The Coming of the Civil WarThe Coming of the Civil War

The Impending CrisisTwo Nations

Two NationsTwo Nations• North believed slavery was

wrong based on religion• South attacked uncaring

northern industrialists who took no personal responsibility for workers

Harriet Beecher StoweHarriet Beecher Stowe

• Uncle Tom’s CabinUncle Tom’s Cabin: Eliza Harris, a slave, escapes when her child is to be sold• Uncle Tom is sold and is killed by

his brutal master, Simon Legree

DifferencesDifferences• North had urban, large

population; new technology; more railroads; telegraph; factories• South had more slaves and

cotton

TelegraphTelegraph

New Political PartiesNew Political Parties

Election of 1848Election of 1848• Democrats: Lewis Cass • Whigs: Zachary Taylor• Free Soil Party took votes away

from Cass to give Taylor the victory• Taylor dies in 1850; Millard Fillmore

takes office

Zachary TaylorZachary Taylor

Millard FillmoreMillard Fillmore

Compromise of 1850Compromise of 1850• Henry Clay of Kentucky proposes

a compromise to admit California as a free state• John Calhoun of SC against• Daniel Webster for

Daniel WebsterDaniel Webster

ProvisionsProvisions• 1. Admit CA as free state• 2. Territories of New Mexico and Utah decide for

themselves• 3. Abolish sale of slaves in Washington, D.C.• 4. Slavery remained legal in Washington, D.C.• 5. Fugitive Slave Act: all citizens must assist in the

return of runaway slaves to owners; no jury trial for slaves

Political PartiesPolitical Parties• Decline of the Whig party• Election of 1852: Franklin Pierce,

a Democrat, defeats Winfield Scott, a Whig• Know-Nothing Party: against

immigrants

Kansas-Nebraska ActKansas-Nebraska Act• Stephen Douglas of Illinois

wanted to run for President• Act supported popular

sovereignty for area• Passed but made North angry

Two New PartiesTwo New Parties• Republicans • Know-Nothings (against

immigrants, Irish Catholics) wanted native Americans to have best treatment

Republican PartyRepublican Party• Dedicated to stopping “Slave

Power”• Demanded repeal of the Kansas-

Nebraska Act and Fugitive Slave Act

RepublicansRepublicans• Comprised of antislavery

Democrats, Whigs, and Free Soilers from North• Small business owners,

craftworkers, farmers, professionals

The System FailsThe System Fails

Violence BeginsViolence Begins• Free soilers: 1,200 New

Englanders sent to Kansas to fight against slavery• Proslavery settlers opposed

them• 1856, open violence

Two CapitalsTwo Capitals• Free soilers capital was in

Topeka, Kansas; against slavery• Proslavery capital was in

Lecompton, Kansas

““Bleeding Kansas”Bleeding Kansas”• John Brown: Following a raid in

Lawrence by a proslavery group, he and his followers killed five proslavery men• Summer of murder and raids

Bleeding KansasBleeding Kansas

John BrownJohn Brown

John Brown’s RaidJohn Brown’s Raid• 1859, Brown and his men

attacked the federal arsenal at Harper’s Ferry, Virginia• Wanted a slave uprising• Colonel Robert E. Lee leads

troops; Brown is executed.

Senate ViolenceSenate Violence• Senator Charles Sumner, a

Republican, attacked Southerners for slavery • Preston Brooks beat him with his

cane• Sumner lived but never recovered;

added to hatred

Election of 1856Election of 1856• Democrats nominated James

Buchanan• Republicans nominated John C.

Fremont• Know-Nothings chose Millard

Fillmore

BuchananBuchanan• Buchanan wins the election• He hoped that the Supreme

Court would use its power to resolve the slavery issue.• Next decision angers the North

even more

James BuchananJames Buchanan

Scott v. SandfordScott v. Sandford• The Dred Scott Decision 1857;

Scott sued his owner• Said that he and his wife were

taken to states and territories where slavery was illegal and should be free

Dred ScottDred Scott

RulingRuling• 7 to 2 against Scott• Slaves are not citizens and cannot

sue in court• Scott not free due to being in free

area• Missouri Compromise declared

unconstitutional

Lecompton ConstitutionLecompton Constitution

• Proslavery group wrote a proslavery constitution for Kansas• Buchanan accepted it, but

Congress returned it.• Defeated by Kansas people

Lincoln-Douglas DebatesLincoln-Douglas Debates

• Campaigning for Senate• Series of seven debates on the

issue of slavery in the territories.• Physical contrast in the men• Douglas wins election

Abraham LincolnAbraham Lincoln

Abraham LincolnAbraham Lincoln• Studied law and worked at various

jobs• Served in the Congress in the 1840s• Believed that the majority could not

deny the minority their rights• Foresaw confrontation

Stephen DouglasStephen Douglas

Senator DouglasSenator Douglas• Short, stout• Believed that the majority of people

could do anything they wished, even make slavery legal• Lincoln gets national attention

A Nation Divided Against A Nation Divided Against ItselfItself

Border StatesBorder States• Delaware• Maryland• Kentucky• Missouri

The Election of 1860The Election of 1860In April 1860, Democratic Party split

into North and South factionsIn Border States, the Constitutional

Union party forms from Whigs and American party (Know Nothing)

Candidates in1860 Candidates in1860 • Southern Democrats: John C. Breckinrigde• Northern Democrats: Stephen Douglas,

Illinois• Constitutional Union party: John Bell,

Tennessee• Republican party: Abraham Lincoln, Illinois

And the winner was…• Lincoln wins with 39% of the vote and 180

electoral votes– A sectional victory– Hadn’t even been on southern ballots!!

Lincoln’s First Inauguration