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The Impending Crisis

The Impending Crisis. Events Leading Toward Civil War. Mexican War. Opinions of war’s aftermath – Wilmot Proviso (Aug 1846) – annex Tex as slave state but no extension of slavery into any territory that may be gained from Mexico

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The Impending Crisis

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  1. The Impending Crisis Events Leading Toward Civil War

  2. Mexican War • Opinions of war’s aftermath – Wilmot Proviso (Aug 1846) – annex Tex as slave state but no extension of slavery into any territory that may be gained from Mexico • Politicized slavery debate: House adopted; Senate refused; Polk tried to suppress but kept coming up for a vote

  3. 3 Positions on Slavery’s Future • 1. Calhoun: slaves should be considered property; property rights protected by 5th Amend.; Southerners could move anywhere and take slaves • 2. Polk: extend Missouri Compromise line • 3. Cass: “popular sovereignty” – let people in territory decide status of slavery

  4. Election of 1848 • Zachary Taylor (Whig) v. Lewis Cass (Dem) v. Martin Van Buren (Free Soil) • Dem’s refused to endorse pop. sovereignty; denied power of Cong to interfere w/ slavery & criticized anti-slavery petitions • Free Soilersendorsed Wilmot Proviso “free soil, free speech, free labor, & free men”

  5. Impact of Free Soil Party • Split Demo vote in some areas and Whig vote in other areas • Taylor won election (war hero) • Significance: slavery becoming political issue

  6. Gold Rush (1848) People from all over the world rush to California Greatest mass migration in Amer. History California applies for Statehood in 1849 – wants admission as free state Taylor’s opinion: protect slavery where exists but make CA and NM free states

  7. Compromise of 1850 • CA petition touched off great debate – esp. in Senate • Key players: Clay, Calhoun, Webster • Divisive issues: - CA admission as free state - controversy over TX boundary - proposal to abolish slave trade in D.C. - S demand for stronger fugitive slave laws

  8. Jan 1850, Clay presented 8 resolutions as package • Emotional debate continued Jan – March 1850 • Clay presented compromise; Calhoun opposed; Webster supported (political risk) • By mid-April, 8 proposals bundled into one bill • Taylor’s support of NM statehood petition caused controversy w/ TX boundaries • Taylor died; Fillmore supported Compromise

  9. Compromise of 1850 S. Douglas suggested breaking Compromise into separate bills; Clay agreed: 1. California admitted as free state 2. Popular Sovereignty in NM and Utah 3. Texas compensated by fed. gov’t to surrender controversial boundary claims 4. Slave trade in DC ended (Slavery remains) 5. A tougher fugitive slave law

  10. Key Players John C. Calhoun Argues for State’s Rights Daniel Webster Agrees with Clay to avoid war Stephen Douglas Breaks the compromise into pieces and it is eventually passed

  11. Reaction to Compromise • Factions found fault with Compromise almost from beginning • Anti-slavery forces upset about Fugitive Slave Law; motivated Abolitionists & deepened anti-slavery impulse in North • South found fault w/ failure in enforcement of Fugitive Slave Law

  12. Uncle Tom’s Cabin1852 by Harriet Beecher Stowe Used stereotypes: Simon Legree evil slave owner; Uncle Tom sympathetic character • Widely read & discussed; turned into popular play • Polarized opinions both N & S: - Convinced Northerners slavery would ruin nation; won many over to anti-slavery cause - Enraged Southerners; wrote numerous novels in reply; became defensive

  13. Election of 1852 Franklin Pierce (D) v. Winfield Scott (W) Pierce becomes 14th President North resist the Fugitive Slave Act Ostend Manifesto - 1854 Secret plan to take Cuba by force Anti-slavery northerners get upset Gadsden Purchase - 1853 US gets southern part of NM and Arizona for $10 million

  14. Kansas Nebraska Act (1854) • Gadsden Purchase reopened sectional rivalries • 1852-3 Debate over route for transcontinental railroad • Sen. S. Douglas (IL) favored route w/ Chicago as E terminus – needed S. support • 1854 proposed organizing Kansas & Nebraska Terr. w/ popular sovereignty to determine slavery status • In effect, would repeal Mo. Compromise

  15. Significance of Kan-Neb Act • Bill passed both houses by narrow margin • Effects: - pushed moderate politicians to extremes on slavery issue - fragmented Demo party - led to decline of Whigs and formation of new party – Rep Party - led to bloody civil war in Kansas

  16. Birth of Republican Party • By mid-1850s, slavery splitting nation: - Demo Party dividing into N (anti-slavery) and S (pro slavery) factions but no split until 1860 - Whig Party dissolved • 1854 in reaction to K-N Act, N Whigs, indep Dems & Free Soilers formed Republican Party • Anti-slavery; platform: opposed ext of slavery into new territories • 1st Pres candidate 1856; 1st Pres elected 1860

  17. Bleeding Kansas Taken for granted that Neb. would be free Kansas became battleground over slavery issue 1855 Terr. governor called for elections: “border ruffians” from Mo. streamed across border; swayed election in their favor By 1856 2 gov’ts claimed authority: 1 pro- (Lecompton) and 1 anti-slavery (Topeka) Civil War erupted between factions

