1840s & 50s: The Age of Crisis

1. 1840s & 50s: The Age of Crisis Mr. Pieper

2. Qualms with Missouri Compromise • North: “Congress is enabling slavery” • South: “Congress is ruling on slavery within the states” • After expansion- the issue of slavery in new territories is the central issue in Congress

3. Popular Sovereignty • Democrats (pro-slavery) want popular sovereignty- leaving slavery up to the states • Wilmot Proviso- bill that would ban slavery in all lands acquired from Mexico- the bill is rejected • Almost all Northern states approve • Southern states threaten to secede if it is approved • Secede- withdraw from the United States

5. 1848 Election • Zachary Taylor- runs for president- slave owner and hero of Mexican War • Free Soil Party- anti-slavery party that would prohibit expansion of slavery into new territories- • Free soil party was a sign that slavery issue could not be ignored

6. #SlaveryIssuesInCongress • California wants to enter the Union as a free state • New Mexico wants to enter as a slave state • Texas was a HUGE state that wanted to enter as a slave state- Northerners wanted to make Texas smaller to limit its power

7. #SlaveryIssuesInCongress • South wants tougher fugitive slave laws • North wanted states to be free from being forced to help recapture escaped slaves

8. Compromise of 1850 • Henry Clay returned to Congress after many years looking for Compromise between North and South • 1. Wanted to admit California as a free state • 2. Wanted to stop the slave trade • 3. Wanted to split Texas, New Mexico and Utah into three states • 4. Wanted a tougher fugitive slave law • 5. Ended slave ties in Washington D.C.

9. Reactions to Clay’s Compromise • 1. Northern abolitionists wanted to break up the Union • 2. Fire-eaters- a group of southern politicians who held extreme pro-slavery views wanted to secede • 3. Fire-eaters wanted federal law to protect slavery

10. Great Debate in Congress • John C. Calhoun- fire-eater who wanted a dual presidency- one president for the South and one president for the North • “If something decisive is not now done…the South will be forced to choose between abolition and secession…The responsibility of saving the Union rests on the North, and not the South” -John C. Calhoun, 1850 (shortly before his death)

11. The Art of Propaganda • Card-stacking: Giving a one-sided view of the issues • Name-calling: using offensive and often misleading labels to opponents • Sloganeering: repetition of catchy statements instead of well-reasoned arguments • Bandwagoning: demanded support for a cause merely because its popular

12. Create two political cartoons • 1. Represents the Northern point-of-view • 2. Represents the Southern point-of-view • 3. Explain how the cartoon symbolizes the issues being debated in the 1850s • 4. Use two different propaganda techniques • 5. Explain the strategies used in your cartoons

13. 1850s: Compromise Ends Mr. Pieper

14. Election of Franklin Pierce • Franklin Pierce: (D-New Hampshire) supported the 1850 Compromise; elected as president • Weak leader; cabinet pushed him around • Abolitionists called him “a northern man with southern principles”

15. The Kansas-Nebraska Act • Stephen Douglass (D-Ill)- supported railroad to the west to help settlement • Re-opened issue of slavery in new territories Kansas-Nebraska Act- organized new states under popular sovereignty which went against the Missouri Compromise- no slavery above 35th parallel

16. Kansas-Nebraska Act • Abolitionists argued that if slavery were allowed in Northern territory, white workers would be forced out

17. “Bleeding Kansas” • Kansas-Nebraska Act created a battle in Kansas between pro-slavery and anti-slavery forces for control over the state • New Englanders flocked to Kansas under the aid of Emigrant Aid Company • Southerners retaliated by encouraging pro-slavery people to move to Kansas

18. “Bleeding Kansas” • During 1855 election, there was a lot of controversy in Kansas • Douglas, Kansas- town with 30 residents cast 200 votes • Threats to hang voting officials were made public • Missouri Residents wandered into Kansas to cast votes • As a result of controversy, Kansas ended up with two territorial governments (pro-slavery and anti-) • Lecompton- pro-slavery • Topeka- anti-slavery

19. “Bleeding Kansas” • Violent mobs gathered in Kansas • John Brown, an abolitionist led a mob including many Creek Indians murdering five men while they were sleeping • Newspapers published headlines that read “Bleeding Kansas”

20. Impact of “Bleeding Kansas” • Congressmen debated what to do with “Bleeding Kansas” in the Nation’s Capitol • Charles Sumner was caned by Preston Brooks

