THE SECTIONAL CRISISTHE SECTIONAL CRISISAmerica: Past and Present,America: Past and Present,

Chapter 14Chapter 14

The Compromise of 1850The Compromise of 1850

North and South conflict violently over North and South conflict violently over slavery’s extension into the territoriesslavery’s extension into the territories

Professional politicians mediate conflictProfessional politicians mediate conflict

The Problem of Slavery in the The Problem of Slavery in the Mexican CessionMexican Cession

Slavery traditionally kept out of politicsSlavery traditionally kept out of politics Congressional power over slavery Congressional power over slavery

includesincludes setting conditions to make territories statessetting conditions to make territories states forbidding slavery in new statesforbidding slavery in new states

Mexican Cession of 1848 puts status of Mexican Cession of 1848 puts status of slavery in new territory into questionslavery in new territory into question

The Wilmot Proviso Launches The Wilmot Proviso Launches the Free-Soil Movementthe Free-Soil Movement

Mexican War mobilizes antislavery groupsMexican War mobilizes antislavery groups Wilmot Proviso--ban all blacks from new Wilmot Proviso--ban all blacks from new

territories to preserve for white farmers territories to preserve for white farmers Proviso passes in House, fails in SenateProviso passes in House, fails in Senate Battle over the Proviso foreshadows Battle over the Proviso foreshadows

sectional conflict of 1850ssectional conflict of 1850s

Squatter Sovereignty and the Squatter Sovereignty and the Election of 1848Election of 1848

Democratic presidential candidate Lewis Democratic presidential candidate Lewis Cass proposes popular sovereigntyCass proposes popular sovereignty Congress allows territorial settlers to decideCongress allows territorial settlers to decide supported by many antislavery forcessupported by many antislavery forces

Free-Soil candidate Martin Van Buren Free-Soil candidate Martin Van Buren demands definite limits on slaverydemands definite limits on slavery

Whig Zachary Taylor takes no position Whig Zachary Taylor takes no position Taylor wins election with less than 50% Taylor wins election with less than 50%

Taylor Takes ChargeTaylor Takes Charge

Taylor proposes admitting California and Taylor proposes admitting California and New Mexico as states immediatelyNew Mexico as states immediately

South reacts angrilySouth reacts angrily not enough time for planters to settlenot enough time for planters to settle immediate admission would result in banimmediate admission would result in ban

Proposed Nashville convention prompts Proposed Nashville convention prompts fears of Southern secessionfears of Southern secession

Forging a CompromiseForging a Compromise

Henry Clay’s compromise packageHenry Clay’s compromise package California admitted as a free state California admitted as a free state slave trade prohibited in District of Columbiaslave trade prohibited in District of Columbia strong fugitive slave law strong fugitive slave law enlarged New Mexico territory to be admitted enlarged New Mexico territory to be admitted

on basis of popular sovereigntyon basis of popular sovereignty Taylor’s death permits passage of slightly Taylor’s death permits passage of slightly

altered Compromise as separate altered Compromise as separate measuresmeasures

The Compromise of 1850The Compromise of 1850

Political Upheaval, 1852-1856Political Upheaval, 1852-1856

Whigs and Democrats manage Whigs and Democrats manage controversy in 1850controversy in 1850

Sectionalism destroys both parties in Sectionalism destroys both parties in 1850s 1850s

The Party System in CrisisThe Party System in Crisis

Parties need new issues after 1850Parties need new issues after 1850 Democrats succeedDemocrats succeed

claim credit for the nation's prosperity claim credit for the nation's prosperity promise to defend the Compromise of 1850promise to defend the Compromise of 1850

Whigs fail, become internally dividedWhigs fail, become internally divided 1852--Whig Winfield Scott loses a 1852--Whig Winfield Scott loses a

landslide to Democrat Franklin Piercelandslide to Democrat Franklin Pierce

The Kansas-Nebraska Act The Kansas-Nebraska Act Raises a StormRaises a Storm

1854--Stephen Douglas introduces 1854--Stephen Douglas introduces Kansas-Nebraska billKansas-Nebraska bill apply popular sovereignty to Kansas, apply popular sovereignty to Kansas,

NebraskaNebraska repeal Missouri Compromise line repeal Missouri Compromise line

Act passes on sectional vote Act passes on sectional vote Northerners outragedNortherners outraged

The Kansas-Nebraska Act of The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 18541854

The Kansas-Nebraska Act The Kansas-Nebraska Act Raises a Storm (2)Raises a Storm (2)

Whig indecision causes party to Whig indecision causes party to disintegrate disintegrate

Mass defection among Northern Mass defection among Northern Democrats Democrats

““Anti-Nebraska” candidates sweep North Anti-Nebraska” candidates sweep North in 1854 congressional electionsin 1854 congressional elections

Democrats become sole Southern partyDemocrats become sole Southern party President Pierce’s effort to acquire Cuba President Pierce’s effort to acquire Cuba

provokes antislavery firestormprovokes antislavery firestorm

An Appeal to Nativism: The An Appeal to Nativism: The Know-Nothing EpisodeKnow-Nothing Episode

Know-Nothings (American Party) appeals Know-Nothings (American Party) appeals to anti-Catholic sentimentto anti-Catholic sentiment

1854--American party surges 1854--American party surges By 1856 Know-Nothings collapseBy 1856 Know-Nothings collapse Probable cause: no response to slaveryProbable cause: no response to slavery

Congressional Election of 1854Congressional Election of 1854

Kansas and the Rise of the Kansas and the Rise of the RepublicansRepublicans

Republican party unites former Whigs, Republican party unites former Whigs, Know-Nothings, Free-Soilers, DemocratsKnow-Nothings, Free-Soilers, Democrats

