariffs, Southern politicians blocked tariff increases

Events gave Republicans two issues to focus on in election of 1860 that were not slavery, tariff protections and farms for farmless

IX. An Illinois Rail-splitter Emerges 1858 Senatorial election takes national

spotlight Abraham Lincoln (R) and Stephen Douglas

(D) running for Senate seat in Illinois Lincoln challenged Douglas to a series of

debates, Douglas was known a great debater and Lincoln was expected to fall

Freeport, IL major debate Lincoln questioned how could popular

sovereignty survive with Dread Scott decision Douglas’ reply became known a Freeport

Doctrine, where public opinion does not support law it is almost impossible to enforce (slavery would stay down if it was voted down)

Douglas defeats Lincoln but Lincoln becomes a national figure

Douglas and his support for popular sovereignty splinters Democrats- How could they vote for him if he supported what they opposed?

X. John Brown: Murderer or Martyr? John Brown hatches scheme to invade

south, cause slave rebellion and arm them 1859- Invaded a federal arsenal in

Harpers Ferry, VA and failed Quickly captured and hanged South viewed him as a murderer and

guilty of treason, , moderate northerners agreed

Abolitionists were upset by his execution and viewed him as a martyr for their cause

“ How can a barbarous community and a civilized community constitute one state. We must either get rid of slavery, or get rid of freedom” Ralph Waldo Emerson

XI. Disruption for the Democrats Election of 1860 hung on issue of peace or war Democrats divided could not choose

presidential nominee Southern states would not support Douglas and

they nominated their own candidate John C. Breckinridge

Middle of the road group wanted compromise candidate to keep country together nominated John Bell from Tennessee

Northern Democrats platform for popular sovereignty, and supported Fugitive Slave Law

Southern Democrat platform foe extension of slavery into territories and annexation of Cuba

XII. Rail-Splitter Splits Union Republican choice between

William Seward and Lincoln Seward seen as too radical,

Lincoln had fewer enemies Republican platform for non-

extension of slavery, higher tariffs, free homesteads and internal improvements at federal expense

Southern secessionists said if Lincoln elected they would leave Union, thought federal government would get rid of slavery

Lincoln elected as a minority president, was not even on the ballot in 10 states

Election of 1860 essentially two elections- North and South

XIII. The Secessionist Exodus Chain of secession began to erupt Dec. 1860 SC calls special convention and unanimously votes

to secede from Union Over the next 6 weeks six other states follow Feb. 1861 meet in Montgomery, AL to establish government

and choose former Senator Jefferson Davis from MS as president Buchanan, did nothing He was surrounded by pro-southern advisers and he could find

no authority in Constitution to keep states in Union Public opinion in North not for fighting to keep Union together,

so there was still hope for reconciliation Ideas proposed by James Crittenden (KY) Crittenden Compromise proposed Constitutional

Amendments designed to appease South Slavery permitted south of Missouri Compromise line and open

to popular sovereignty in all other territory Lincoln rejected plan and hope of compromise evaporated

XIV. Farewell to Union South left for a variety of reasons1.Slavery, loosing sectional balance that was a

threat to slaveholding minority2.They though departure would be unopposed3.Northern economic interests would not put up

a fight to maintain business relations4.South had a different culture and they could

form a country that fit their ideas5.Develop own economic relations with Europe,

keep tariffs low6.Felt it was their destiny and they were not

doing anything immoral or wrong