The Coming of the Civil

War

Background Info

1776 – Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence

Declaration of Independence ignored the issue of slavery

1776 – 1783 13 Colonies fought for independence from GB

1789 – USA adopted the ConstitutionConstitution ignored the issue of

slavery

1787 Northwest Ordinance

organized land north of the Ohio River into 5 territories (OH, IN, IL, MI, WI)

land north of the Ohio R. was to be “free” territory/states

land south of the Ohio R. was to be “slave” territory/states

More Expansion

1803 – Jefferson purchased Louisiana Territory from France

west of the Mississippi River to the Rocky Mountains, north of Texas

Slave owners began to take their “property” west of the Mississippi River

1812 – 1815 War of 1812

USA hoped to gain Canadian territory

Missouri Statehood

1819 MO applied for statehood as a slave statetwo problems:part of Missouri was north of the Ohio Riveradmission of Missouri as a slave state would

alter the “balance of power” in the Senatethe issue:North did not want slavery to spread, South didNeither section wanted to lose power in

Congress

A

Task One

Missouri Compromise

1820 Congress approved Clay’s plan

Missouri admitted as a slave state

Maine admitted as a free state

36o 30’ line of latitude drawn to determine future slave and free territories and states

kept USA together but the slavery issue was not resolved…neither side was completely happy

B

…stuff…

1800 – 1850 USA economy developed through the Industrial Revolution

1820 – 1850 US settlers moved west in search of new lands…“manifest destiny”

1828 – 1836 USA experienced “Jacksonian Democracy” and “Indian Removal”

Second Great Awakening

1810–1850 USA experienced a religious revivalProtestant Christian camp meeting movement

to revitalize Christian attitudes and spiritpeople returned to church and “traditional

values”became concerned with the evils of alcoholbecame concerned with immorality of slaveryAbolitionists began strong protests to end

slavery

C

Turner’s Rebellion

1831 Nat Turner (VA slave and preacher) started a revolt

killed c. 55 white people

were arrested two days later, tried, and executed

c. 200 innocent slaves were also killed

white communities passed stricter slave codes

Southern states tried to prevent abolitionists and abolitionist materials from entering their states

D

the Underground Railroad

c. 1000 slaves escaped to the North and Canada each year (north = the Ohio River)

many slaves traveled alonemany used the Underground Railroad

systemmost famous “conductor” was Harriet

TubmanSouthern states demanded that Congress

prevent the loss of their “property”

E

Congressional “Gag Rule”

for years, Congress argued about what to do about slavery

1836 Congress decided to “table” all discussions about slavery

“table” means not to discuss an issue

abolitionists called this the “gag rule”

in force from 1836 - 1848

Texas

1820s Americans began moving into TX, some took their slaves

1836 Americans in TX declared (and fought for) their independence from Mexico

1846 US annexed TX

1846 – 1848 US fought the Mexican War

1848 Mexican Cession gave America TX plus CA, NM, AZ, UT, NV

California Statehood1849 CA applied for statehood as a free

state

two problems:

CA was both north and south of the 36o 30’ line

CA would alter the “balance of power” in the Senate

the issue:

North did not want slavery to spread

neither side wanted to lose power in Congress

the South was running out of “new” land

F

Task Two

Compromise of 1850

1850 Congress approved Clay’s plan

California admitted as a free state

New Mexico & Utah could be slave territories

Slave trade was banned in Washington, DC

new, tougher Fugitive Slave Law passed

kept USA together but it did not resolve the slavery issue again…neither side was completely happy...again

G

Fugitive Slave Law

Northern government officials must help catch runaway slaves & return them to the South

failing to stop a runaway = $1,000 fine and 6-months of jail time

ex slaves felt unsafe in the North, moved to Canada if they could

slave hunters roamed about to catch runaways

most Northerners disliked law, refused to obey it, some continued to help runaways

H

Uncle Tom’s Cabin

1852 written by Harriet Beecher Stowe

a novel about the South & the cruelty of slavery

HBS lived in New England and in Cincy, OH

HBS was an abolitionist; married an abolitionist

HBS visited KY, never visited the deep South

book infuriated the South, enflamed the North

I

End day two

the Kansas-Nebraska Act

1854 Illinois Senator Stephen A. Douglas introduced the Kansas-Nebraska Act

tried to organize the territory west of MO

wanted to build a railroad from IL to CA ($)

K-N Act based on theory of “popular sovereignty”

the people of Kansas and Nebraska could decide whether to be slave or free…vote

J

Popular Sovereignty

three problems:

Kansas and Nebraska were both north of 36o 30’

North did not want slave states north of 36o 30’

South did not want more free states in Senate

the Kansas-Nebraska Act passed

Results of the Kansas-Nebraska Act

farmers looking for good soil rushed into KS

Abolitionists paid Northern farmers to move in

Southerners paid slave-owners to move in

another problem:

1855 a pro-slavery legislature was elected

1856 an anti-slavery legislature was elected

K

Bleeding Kansas

May 21, 1856 pro-slavery men raided Lawrence, KS

May 24, 1856 anti-slavery men raided Pottawatomie, KS

fighting was called “Bleeding Kansas”

Fall of 1856 President Pierce ordered US Army to stop the “civil war”

The Dred Scott CaseDred Scott was a slave owned by a US

Army doc

in 1830s Scott was taken by his master to Illinois and Wisconsin

IL was a free state, WI was a free territory

doctor moved to MO then LA, two slave states

1847 Scott (with help from some abolitionist lawyers) sued for his freedom

case eventually went to the US Supreme Court

M

Task Three

Supreme Court Decision1857 Supreme Court Chief Justice

Roger Taney wrote the majority opinion:

slaves (African-Americans) were not citizens … therefore they could not sue in a US Court

slaves were “property”…therefore owners could take them anywhere, anytime

Congress cannot forbid slavery in any territory

the South rejoiced, the North went ballistic

N

1858 Illinois Senate Election

Democratic candidate was Stephen Douglas

well-known, politically powerful

believed in popular sovereignty

Republican candidate was Abraham Lincoln

unknown, politically weak

believed slavery should not spread

O

Lincoln – Douglas Debates

Candidates held seven debates in seven cities

to help people of IL decide whom to vote for

the speeches of both men were printed in newspapers around the country

Douglas won the election…but…

Lincoln gained national fame and recognition

John Brown’s Raid

1859 abolitionist, John Brown wanted to start a slave rebellion

Brown and 18 men attacked US Army arsenal at Harper’s Ferry, VA

Col. Robert E. Lee, and US Marines sent to stop Brown

Brown’s team was arrested, tried, and executed

Northern abolitionists applauded Brown’s efforts, Southerners went ballistic

P

Election of 1860

Four candidates ran for president

Abraham Lincoln, Republican from IL won

within weeks, 7 Southern states declared their independence (formed the Confederate States of America)

Election of 1860

some historians suggest the election of Lincoln as president was a cause of the Civil War…

End day three