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1
Disagreements between the North and the South,
especially over the issue of slavery, led to
political conflict.
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2
Growing Tensions Between North and South
North and South Take Different Paths
In the North, industrial growth leads to rapid
growth of cities
Immigrants are large part of northern
population
Many immigrants, Easterners move to Northwest
Territory
South controlled by a few wealthy planters
Make profit from slave labor, trade South
develops little industry
A working cotton plantation, as depicted (1883)
by W. A. Walker.
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3
Antislavery and Racism
Many Northerners are against slavery
Includes abolitionists, free workers who fear
loss of jobs to slaves
Most Northerners refuse to associate with
African Americans
Many Southerners determined to defend slavery
Claim white people superior, slaves are
provided with food, clothes
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4
The Wilmot Proviso
Wilmot Provisooutlaws slavery in area U.S.
gets from war with Mexico
U.S. Constitution protects property rights
Southerners view slaves as property, Wilmot
Proviso unconstitutional
Southerners prevent Wilmot Proviso from passing
the Senate
Proviso leads to creation of political party
called Free-Soil Party - wants to stop the
expansion of slavery
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5
Controversy over Territories
President Zachary Taylor proposes California
apply for statehood
Adding a free state would tip balance of power
in favor of the North
South divide California into 2 sections free
north, slave south
President Taylor proposes a strategy for
California (1849)
Apply for statehood without going through
territory stage
California applies to be admitted as a free
state (1850)
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6
The Compromise of 1850
Senator Henry Clay proposes the Compromise of
1850
Admit California as a free state, abolish
slavery in Washington D.C.
No laws would abolish slavery in territories
won from Mexico
Pass stronger laws to help slaveholders
recapture runaway slaves
Senator Stephen A. Douglas succeeds in winning
passage of plan
Compromise of 1850 becomes law, sectional
tensions continue to rise
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7
Turmoil over slavery led to acts of violence.
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8
The Crisis Deepens
The Fugitive Slave Act
Fugitive Slave Act helps slaveholders recapture
runaway slaves
Fugitives can be held without arrest warrant,
no right to jury trial
Southerners feel the act justified, slaves
considered property
Northerners resent the act because it requires
them to support slavery
Face moral choice, support law, slavery or
oppose law, slavery
The Fugitive Slave Act being enforced.
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9
Uncle Toms Cabin
Harriet Beecher Stowe publishes book, Uncle
Toms Cabin (1852)
Expresses moral issues about slavery
Stowes book is popular in North
Southerners feel book falsely criticizes the
South, slavery
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10
The Kansas-Nebraska Act
Stephen A. Douglas drafts bill for governing
the Nebraska Territory
Divides territory into two territories
Nebraska, Kansas
Slavery issue to be decided by residents
votepopular sovereignty
Allows vote for slavery in area where Missouri
Compromise banned it
South supports bill, becomes law known as
Kansas-Nebraska Act
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11
Bleeding Kansas
Proslavery, antislavery settlers rush into
Kansas Territory
Want vote for territorial legislation in the
election of March, 1855
At time of election, more proslavery than
anti-slavery settlers
5,000 proslavery Missourians vote in election
illegally
Kansas legislature packed with proslavery
representatives
Continued . . .
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12
Continued Bleeding Kansas
Antislavery settlers boycott official
government, form own government
Proslavery mob attacks Lawrence, Kansas,
destroys - antislavery offices - house of
antislavery governor
Attack known as Sack of Lawrence
Abolitionist John Brown retaliates by murdering
5 proslavery people
The sacking of the Free Soil capital of Lawrence,
Kansas, by proslavery men on May 21, 1856 (19th
century).
Attack known as Pottawatomie Massacre
Civil war breaks out in Kansas, territory
called Bleeding Kansas
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13
Violence in Congress
Senator Charles Sumners speech attacks
proslavery forces in Kansas
Speech makes fun of A. P. Butler, senator from
South Carolina
A relative of Butler, Preston Brooks, attacks
Sumner in the Senate
Southerners cheer Brookss defense of the South
Northerners shocked at the violence in the
Senate
Representative Preston S. Brooks assaulting
Charles Sumner in the Senate Chamber on May 22,
1856 (19th century).
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14
Disagreements over slavery lead to the formation
of the Republican Party and heightened sectional
tensions.
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15
Slavery Dominates Politics
The Republican Party Forms
Whig party splits over slavery, Northern Whigs
form Republican Party
Republicans join with other opponents of
slavery, gain strength in North
Nominate John C. Frémont as their presidential
candidate (1856)
An 1856 campaign poster of John Charles Frémont
and William L. Dayton as presidential and
vice-presidential candidates of the new
Republican party.
