THE COMING OF THE CIVIL WAR

1. THE COMING OF THE CIVIL WAR 1850: The Decade of Crisis Out of Many Chapter 15

2. America in the 1850s • Changes from the market revolution: • Geographic expansion • Population increase • Economic development • Nat’l identity in economics, culture, & politics

3. Expansion & Growth • Grew thanks to war & diplomacy • Tripled in size • 31 states by1850 • Nation movedout of the“developing”category

4. Politics, Culture, & National Identity • National Identity founded on • the principle of Manifest Destiny • Pride in democracy • New middle class values • “American Renaissance” • Short stories • Unrhymed verse • Social critics • Famous novels • The Scarlet Letter • The House of Seven Gables • Moby Dick • Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass • Uncle Tom’s Cabin

5. Harriett Beecher Stowe, author 1852 sold 300,000 copies in first year All-time best seller S criticizes – exaggerated account by woman from ME; not typical N convinced slavery would be ruin of US “So you’re the little woman who wrote the book that made this great war!” UNCLE TOM’S CABIN

6. Nation Divided • Whether or not slavery should be extended to new territories sparked the nation’s biggest political debate • Prior to the 1840s, the nat’l party system had forced both Whigs & Democrats to forge inter-sectional coalitions • By 1848, sectional splits in religious & other organizations had begun to divide the country

7. NORTHERN CRITICISMS OF SLAVERY • Violates the principles of the United States & Christian religion (equality of all men) . • Primarily the belief that all humans – slave or free – had the right to choose their own destiny & follow God’s laws. • BUT, most did NOT believe that blacks and whites were equals & did not want blacks to have equal political rights.

8. SOUTHERN DEFENSE OF SLAVERY: • Necessary to provide an adequate labor supply • “Positive Good” since all basic needs of slaves were met • Better than the unemployment, poverty & crime in the North • Religion – slavery existed in Bible • Science – blacks are racially inferior

9. ELECTION OF 1848 • SLAVERY is most controversial issue • Democrats run Lewis Cass – “Father of Popular Sovereignty” • Free Soil Party runs Martin Van Buren – Abolition of slavery • Whigs choose Zachary Taylor – totally avoids issue of slavery & focuses on military accomplishments in Mexican War • Taylor wins

10. CALIFORNIA • GOLD discovered 1848 • GOLD RUSH – 95,000 “Forty-niners” there to mine it by 1849 • Impact of Gold Rush: • Hundreds of thousands of people migrate to CA, many immigrants • San Francisco major commercial center • Mining towns / ghost towns

11. Rising Debate in Congress • John C. Calhoun • Laid out the states’ rights defense • Claimed that the territories were thecommon property of all the states • Congress could not discriminateagainst slave-owners by preventing them from moving their“property” (a.k.a. slaves) to theterritories • Believed he was invokingConstitutional protections of minorities(a.k.a. slave owners) • Calhoun’s arguments were taken up as dogma by Southern politicians • South started threatening secession if their rights were not protected

12. Rising Debate in Congress • Daniel Webster & Henry Clay both urged compromise • Problem… • Northerners had come to view Southern insistence on slave-holding rights as a conspiracy to maintain control over the gov’t • North became increasingly hostile to “slave power” • Because all three men were getting older, they left figuring out a solution to younger congressmen, like Stephen Douglas Henry Clay Daniel Webster

13. COMPROMISE OF 1850 • Actually passed in 5 separate bills • Popular belief that a crisis had been adverted, but in reality it had only been postponed • Provisions favoring the North: • California admitted as afree state • Free states outnumberslave states • All future slave TRADINGprohibited in Washington, D.C.

14. Provisions Favoring the South: • Slave ownership still allowed in D.C. • Stronger Fugitive Slave Law • Designed to suppress the Underground RR • Slave owners didn’t have to prove ownership to get slaves returned • Slaves had no right to testify in their own behalf • North totally opposed & passed “personal liberty laws” which forbade the capture & return of runaway slaves

15. The Fugitive Slave Act • The issue of runaway slaves further divided the nation. • The Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 put the full force of the federal government behind slave catchers. • States had previously passed acts against aiding slave catchers. • Mobs of northerners unsuccessfully tried to prevent the law from being carried out. • Black fugitives described their experiences as slaves, helping to raise Northerners’ consciousness.

16. Provision that could benefit either the North or the South: • Mexican cession would be divided into 2 territories: UT & NM • Slavery would be decided in these 2 territories by popular sovereignty • Stephen Douglas responsible for passage of Compromise of 1850 • P Taylor opposed the Compromise – but he died; P Fillmore signs bill into law

17. Millard Fillmore #13 • Whig • VP – None • Competent & level-headed • Personally opposed slavery • Issue not worth civil war • Apprenticeship • 14 year old • Carding & clothing • Chopped wood • Joined library @ 18 • Country schoolteacher • Lawyer

18. Election of 1852 Whigs Democrats Lewis Cass, Stephen Douglas, & James Buchanan all vying for nomination Party turns to Franklin Pierce (NH) Thought to have southern sympathies “Faithful execution” • Unofficial head = William Seward • Doesn’t like pro-Southern Fillmore • Nominates General Winfield Scott • Alienates the southern portion of their party • Will be the last time they nominate a presidential candidate

20. Franklin Pierce #14 • Democrat • VP – William King • Died after 1 year • People pleaser • Studied law • Was elected to the Senate at 33 • Mexican War veteran • Served under General Scott • “Doughface Democrat”

21. “Young America”: The Politics of Expansion • “Young America” began with a group of writers & politicians • Believed in Manifest Destiny • Looked southward at Cuba & Central America • “Filibusters” invaded • Purpose? • William Walker • Led 3 invasions of Nicaragua • Became ruler, but later overthrown • Tried again to regain control • Captured & executed in Honduras

22. Obtaining Cuba • Pierce administration deeply involved • Slave revolts, 1843-44 • Slave owners seeking annexation • Pierce sent minister to Spain to negotiate a deal • Met in Ostend, Belgium • Offered $130 million • Ostend Manifesto • “one people withone destiny” • “wrest” Cuba ifnecessary • Suppose to besecret… • Pierce will be forcedto repudiate it

23. Japanese Trading • Commodore Matthew Perry • Dispatched to open up trading ports with Japan • Brought steam powered ships • “Giant dragons puffing smoke” • Would take severalmonths before agreement is reached • 2 ports opened in Japan

24. KANSAS-NEBRASKA ACT • 1854, introduced by STEPHEN DOUGLAS • ACT PROVIDES FOR 2 NEW TERRITORIES FROM REST OF LA PURCHASE: KS & NE • SLAVERY DECIDED BY POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY • REPEALED PORTION OF MO COMPROMISE BANNING SLAVERY N OF 36’30’ LINE • N PROTESTS! - But Act passed anyway