Slavery and Western Expansion

1. Slavery and Western Expansion

2. Impact of War w/Mexico • Heightened sectional tensions • Opened new lands to the issue of slavery • CURRENT LAW – MISSOURI COMPROMISE • Southerners wanted new laws to help return runaway slaves • Polk – believed the expansion of slavery a null and void issue – dry climate of southwest not suitable for growing cash crops • Ultimately – he believes slavery will destroy the Democrats & Union

3. Wilmot Proviso • Originally – Appropriations bill – started in the House --- amendment --- no slavery or involuntary servitude in land acquired through war • Passed in the House – Northern • Rejected --- Senate – balanced • Calhoun Resolution --- • States own the United States • Fed Had no right to make laws in the states or territories

4. Popular Sovereignty • Allowing citizens to decide for themselves the issue of slavery --- idea of Michigan Senator Lewis Cass • Free Soilers – combination of two groups Northern “Conscience” Whigs & Northern Democrats • Whigs divided – “Cotton” vs “Conscience” • Democrats Divided – Northern vs Southern

5. Election of 1848 • Cotton Whigs & Southern Dem – nominate Zahary Taylor • Free Soilers – Nominate – Martin Van Buren • Democrats – Lewis Cass • Zachary Taylor wins the Election

6. California • Slavery brought to the forefront early on in Taylor’s Presidency • 1849 – California Gold Rush – 80,000 people up an went to California – apply for statehood – (popular sovereignty) • 1849 – California applied as a Free State

7. Great Debate (Southern Position) • 1. slaveholding states would be a minority in the senate • 2. northerners would dominate national politics • 3. threat of secession – • ** need for Compromise --- Henry Clay

8. Other Issues dealing w/ slavery in Congress • Texas / NM – border --- extend or stop slavery • District of Columbia – slavery in the nation’s capital • Slave trade within the US -- regulate or not

9. Clay’s Compromise • Offered as a package plan • A. Allow Calif – free state/ organize rest of Mexican cession w/out any restrictions (popular sovereignty) • B. settles border disputes bt/ Texas & NM – favored NM – gov’t acquired Texas’ debts. • Outlawed slave trade in D.C. – did not outlaw slavery itself • Congress would not interfere in domestic slave trade --- enforce a Stiffer Fugitive Slave Act

10. Results of Compromise • 1. did not pass originally – because it was offered as a package deal • Makeup of Congress Changes • Calhoun Dies of TB • Taylor who opposed Clay’s Compromise – suddenly dies • VP – Millard Filmore now President supports Henry Clay • Webster – states right activist – Sect. of State • Clay – leaves the Senate

11. Stephen Douglass – 33 yr old devises a plan – offer each idea individually – attain majority support – pass • -Known as Compromise of 1850

12. Compromise of 1850

13. VIOLENCE & CRISIS

14. Uncle Tom’s Cabin • Written by Harrier Beecher Stowe came out (book form) 1852 – sold 300,000 copies • Presented African American as – real people suffering form dreadful circumstances – • It depicted the harshness of the institution of slavery • She was motivated to write this book by the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 – part of 1850 Compromise

15. Fugitive Slave Act • 1. all fugitives were not entitled to a trial by jury, despite the 6th Amendment – • 2. fugitives could not testify on their own behalf • 3. A statement by the slaveowner describing the escapee was all that was needed to have a slave returned • 4.Federal commissioners that enforced the law – granted $10 only $5 if they were let free • 5. anyone convicted of helping a fugitive – $1,000 fine • 6. anyone could be compelled to help capture runaways – deputize on spot

16. HarrietBeecherStowe(1811 – 1896) -- So this is the lady who started the Civil War.Abraham Lincoln

17. Uncle Tom’s Cabin 1852 • Sold 300,000 copies inthe first year. • 2 million in a decade!

18. Uncle Tom’s Cabin, 1852

19. Northern Resistance • Frederick Douglass – • Henry David Thoreau • C. The Underground Railroad – well organized system of freeing slaves – transporting them from the south – north. • Conductors • Harriet Tubman • Levi Coffin

20. Continuing issue of Slavery • As people moved west with the opening of Calif, Oregon and the acquiring of new western territory – people didn’t lose their identity – pro/ anti slavery • One item everybody wanted – Transcontinental Railroad – reduced traveling time to 4 days – • Wagon (months) • Sailing around S. America - month

21. Problem w/ Transcontinental Railroad • People argued over its starting point • Many southerners favored a starting point in New Orleans --- required the railroad to travel through the northern part of Mexico – • Gadsen Purchase ---$10,000,000 • Douglass – wanted the HUB to be in Chicago – his home state of Illinois – • land west had to be organized into territories/ states • Prepared the Nebraska Bill • Passes in House – repealed in Senate

22. Sectionalism over the Railroad • Southern Position – if US creates new territories – they should be open to slavery – like the territories acquired by war – if this happens they will agree to railroad beginning in the North • Stephen Douglass – knows that any attempt to repeal compromise – will divide the country

23. Douglas’ proposal • He proposed the – repeal Missouri Compromise , divide territories in 2 – Kansas -south/ Nebraska - north • Existing Laws • Missouri Compromise – for territories not acquired through war/ states • Compromise of 1850 – popular sovereignty for states acquired through war • ***Passed Congress 1854 – as Kansas/ Nebraska Act

24. Kansas-Nebraska Act, 1854

25. I. New Political Parties Emerge • By the end of 1856, the nation’s political landscape had drastically changed • Whigs – split over slavery • Northern Conscience Whigs • Southern Cotton Whigs • Democrats – alive – yet scarred – split over slavery • Northern Democrats • Southern Democrats