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16
The Election of 1856
Democrats nominate James Buchanan to run for
the U.S. presidency
Buchanan wants to maintain the Union, appeals
to Southerners
American, or Know-Nothing Party, nominates
Millard Fillmore
In North, presidential race is Buchanan against
Frémont
In South, race is Buchanan against Fillmore
Buchanan wins election, but Frémont wins 11
Northern states
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17
The Case of Dred Scott
Dred Scott is a slave in Missouri
Owner takes Scott to territory where slavery is
illegal
Owner, Scott return to Missouri, owner dies,
Scott sues for freedom
Argues he is a free man, he lived in region
where slavery is illegal
His case, Dred Scott v. Sandford, reaches
Supreme Court (1856)
Dred Scott, American slave. Portrait, after a
photograph (about 1858).
Continued . . .
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18
Continued The Case of Dred Scott
Chief Justice Roger B. Taney, Supreme Court
rule against Scott stating - Scott is not a
U.S. citizen, cannot sue in U.S. courts - is
bound by Missouris slave code because he lived
in Missouri
Taney argues that Congress cannot ban slavery
in the territories
Southerners cheer Courts decision, Northerners
are outraged
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19
Lincoln and Douglas Debate
Republicans charge Democrats want to legalize
slavery in all of U.S.
Use charge, attack Stephen A. Douglas, sponsor
of Kansas-Nebraska Act
Illinois Republicans nominate Abraham Lincoln
for U.S. Senate (1858)
Abraham Lincoln (1858).
Continued . . .
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20
Continued Lincoln and Douglas Debate
Lincoln challenges Douglas for U.S. Senate,
hold formal debates
Lincoln argues U.S. government should prevent
expansion of slavery
Douglas argues popular sovereignty should
decide slavery issue
Douglas wins reelection, Lincoln becomes a
national figure
Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas debating
the issue of slavery in the 1858 Senate campaign
in Illinois.
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21
John Brown Attacks Harpers Ferry
John Brown, followers capture U.S. arsenal at
Harpers Ferry, Virginia
Brown sends out word to rally, arm local slaves
No slaves join fight, U.S. Marines capture
Brown, 6 others
Brown is tried for murder, treason and is hung
Many Northerners, abolitionists salute Brown as
a hero
Southerners outraged by Northern reactions to
Browns death
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John Brown stands over the bodies of Civil War
soldiers. The Tragic Prelude (19371942), John S.
Curry.
22
The election of Lincoln leads the Southern states
to secede from the Union.
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23
Lincolns Election and Southern Secession
Political Parties Splinter
Northern, Southern Democrats disagree about
slavery in partys platform
Platformstatement of beliefs
Southern Democrats want platform to defend
slavery
Northern Democrats want platform to support
popular sovereignty
Northerners win platform, 50 Southerners walk
out of convention
Continued . . .
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24
Continued Political Parties Splinter
Northern democrats nominate Stephen A. Douglas
for president
Southern democrats nominate John Breckinridge
Republicans nominate Abraham Lincoln
Constitutional Union Party nominates John Bell
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25
The Election of 1860
1860 election turns into 2 races one in the
North, other in the South
Abraham Lincoln defeats Stephen A. Douglas in
the North
John Breckinridge defeats John Bell in the
South
Lincoln receives the most electoral, popular
votes, wins election
Southerners view Republican victory as a threat
to their way of life
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26
Southern States Secede
South Carolina secedeswithdraws from the Union
(1860)
6 more Southern states soon join South Carolina
in secession
Form the Confederate States of America (1861)
Name Jefferson Davis president of the
Confederacy
Draft Confederate Constitution which
- supports states rights - protects slavery
in Confederacy, territories it might acquire
Jefferson Davis, president of the Confederate
States of America (c. 1860), Mathew Brady studio.
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27
The Union Responds to Secession
Northerners consider secession of Southern
states unconstitutional
President James Buchanan believes states do not
have right to secede
South claims North will use their majority to
abolish slavery
North claims South does not want to live by the
rules of democracy
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28
Efforts to Compromise Fail
Senator John J. Crittenden develops compromise,
the Crittenden Plan
Plan does not pass Abraham Lincoln is
inaugurated (March 4, 1861)
Lincoln is against secession but does not want
to invade the South
Union forts in South, including Fort Sumter,
need to be resupplied
Inauguration (March 4, 1861) of Abraham Lincoln
as 16th president of the United States, on steps
of unfinished Capitol building in Washington,
D.C.
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