Transcript Slide 1
Sectionalism Intensifies Gave Southern slaveholders the right to reclaim escaped slaves from the North A claim alone was enough – without right to trial, to testify, or to appeal Commissioners paid for service – $10 if a “fugitive” captured, $5 if not a fugitive Federal marshals required to aid in capture Ordinary citizens could be deputized to help Fines, arrest if they refused! Citizens detested legal requirement to help recapture escaped slaves Open defiance, despite the risks Thoreau: “Civil Disobedience” (1849) Citizens have an obligation to disobey unjust laws Wait until such laws amended – or act now? Resistance more visible, more violent Ohio novelist with abolitionists sympathized published as a serial in 1852 Dramatic, emotional story of oppression, cruelty, horror of slavery Fiction, but characters based on real people, real stories Book version sold millions of copies! Northern minds changed – book brought slavery to life South wanted it banned! Perhaps a cause of the Civil War?? Not a real railroad, but a network of safe houses offering food, shelter to runaways “Conductors” helped transport escaped slaves to the North – or to Canada a leader of the effort – 19 trips back South, and never lost a “passenger” Homes of Levi Coffin, John Rankin, Thomas Garrett key “hubs” on the Railroad Increased Southern mistrust of North – deliberate defiance of fugitive slave laws! Need for easier travel, trade with west coast … but where to put it? Both North and South wanted it through their territories Secretary of War from Mexico coordinated South needed land link for Southern rail line U.S. paid $10m for 30,000 square miles of land (1853) North had to organize western territories before planning a Northern rail line Stephen Douglas proposed organization as “Nebraska” South resisted: Repeal Missouri Compromise first! Repeal of Missouri Compromise would be disastrous – but territory had to be organized! Douglas underestimated depth of anti-slavery sentiment in the North South not convinced by “popular sovereignty” argument Douglas offered to undo Missouri Compromise Proposed to split territory in two (Kansas – south, Nebraska – north) Northern Democrats, Whigs furious – but passed anyway (1854) Right! Columbia, give it to him, for he deserves it; give it to Steven till he cries… You have been a bad boy, Steve, ever since you had anything to do with that Nebraska Bill and have made a great deal of trouble in the family, and now I'll pay you for it. No! Please let me free and I’ll never do it again! Northerners, abolitionists rushed to prevent oversettlement in Kansas by slaveholders Armed “ ” from Missouri cross Kansas border, vote illegally Anti-slavery majority = free Kansas! Abolitionist groups helped fund settlers’ relocation “ Pro-slavery legislature established, based on vote Anti-slavery settlers set up their own government! Border ruffians attacked Lawrence, KS to intimidate antislavery settlers ” – a first battleground? MA Senator delivered a speech sharply critical of slavery – and SC Senator Andrew Butler Butler’s cousin beat Sumner on the Senate floor with his cane to avenge the insult Southerners supported the action – but Northern resistance strengthened Kansas-Nebraska Act split Whigs, Democrats along sectional lines New coalition formed: Northern Whigs, Free Soil party, anti-slavery Democrats became the Return to Jeffersonian ideals “Revive spirit of American Revolution” Fight influence of Southern “aristocrats” on federal government All agreed – no slavery in the territories! Republicans nominated Democrats’ candidate Support base in the North Politically harmless, and favored free Kansas Support base in the South Favored concessions to the South to preserve Union Know-Nothings nominated Millard Fillmore (but party was fractured) Democrats won by claiming that the South would secede if Frémont were elected! Buchanan supported having Supreme Court rule on slavery in the territories Southern majority on Supreme Court, and South had been quietly pushing for precedent (1857) Supreme Court’s decision polarized North, South further Scott a Missouri slave who had lived in free territory Sued for freedom for himself, his family Scott not a citizen, therefore had no right to sue Missouri Compromise ruled unconstitutional! South: Comply with decision, or we will leave the Union! Buchanan hoped Kansas statehood would end chaos in the territory Pro-slavery legislature established in 1857, legalizing slavery Referendum split – anti-slavery side voted against it Buchanan accepted the pro-slavery vote, recommended statehood Senate accepted Kansas as a slave state, but the House blocked it Buchanan, South agreed to another referendum vote This time, Kansas voters reject Lecompton Constitution Kansas finally becomes a state in 1861 In 1858, ran against Stephen Douglas in the Illinois Senate campaign Seeking publicity and a wider audience, Lincoln challenged Douglas to a series of debates Douglas’ tried to keep Illinois voters happy, but alienated Southerners Lincoln’s position: slavery “threatens existence of this Union” like a cancer – spreading it out would only make it worse! "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 it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing or all the other. Either the opponents of slavery will arrest the further spread of it, and place it where the public mind shall rest in the belief that it is in the course of ultimate extinction; or its advocates will push it forward, till it shall become alike lawful in all the States, old as well as new — North as well as South. – Abraham Lincoln, Springfield, 1858 an abolitionist who decided to take violent action after Sumner was caned In 1859, he and 18 followers seized a federal arsenal at Harper’s Ferry, Virginia Planned to free local slaves, lead armed Marines, Col. capture Brown after 33 hours Brown tried, convicted and hanged Attack galvanized public opinion on both sides To the North, Brown was a martyr Southerners terrified – Northerners the “enemy at the door” South feared Northern incitement of slave rebellions Anyone who didn’t see slavery as a “blessing” was an “enemy” of the South Georgia Senator Toombs: Keep federal government out of the hands of the “Black Republican” party 1860 convention: Democrats could not agree on a candidate! Northern Democrats split from Southern Democrats Each faction nominated its own candidate North: Douglas, South: John Breckinridge (sitting VP) Southern Democrats lead party, support Dred Scott ruling and federal slave codes in the territories Lincoln, popular in the North, became the Republican nominee Official Republican position Non-interference with slavery in existing states Higher tariffs Transcontinental railroad Homesteading laws to settle territories Democrats’ split gave Lincoln the victory with only the support of the North Southerners: Lincoln’s election meant abolitionists had won South Carolina seceded soon after election 6 more lower South states seceded by February, 1861 Seceded states seized all federal property – including forts, arsenals Kentucky Sen. compromise proposed one last Guarantee on slavery where it already existed Reinstate Missouri Compromise line to CA border Congressional Republicans, with Lincoln’s backing, prevent passage of Crittenden’s compromise Virginia peace conference generated no further ideas acceptable to Congress Secessionist states met in Montgomery, AL Declare ) (or, Wrote new constitution Elected their president Lincoln took over a nation in shambles Union divided, Confederacy established Which state might be next to secede? The new president pledged non-interference where slavery existed – but also reiterated commitment to preserving the Union Advised of intent to defend, protect federal property in seceded states Left door open for reconciliation – no conflict unless South the “aggressors” Confederacy challenged Union for control of with their victory, the Civil War had begun – By June 1861, states in upper South had also seceded Confederate capital moved to Richmond after Virginia seceded – too close for Lincoln’s comfort! Concern grew over allegiance of border states Lincoln imposed martial law in Baltimore to help quell anti-Union sentiment Kentucky legislature supported Union when Confederacy challenged state borders Missouri decided not to secede, despite sympathies for Confederacy Disagreement on legality, morality, politics of led to violence in Kansas voided limits on expansion of slavery (voiding MO Compromise and asserting slaves not citizens/can’t sue) polarized North, South South Carolina , attack Fort Sumter in