  18. “Crime Against Kansas”: 1856 • Title of Charles Sumner’s speech May 19-20; inflammatory criticism of pro-slavery forces • May 21 “Sack of Lawrence” – pro-slavery settlers raided anti-slavery settlement • May 22 Preston Brooks beat C. Sumner w/ cane on floor of Senate chamber • May 24-25 J. Brown & followers; “Pottawatomie Massacre” (5 pro-slavery settlers murdered)

  19. Sumner absent from Senate for 2 ½ yrs; seat stayed empty • Sumner’s speech & beating inflamed both sides • Series of events set off guerrilla war in Kansas • Congress adjourned 1856 session w/ no decision on Kansas • Became burning issue in Election of 1856

  20. Election of 1856 • James Buchanan (D) – endorsed Kan-Neb Act; wanted better enforcement of Fugitive Slave law; Cong. should not interfere w/ slavery; courted Irish & German voters • John C. Fremont (R) – opposed ext. of slavery; called for admission of Kan. as free state; condemned repeal of Mo. Comp and expansionist policies of Dem’s • Amer. (Know Nothing – anti-immigrant, started from secret societies) Party – M. Fillmore

  21. Election Results / Significance • Buchanan won • Voting along sectional lines: Dem’s won 14 slave, 5 free states Rep’s won 11 free states (not on ballot in slave states) • Appearance of Rep Party – 1st time major party platform took stand against slavery

  22. Dred Scott v. Sanford (1857) • Dred Scott slave – had been taken into free state to live then back to slave state – sued for his freedom in 1843 after master’s death • Taney court ruling: 1. slaves not citizens; could not sue in fed court 2. slaves property; state law cannot deprive a slaveowner of his property 3. Mo. Compromise line unconstitutional

  23. Reaction to Dred Scott • Decision basically said Congress could not exclude slavery anywhere – therefore, there could be no such thing as a free state • North & Rep’s enraged; believed “slavocracy” conspiracy existed (majority of justices, including Taney were southerners) • Southerners celebrated decision; said Congress now obligated to protect property of slaveholders w/ federal slave codes

  24. Kansas Again (still) • Continuing effort to get Kansas admitted to union • Lecompton Constitution (proslavery) approved & supported by Buchanan but ultimately rejected by Kansas voters • Buchanan’s action further split Dem Party • Kansas finally admitted as free state in 1858

  25. Lincoln-Douglas Debates • Lincoln challenged S. Douglas for Senate seat from Ill. • Candidates held 7 debates in 1858 • 2nd debate Lincoln challenged Douglas’ popular sovereignty in light of Dred Scott decision – resulted in Douglas’ “Freeport Doctrine” • Douglas won reelection • Lincoln gained nat’l attention as result of debates – aided his nomination in 1860

  26. John Brown’s Raid • Radical abolitionist (Pottawatomie Crk) • Oct. 1859 – Harper’s Ferry, VA (now W WA) • Planned to seize federal arsenal w/ hopes of starting an armed slave rebellion • Shoot-out w/ U.S. forces; captured & tried for treason & conspiracy to incite insurrection • Executed Dec. 2nd

  27. Significance of John Brown • Immediate reaction: condemned widely, N & S although some in North called him a martyr (Emerson) • Southerners believed Brown had widespread support in North – esp. among Republicans; in aftermath, rumors of abolitionist conspiracies and slave insurrections swept thro slave states • Further alienated South & deepened divisions, distrust & anger between N. and S.

  28. Election of 1860 • Dems divided over slavery • Reps – A. Lincoln – opposed ext. of slavery • S. Dems - J. Breckenridge (KY) – adopted pro-slavery platform • N. Dems - S. Douglas – supported pop sov & warned Lincoln’s election would split nation • Const Union – J. Bell – “for Const & Union”

  29. Election Results • Campaign real contest between Lincoln & Douglas in N; Breckinridge & Bell in S. • Lincoln won Elect Coll & 39% of pop. vote; 18 free states (not on ballot in any Southern state) • Breckinridge – 2nd in electoral vote; swept all slave states except VA, KY, TN (went to Bell) • Significance: secession of S. states began

  30. Confederacy Forms • By Feb. 1, 1861 – 7 states had seceded – SC (1st), MS, FL, AL, GA, LA, TX Met in Montgomery, AL; adopted constitution of Confederate States of America (CSA); elected Jefferson Davis President • Significance: Southern states pledged allegiance to separate gov’t; began seizing federal property, arsenals & forts; people had to choose sides • Buchanan’s reaction: secession illegal but he could not stop it; decided to “wait it out” and led Lincoln handle the problem • Fed gov’t action would determine fate of nation

  31. Last Chance: Crittenden Compromise • Dec, 1860 - Proposed by Sen John J. Crittenden • Series of amendments and resolutions to reunite nation and prevent war • Peace Conference in Wash, DC in Feb endorsed content of Crittenden Compromise but failed to gain support of Congress

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