The 1850s: Road to Secession

1. The 1850s: Road to Secession AP US History

2. 1. What did the United States look like in the antebellum period?

3. North (Northeast and Northwest) • Northeast • More industrial • 250,000 blacks (all free, but not equal) • Northwest • More agricultural • Tied to Northeast through Indian wars and transport • Immigrants in both areas • Irish (2 million) • Germans (1 million) • Nativism developed

4. The South • Agricultural economy based on COTTON • Few large cities (only New Orleans) • 4 million slaves • White society was hierarchical • Few plantation owners (more than 100 slaves) • Some small farmers (less than 100 slaves, usually less than 20) • Poor whites (yeomen farmers) 75% of the population

5. 2. What caused the Civil War?

6. Sectionalism • Refers to the growing division between the North and the South from the founding of the nation until the Civil War

7. 3. Who sparked the crisis that led to the Compromise of 1850?

8. California • Wrote a state constitution that banned slavery in 1849 • President Taylor supports it and the addition of New Mexico as free states • Radical southerners (fire-eaters) talk about secession

9. 4. What were the 3 positions on slavery with regards to its spread into the newly acquired territories?

10. #1. Free Soil Movement • Northern-Democrats and Whigs • All blacks – free and slave – should be excluded from the Mexican Cession • Did NOT want the end of slavery – just none in the west so whites would not have to compete with them for jobs

11. #2. Southern Position • Moderate: favored Missouri Compromise line and extension of slavery south of it • Radical: slaves were property, should be allowed to be taken anywhere

12. #3. Popular Sovereignty • Lewis Cass (Democrat from Michigan): let the people who settled a territory decide by voting

13. 5. What compromise was proposed to end the dispute over California as a free state?

14. Compromise of 1850 • Proposed by Henry Clay (yep still around) • 5 points… • California admitted as a free state • Divide remainder of Mexican Cession into Utah and New Mexico and allow popular sovereignty • Disputed territory between Texas and New Mexico goes to New Mexico and federal government will pay $10 million of Texas debt • Ban the slave TRADE in Washington, DC • Adopt the Fugitive Slave Law

16. 6. Who supported, and who opposed, the Compromise of 1850?

17. Supported the Compromise of 1850 • Daniel Webster (Massachusetts) • Stephen Douglas (Illinois) • Millard Fillmore • Became President upon Taylor’s death in 1850 • Signed Compromise into law

18. Opposed the Compromise of 1850 • John C. Calhoun • Wanted slavery in the territories • William Seward (New York) • Wanted no compromise and no slavery in territories

19. 7. Besides California and the Mexican Cession, what other disputes erupted over slavery in the territories?

20. Kansas-Nebraska Act • Stephen Douglas (Illinois) proposes building railroad from Chicago to west across Nebraska territory • Needs southern approval in Senate, so… • Proposed Nebraska be divided into Kansas and Nebraska • Popular sovereignty be applied in each territory • Passed in 1854; President Pierce signs it

22. 8. Why did northerners hate the Kansas-Nebraska Act?

23. Northerners HATE the Kansas-Nebraska Act • It essentially nullified the Missouri Compromise Line of 1820 • Allowed southerners to expand slavery north of 36 degrees, 30 minutes

24. 9. What slave law enhanced sectionalism the most?

25. Fugitive Slave Law • Part of the Compromise of 1850 • Persuaded southerners to allow California as a free state • Stated escaped slaves who made it to the North would be captured and returned to owners in the South • Denied trial to any black who was captured in the North and said he was a free black • The law was NOT enforced well in the North

26. 10. What system did some abolitionists develop to aid runaway slaves?

27. Underground Railroad • Aided runaway slaves getting to the North and Canada • Run primarily by free blacks • Harriet Tubman: escaped slave who helped in the Underground Railroad (she was a conductor)

29. The Monkey Wrench pattern, on the left, alerted escapees to gather up tools and prepare to flee; the Drunkard Path design, on the right, warned escapees not to follow a straight line

30. 11. How did the Supreme Court increase sectionalism in the 1850s?

31. Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857) • The Supreme Court ruled in favor of the South • Dred Scott was a slave in Missouri • Scott was taken to Wisconsin (free) territory for two years • Scott sued for freedom – he said his 2 years on free soil made him a free man • Majority (led by Chief Justice Roger Taney) ruled against Scott • Scott couldn’t sue; Constitution said blacks were not citizens • Slaves were property, and the government could not deprive any person of property without due process of law (going to Wisconsin was not due process) • Missouri Compromise line was unconstitutional (because it deprived people of property – slaves – if they went there)

32. Dred Scott

33. 12. What anti-slavery books increased the feeling of sectionalism in the 1850s?

34. Uncle Tom’s Cabin • 1852 • Appealed to whites’ emotions • Harriet Beecher Stowe (author) • Used stereotypes • All slave owners horribly cruel (Simon Legree) • Black slaves as willing to please white slave owner (Tom – hence modern term “Uncle Tom”) • Light-skinned mulatto as sex object

36. Impending Crisis in the South • 1857 • Appealed to whites’ self interest • Hinton Helper (author) • Attacked slavery from economic standpoint • Said slavery impeded industrialization and development of the South

38. 13. What pro-slavery books increased the feeling of sectionalism in the 1850s?

39. Cannibals All!!! • 1857 • George Fitzhugh (author) • Slavery was good for blacks and protected them from being “wage slaves” like whites were in northern factories • Slave owners were paternalistic

41. 14. How did extremism express itself in Kansas (Bleeding Kansas)?

42. Bleeding Kansas • In the violence between anti-slavery forces and pro-slavery forces (who fought for control before the vote on slavery) • Pro-slavery forces: minority • Slaveholders from neighboring Missouri • Called “Border Ruffians” • Attacked “Free Soil” town of Lawrence in 1856 (killing 2) • Anti-slavery forces: majority • Free-soil Kansas farmers • New England Emigrant Aid Company (paid for transport of anti-slavery settlers to Kansas) • Attacked Pottawatomie Creek (response to Lawrence) led by John Brown (killing 5)

45. 15. Besides the constant violence, what heightened the tension between pro-slavery and anti-slavery forces?

46. Constitutional Controversy • 5,000 pro-slavery people from Missouri voted illegally in state legislature elections to tip election for pro-slavery group • Wrote the Lecompton Constitution: legalized slavery or death for anyone who aided escaped slave • President Pierce (Democrat) and Senate recognized • Free-soilers elected own legislature because they considered the existing one “bogus” • Wrote Constitution of Topeka: slavery illegal • House of Representatives (Republican) recognized

47. 16. What prolonged the Lecompton controversy?

48. Lecompton Controversy • President Buchanan promised Kansans that its constitution would be submitted to them for approval (referendum) • But Kansas was really dominated by anti-slavery settlers • Unacceptable Solution: the convention allowed voters to choose between 1 of 2 constitutions • One with slavery • One with “no slavery” but that protected slave owners’ right to property and that did nothing to prevent/punish smuggling of slaves from Missouri

49. 17. How did the constitutional controversy in Kansas end?

50. Boycott of Referendum • Anti-slavery forces boycotted referendum, so “with slavery” constitution won… • BUT: anti-slavery forces soon gained control of Kansas legislature • In second referendum, voters chose NEITHER constitution • Kansas now had 2 Constitutions that had passed by referendum • Which did US Congress recognize in Kansas’ application for statehood? • Congress resubmitted Lecompton Constitution to voters of Kansas, who voted it down • Thus, Kansas did NOT become a state (not until 1861 – as a free state)