Chapter 11

1. Chapter 11 Section 4

2. The Election of 1860 The Democratic party met in Charleston, SC to nominate the Presidential candidate- they met for 10 days debating slavery Southern Democrats wanted slavery to be protected in the territories. Northern Democrats wanted it based on popular sovereignty Delegates from eight southern states agreed to meet again to separately nominate their candidate This was the split in the Democratic party:Southern-John C. Breckinridge, expanding slavery in territoriesNorthern- Stephan Douglas, popular sovereigntyConstitutional Union Party- Boarder States (states between the North and South- Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky & Missouri) John Bell, moderate slave owner Republicans- Abraham Lincoln, moderate views on slavery, but against its spread

3. The Election of 1860 • The election showed the relationship between the North & South was beyond repair • In the South, the race was between Bell & Breckinridge (Lincoln’s name did not appear on many southern ballots). The North was between Lincoln and Douglas. • Lincoln won every free state except for New Jersey which he split with Douglas • Breckinridge won NC, AK, DE, MD and the states of the Lower South (Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina) • Boarder states went to Bell • Lincoln won the Presidency without winning a single southern state. He won 39% of the popular vote and 180 electoral votes

4. Lower South Secedes • Southerners were outraged that a President could be elected without a single southern electoral vote- the gov’t seemed out of their hands • Secessionists (people who wanted the South to secede or leave the Union) thought the South should leave because Republicans could Constitutionally ruin the South. They also thought they voluntarily joined the US and they could also leave it • South Carolina was the 1st to secede (Dec. 20 1860). They were followed by six other states (Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and Florida- Lower South) • They created the Confederate States of America and elected Jefferson Davis their President

5. War Starts • Some politicians proposed compromises to bring the seceding states back- Sen. John Crittenden from KY proposed setting the 36 36N line back • Lincoln opposed it and convinced the Senate to reject it • Others though the seceding states should be allowed to go in peace but many opposed this:1. They believed in the Union2. Northern businessmen were afraid to loose profits-they insisted the southern states be forced back • Lincoln believed secession was wrong and addressed this during his inauguration warning the South that his duty was to enforce the laws of the US

6. War Starts • Fort Sumter • The attention of the nation was on Fort Sumter, a federal fort in the seceded state of SC • A federal ship had been sent to supply the fort but was fired on by Confederate forces- federal soldiers were running out of supplies and if they weren’t resupplied the fort would be abandoned • Lincoln was unsure what to do- does he give the fort to the Confederacy and acknowledge their power or does he fight and start the Civil War? • Staying true to his pledge Lincoln told the Governor of SC that he was sending food but no soldiers or weapons to the fort.

7. War Starts • Confederate President Davis demanded the fort be surrendered or it would be taken by force • After 24 hours, the fort was surrendered to the Confederacy • By firing on federal property the Confederacy had committed an act of open rebellion and Lincoln had no choice but respond • When he called for volunteers southerners saw his actions as waging war against them- this made the Upper South (Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee and Arkansas) join the Confederacy- the only states that had no allegiance was the Boarder States