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The Civil War: The Causes, Course, and Consequences . A Struggle for power and domination. Part One: The Causes. Causes of the Civil War. SLAVERY-of course Different Economies of the North and South Wilmot Proviso Compromise of 1850 and Fugitive Slave Act Kansas-Nebraska Act
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The Civil War: The Causes, Course, and Consequences A Struggle for power and domination
Causes of the Civil War • SLAVERY-of course • Different Economies of the North and South • Wilmot Proviso • Compromise of 1850 and Fugitive Slave Act • Kansas-Nebraska Act • Abolitionist Movement of John Brown
Causes of the Civil War • Dred Scott Decision • Split of political parties • A Lincoln, S Douglas, presidential election of 1860 • State’s Rights • South’s Seccession
SlaverySeveral views on slavery • Abolitionists-believed it was unjust, get rid of it immediately and completely • Most northerners-opposed slavery because of its economic threat
SlaveryViews on Slavery • Southerners-whites superior to blacks, helped introduce them to Christianity, provides them with food and shelter • Southernors without slaves-supported slavery because it kept them from being the lowest class of society
Difference in economies North South A few wealthy planters controlled the Southern society Relied heavily on the export of cotton Because plantations were so profitable, they invested in slaves and not industry • Industry and commerce • Rapid growth of cities due to immigration • Canals and railroads helped connect the east with the midwest, strong ties developed
Wilmot Proviso • Developed as a result of possible extension of slavery in land obtained from the war with Mexico • David Wilmot from Pennsylvania proposed the bill • Outlawed slavery in any territory the US might acquire from war with Mexico • Pased in the House but failed in the Senate
Wilmot Proviso • Helped make slavery a key issue in national politics
Compromise of 1850 • California was on the verge of statehood. Its residence did not want slavery but this would give the north power in both the Senate and House • Since Congress had to approve statehood, Henry Clay came up with a compromise
Compromise of 1850 • California would be admitted as a free state • The slave trade would be abolished in Washington, DC • Congress could not pass laws about slavery for the rest of the territories • Stronger laws to help slave holders recapture runaway slaves
Compromise of 1850 • Fugitives could be held without arrest warrant • No right to jury • A commissioner got $5 for releasing a fugitive and $10 for giving them to a slaveholder • Northerners were expected to turn in slaves, sometimes free blacks were put into slavery
Kansas-Nebraska Act • Nebraska territory as part of the Missouri Compromise where slavery was banned • Stephen Douglas wanted to split it into two territories, Nebraska and Kansas • To get Southern support, Douglas suggested popular soverignty as the means to deciding if slavery should be allowed in each territory
Kansas-Nebraska Act • The passage of the bill/Kansas-Nebraska Act allowed people to vote for slavery in the areas of Missouri Compromise had originally banned it • Kansas would soon turn into a battleground for slavery
“Bleeding Kansas” • After the K-N Act passed, proslavery and antislavery settlers rushed into Kansas to vote • There were more proslavery settlers than antislavery, but proslavery settlers didn’t want to risk losing the election. 5,0000 Missourians came and voted in the election illegally. The official Kansas legislature was full of proslavery reps
“Bleeding Kansas” • Antislavery settlers boycotted the official gov’t and formed their own • Both sides became armed and proslavery mob attacked Lawrence, Kansas • To get back at all the proslavery settlers for the attack, John Brown came into the scene
John Brown, Abolitionist • He and seven men murdered five proslavery supporters in their cabins • Known as the Pottawatomie Massacre, as news spread, civil war broke out in Kansas • For three years this continued, the territory became known as Bleeding Kansas
John Brown, Abolitionist #2 • ATTACK ON HARPERS FERRY • John Brown wanted to inspire slaves to stand up for themselves • Brown and 18 followers (13 white, 5 black) captured the weapons at the arsenal in Harpers Ferry, VA • Killed 4 in the attack • No slaves joined in
John Brown • US Marines captured Brown and six others, and ten were killed • Brown was tried for treason and murder, hanged for his crimes • Southerners were angry at Brown’s actions and the Northerners saluted him • Tensions between the North and the South were at a breaking point
Dred Scott Decision • Dred Scott was taken by his owner to live in territory where slavery was illegal • Upon his owner’s death, Scott sued for freedom because he had lived in territory where slavery was illegal • Dred Scott v Sandford Case went to the Supreme Court in 1856
Dred Scott Decision • Chief Justice Roger Taney ruled that Scott was not a citizen so he could no sue US courts • He also ruled that Congress could not ban slavery in territories because the Constitution violated slaveholders property rights, legislation like the Missouri Compromise was ruled unconstitutional
Political Parties Split and Play Important Role • Whig party split: Northern Whigs opposed K-N Act and the spread of slavery into new territories: Southern Whigs supported the K-N Act and the spread of slavery into new territories • Southern Whigs were destroyed, some joined Democrats others looked for a party that supported by slavery and the Union
Political Parties • Northern Whigs joined with opponents of slavery and formed Republican Party • Democrats split: Northern Democrats supported popular sovereignty, Southern Democrats wanted to defend slavery • “Known-Nothing” party and Constiutional Union Party become powerful by capturing votes
Lincoln Versus Douglas • Debated with each other for Illinois Senate Seat in 1858 • Douglas: short, stocky, well dressed: supported popular sovereignty in slavery expansion
Lincoln V. Douglas • Lincoln: tall, thin, gawky: didn’t suggest abolishing slavery, but to just stop the spread of it, used his “A house divided against itself cannot stand” speach • Douglas won, but Lincoln became a national figure
The Election of 1860 • Turned into 2 different races for the presidency • One in the North: Lincoln v Douglas • One in the South: Breckinridge v Bell • Lincoln opposed slavery expanding into new territory • Breckinridge supported federal government protecting slavery in any territory
Election of 1860 • Douglas and Bell didn’t want the federal government to pass new laws on slavery in either direction • Lincoln won in the North, Breckinridge in the South; because the North had more people than the South, Lincoln won the election.
State’s Rights and Southern States Secede • Southern states’ rights supporters vowed that if Lincoln won, the Southern states would secede, or leave the Union • States’ rights supporters argued that since states voluntarily joined the Union, they also had the right to leave the Union • First 7 to leave: South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas
Seccession • Formed the Confederate States of America-Jefferson Davis named president of the Confederacy
Reactions to Secession • Northerners believed South did not want to live by the rules of democracy • Southerners thought North would use their majority power to force South to get rid of slavery • Lincoln was inaugurated, he wanted to preserve the Union, he did not intend to abolish slavery.
Reactions • Lincoln didn’t want to invade, but he wouldn’t abandon the government property located there and forts there would need resupplied