26. A. Slavery Divided Whigs • Founded in 1834 as a reaction to Andrew Jackson – long divided over the issue of slavery • COTTON vs CONSCIENCE • Division – issue over slavery • Widening gap Election of 1852 & Fugitive Slave Act – Conscience Whigs supported Winfield Scott – Cotton whigs supported him to portray the union even though he supported fugitive slave act • Democrat Franklin Pierce won the Election • Final Demise – Kansas Nebraska Act

27. B. NATIVISM – the favoring of native born people over immigrants • Beliefs – • Feared papal power – growing Catholicism • Resisted the growth of immigrants • Stronger immigration laws • Order of the Star Spangled Banner • Party created by the nativists – aka – American Party or Know Nothing Party • Know Nothing Party -

28. The “Know-Nothings” [The American Party] • Nativists. • Anti-Catholics. • Anti-immigrants. 1849  Secret Order of the Star-Spangled Banner created in NYC.

29. II. Anti –Slavery Parties Form • A. Liberty Party – formed in 1844 – platform to pursue the cause of abolition by passing new laws ( effected the election of 1844 bt Clay & Polk) • Free Soil Party – opposed the extension of slavery into the territories • Chose Martin Van Buren in 1848 – failed to win any of the electoral vote – won 10% of popular vote • ** NOT ABOLITIONISTS – objected to ending slavery on economic grounds – did not want slavery to extend

30. 1852 Presidential Election √Franklin Pierce Gen. Winfield Scott John Parker Hale Democrat Whig Free Soil

31. 1852Election Results

32. C. JULY 6 1854 – the Republican party was organized in Jackson, Michigan – • Members • Free soilers • Antislavery democrats • Nativists • Temperance supporters • Beliefs • Opposed the Kansas Nebraska Act • Opposed the spread of slavery

33. Bleeding Kansas • Situation – Kansas was the first testing/ battling ground for new law “Bleeding Kansas” • 1. March 1855 Kansas had enough to hold an election to establish territorial legislature • David Atchinson • Lecompton Constitution • May 21, 1856 – Sack of Lawrence • Pottawatamie Massacre • Violence in the Senate – “Caning of Charles Sumner”

34. “Bleeding Kansas” Border “Ruffians”(pro-slavery Missourians)

35. John Brown: Madman, Hero or Martyr? Mural in the Kansas Capitol buildingby John Steuart Curry (20c)

36. “The Crime Against Kansas” Sen. Charles Sumner(R-MA) Congr. Preston Brooks(D-SC)

37. Slavery & Secession

38. Lecompton Constitution • A. Fall of 1857 – pro-slavery gov’t at Lecompton – wrote a constitution and applied for admission – (slave state) • i. Kansas had 60,000 plus in pop. – however it was 10 to 1 in favor of freesoliers --- • ii. President Buchannon endorsed the Lecompton Constitution • iii. Stephen Douglas – outraged said it was against the Kansas/ Nebraska Act – allowed for popular sovereignty

39. Douglas persuaded Congress to authorize another referendum on the Lecompton Constitution --- voters rejected the Constitution – Kansas will enter as a Free State – Douglas a hero

40. Lincoln/ Douglas Debates • 1858 race for Senate in the state of Illinois featured 2 term incumbent Stephen Douglas & former Whig Congressman now Republican Abraham Lincoln. • ** to gain recognition Lincoln challenged Douglas to a series of 7 open air debates

41. Douglas • “Little Giant” • Stocky and energetic • Spoke with his hands, dramatically, pounding on the podium with fists, pacing dressed in sharp clothes, used impressive language • Beliefs – believed that popular sovereignty was correct method in handling slavery

42. Stephen Douglas & the Freeport Doctrine PopularSovereignty?

43. Lincoln • 6’4’’ tall, gangly , wore a stove piped hat, dressed in plain, rumpled clothes, former lawyer, politician, spoke in plain language • Beliefs – believed slavery to be immoral/ “labor system based on greed” he was opposed to the spread of slavery – didn’t expect southerners to give up slavery

44. 2nd Debate – Freeport, Illinois • Freeport Doctrine – • L – “Could the settlers of a territory vote to exclude slavery before that territory became a state?” (Dredd Scott) • D – Slavery cannot exist a day or an hour anywhere, unless it is supported by local police regulations.” • Douglas will win the Senate, but now some Republicans view Lincoln as an excellent candidate for Presidency.

45. The Lincoln-Douglas (Illinois Senate)Debates, 1858 A House divided against itself, cannot stand.

46. 1859 • John Brown had dedicated his life to freeing the slave – leading a rebellion – it was his calling – and he believed the time to be ripe. • October 16, 1859 – led a band of men black/ white into Harper’s Ferry, Va. • Wanted to seize the Federal Arsenal • Distribute arms to slaves • No rebellion occurred – slaves were scared • 8 of Brown’s men killed • Couple of Days later – Col. Robert E. Lee killed 2 more men and captured Brown and his surviving men • Brown was hanged December 2, 1859

47. John Brown’s Raidon Harper’s Ferry, 1859

48. Lincoln is Elected President • A. Republican Convention – took place in Chicago, 1860 at the Wigwam Hotel • Seaward • Credentials of having led antislavery forces in Congress • Financial backing • Desire to be center of attention • Well known name

49. However he did not get the nomination • Republicans went with Lincoln – unknown name and had not offended any republicans • To the southerners he was known as the ‘black Republican”

50. Election of 1860 • Northern Democrats – Stephen Douglas • Southern Democrats – John C. Breckenridge • KK and Whigs – John Bell • Republicans – Abraham Lincoln • Lincoln won the Election – Sectional Support • 1.9 million – 2.8million votes • 180 – 123 in the E.C. • Never appeared on a ballot in most of the slave states