21. Outcome of “Bleeding Kansas” • Anti-slavery supporters boycotted the constitutional convention • At the convention, the Lecompton Constitution was passed, protecting the right to bring slaves to Kansas-nothing about ownership • 1861- Kansas enters as a free state

22. On the Brink of War Mr. Pieper

23. Antislavery Literature • Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1850): by Harriet Beecher Stowe, a novel that proved to be significant in abolitionist movement • Depicted slavery as morally wrong • 300,000 copies sold in 9 months • 2 million+ sold in the 1850s • The book was banned in many parts of the South 12 Years a Slave (1853)

24. The Fugitive Slave Act • 1. Made it illegal to aid in the escape of runaway slaves • 2. Authorized the arrest of runaway slaves in free states • The North was extremely angry • “We saw…a man on horseback, riding at a quick pace, & by his side a tall negro coming steadily along…We saw one chain going from his wrists to the saddle, another was around his ankles-giving him just room enough to walk-following them were two large thick-headed fierce-looking dogs”

25. Dred Scott and the Supreme Court • In 1846, Dred Scott, a slave held by John Emerson who sued for his freedom after his slave owner passed away in Missouri • He argued that his prior residences in the free state of Illinois and in Wisconsin Territory entitled him to freedom • Missouri Courts has already rules in favor of slaves on this issue

26. Dred Scott • Missouri Chief Justice Robert Taney, was one of five justices against Scott’s plea • Taney declared: • 1. All slaves are not considered citizens-therefore Scott can’t bring suit to court • 2. African Americans, freee or enslaved do not have any rights • 3. Slaves are equal to “mules”, property that can’t be taken away from white men- MO Compromise violates 5th amendment- and is void • Dred Scott decision rallied abolitionists

27. Reactions to Dred Scott Decision • “This atrocious decision furnishes final confirmation of the already well-known fact that, under the Constitution and government of the United States, the colored people are nothing and can be nothing but an alien, disfranchised [deprived of rights], and degraded citizens.” • Robert Purvis After Dred Scott, there seemed no way to stop the spread of slavery in new territories

28. Read the primary sources and determine the Constitutionality of the Dred Scott Decision

29. The Rise of Radical Republicans • Abolitionists revived the Republican Party • Congressional elections of 1854 and 1856 focused on the issue of slavery • 1856 James Buchanan (D-PA) becomes president

30. Lincoln and Douglas • In 1858 Abraham Lincoln (R-Illinois) ran for Senate against incumbent- candidate running for re-election- Stephen Douglas • Douglas- nicknamed “The Little Giant”because of his short stature but political clout

31. A House Divided • During the election Lincoln cited the bible saying: • “A house divided against itself cannot stand” • “I believe this government cannot endure permanently half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved; I do not expect the house to fall; but I do expect that it will cease to be divided” • Although he lost this election, Lincoln’s speech won over many Republicans

32. John Brown’s Raid • The year after the Lincoln-Douglas debates, John Brown resurfaced • In October, Brown’s militia seized a federal arsenal at Harper’s Ferry, Va and planned to liberate enslaved African Americans • Within a month, Brown was captured by Robert E. Lee and was convicted of treason and hanged to death

33. Impact of John Brown’s Raid • Some people questioned his sanity • Supporters believe he act justly and heroically • Writer Lydia Maria Child called him “a martyr to righteous principles” • Southerners were alarmed by the threat of slave revolts

34. The Presidential Election of 1860 • Democrats nominated John Breckinridge-viewed that b/c Dred Scott, govt. should protect slavery • Republicans nominated Abraham Lincoln, a moderate choice- NOT an abolitionist • Constitutional Union Party(3rd party) Nominated John Bell- concerned w/ preventing Secession

35. The Election of 1860 • Election results mirrored the sectional divide of the country

36. Secession! • Despite Lincoln’s moderate stance on slavery, Southerners viewed his victory as a victory for abolition. • Within days, South Carolina voted to leave the Union. • Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas soon did the same • In 1861, these 7 states drafted a constitution for the Confederate States of America

37. Confederate State of America • This constitution was similar to the US Constitution with two exceptions • 1. The Confederate States guaranteed the right to own slaves • 2. It stressed that each state was sovereign and independent • The states chose Jefferson Davis as president of the Confederacy • Mississippi planter and former US Secretary of war

38. Which 5 events had the biggest impact on Secession? • Make a timeline that displays these five events (we need to know the years). • Be ready to explain WHY these were most impactful