Appeals to Northern sectional sympathiesAppeals to Northern sectional sympathies Defends West for white, small farmersDefends West for white, small farmers ““Bleeding Kansas” helps RepublicansBleeding Kansas” helps Republicans

struggle among abolitionists, proslavery struggle among abolitionists, proslavery forces for control of Kansas territoryforces for control of Kansas territory

Republicans use conflict to appeal for votersRepublicans use conflict to appeal for voters

““Bleeding Kansas”Bleeding Kansas”

Sectional Division in the Sectional Division in the Election of 1856Election of 1856

Republican John C. FrRepublican John C. Fréémont seeks votes mont seeks votes only in free statesonly in free states

Know-Nothing Millard Fillmore champions Know-Nothing Millard Fillmore champions sectional compromisesectional compromise

Democrat James Buchanan defends the Democrat James Buchanan defends the Compromise of 1850, carries electionCompromise of 1850, carries election

Republicans make clear gains in NorthRepublicans make clear gains in North

The House Divided, 1857-1860The House Divided, 1857-1860

Sectional quarrel becomes virtually Sectional quarrel becomes virtually irreconcilable under Buchananirreconcilable under Buchanan

Growing sense of deep cultural Growing sense of deep cultural differences, opposing interests between differences, opposing interests between North and SouthNorth and South

Cultural SectionalismCultural Sectionalism

Major Protestant denominations divide into Major Protestant denominations divide into northern and southern entities over slaverynorthern and southern entities over slavery

Southern literature romanticizes plantation lifeSouthern literature romanticizes plantation life South seeks intellectual, economic South seeks intellectual, economic

independence independence Northern intellectuals condemn slavery Northern intellectuals condemn slavery Uncle Tom's CabinUncle Tom's Cabin an immense success in an immense success in

NorthNorth

The Dred Scott CaseThe Dred Scott Case

Dred Scott v. SanfordDred Scott v. Sanford (1857): Supreme (1857): Supreme Court can decide on slavery in the territoriesCourt can decide on slavery in the territories

Court refuses narrow determination of caseCourt refuses narrow determination of case Major argumentsMajor arguments

Scott has no right to sue because neither he nor Scott has no right to sue because neither he nor any other black, slave or free, a citizenany other black, slave or free, a citizen

Congress has no authority to prohibit slavery in Congress has no authority to prohibit slavery in territories, Missouri Compromise territories, Missouri Compromise unconstitutionalunconstitutional

Ruling strengthens RepublicansRuling strengthens Republicans

The Lecompton ControversyThe Lecompton Controversy

1857--rigged Lecompton convention drafts 1857--rigged Lecompton convention drafts constitution to make Kansas a slave stateconstitution to make Kansas a slave state

House defeats attempt by Buchanan, House defeats attempt by Buchanan, Southerners to admit Kansas Southerners to admit Kansas

Lecompton constitution referred back Lecompton constitution referred back People of Kansas repudiatePeople of Kansas repudiate Stephen Douglas splits Democrats in Stephen Douglas splits Democrats in

break with Buchanan over Lecomptonbreak with Buchanan over Lecompton

Debating the Morality of Slavery Debating the Morality of Slavery

LincolnLincoln decries “Southern plot” to extend slaverydecries “Southern plot” to extend slavery promises to work for slavery’s extinctionpromises to work for slavery’s extinction casts slavery as a moral problemcasts slavery as a moral problem defends white supremacy in response to defends white supremacy in response to

DouglasDouglas

Douglas accuses Lincoln of favoring Douglas accuses Lincoln of favoring equalityequality

Lincoln loses election, gains national Lincoln loses election, gains national reputationreputation

The South's Crisis of FearThe South's Crisis of Fear

October, 1859--John Brown raids Harper’s October, 1859--John Brown raids Harper’s FerryFerry

Brown executed, North mourns as martyrBrown executed, North mourns as martyr December, 1859--Republican candidate December, 1859--Republican candidate

for Speaker denounced as seditious for Speaker denounced as seditious “Helperite”“Helperite”

Republicans seen as radical abolitionistsRepublicans seen as radical abolitionists Southerners convinced they must secede Southerners convinced they must secede

on election of Republican president on election of Republican president

The Election of 1860: The Election of 1860: DemocratsDemocrats

Party splitsParty splits Northern Democrat Stephen DouglasNorthern Democrat Stephen Douglas Southern Democrat John BreckenridgeSouthern Democrat John Breckenridge

The Election of 1860: The Election of 1860: Constitutional Union Party Constitutional Union Party

Candidate John BellCandidate John Bell Promises compromise between North and Promises compromise between North and

SouthSouth

The Election of 1860: The Election of 1860: RepublicansRepublicans

Abraham Lincoln nominated Abraham Lincoln nominated home state of Illinois crucial to electionhome state of Illinois crucial to election seen as moderateseen as moderate

Platform to widen party’s appealPlatform to widen party’s appeal high tariffs for industryhigh tariffs for industry free homesteads for small farmersfree homesteads for small farmers government aid for internal improvementsgovernment aid for internal improvements

Lincoln wins by carrying NorthLincoln wins by carrying North

Explaining the CrisisExplaining the Crisis

Republicans a strict sectional partyRepublicans a strict sectional party Fundamental conflict of idealsFundamental conflict of ideals Southern idealsSouthern ideals

paternalism, generosity, prosperitypaternalism, generosity, prosperity slavery defended on the grounds of raceslavery defended on the grounds of race

Northern idealsNorthern ideals inspired by evangelical Protestantisminspired by evangelical Protestantism each person free and responsible each person free and responsible slavery tyrannical and immoralslavery tyrannical and immoral