Transcript Causes of the Civil War and Antebellum Period

The Antebellum period
and causes of the Civil
War
Georgia Studies
Objectives: SS8H6 & SS8E1
• SS8H6: The student will analyze the impact of the
Civil War and Reconstruction on Georgia.
a. Explain the importance of key events and issues that
led to the Civil War including slavery, states rights,
nullification, Missouri Compromise, Compromise of
1850, and the Georgia Platform, Kansas-Nebraska
Act, Dred Scott case, election of 1860, the debate
over secession in Georgia and the role of Alexander
Stephens.
SS8E1: The student will give examples of the kinds of
goods and services produced in Georgia in different
historical periods.
Background
•
Antebellum: period before the war
1.
What was manifest destiny? The belief that it was
the will of God that the United States expand its
borders to the Pacific Coast
2.
Name the three areas of our country acquired during
the antebellum period. Texas, Oregon, and
California
3.
What war resulted in the United States gaining control
of Texas? The Mexican-American War
4.
What key event led to California’s rapid population
increase? Gold Rush of 1849
Slavery
Slavery – The North wanted to abolish (get rid of)
slavery, but the South felt their economy needed
slavery to exist because they needed to have a
source of cheap labor to work the fields and
produce crops
North: against
South: for
States’ Rights
States’ rights – the belief that the state’s interests
should take importance over the interests of
national government
North: against – felt the United States had work
together to be united
South: for – felt that the individual states knew
what their needs were better than Northern
politicians
Nullification
Nullification – the belief that a state should have the
authority to nullify (void) any federal law they
thought was unconstitutional
North: against – wanted to place a tariff on goods the
South imported from Europe
South: for – felt they shouldn’t have to follow federal
laws they didn’t like
Missouri Compromise: 1820
Missouri Compromise – When Missouri asked to
become a state, the balance of slave states to free
states was equal (11 & 11). Senate was equal, House
was slanted toward free.)
Because Missouri wanted to be slave state, the
Missouri Compromise of 1820 allowed Missouri
to be admitted as a slave state, but also created
the state of Maine (formerly part of MA) as a free
state.
The MO compromise also prohibited slavery north
of 36◦ 20’ latitude (the southern border of
Missouri) for all future states.
Compromise of 1850
Compromise of 1850– After the discovery of gold there,
California grew very quickly and was ready to ask for
statehood. (A state could ask for statehood after they had
100,000 residents).
In 1850, there were 15 slave states & 15 free states. Because
California’s constitution did not allow slavery, its
admission would mean the balance in the Senate would
change.
After eight months of debate, the Compromise of 1850 was
suggested which had benefits for both sides.
Compromise of 1850, cont.
For the North it meant:
• California would be admitted as a free state
• Slave trading was ended in the District of Columbia
• Texas gave up its idea of annexing New Mexico, thus taking
that territory away from a slave state
For the South it meant:
• The territories of New Mexico and Utah would determine if
they wanted to be slave or free
• The residents of the District of Columbia could keep the slaves
they already had
• Congress would pass a law (the Fugitive Slave Act) stating that
slaves who ran away to free states would be returned to their
owners
The Georgia Platform
(re: Compromise of 1850)
The Georgia Platform:
• Georgians did not like the Compromise of 1850, but
they were urged to accept it by some of their
congressmen.
• A “Georgia Platform” supporting the Compromise
was adopted at a convention in Milledgeville (the
state capital). It was clear that the measure was
necessary in order for Georgia to remain in the
Union.
• Eventually the disagreement over the Platform lead
to new political parties forming which placed
Democrats in power in Georgia.
Kansas-Nebraska Act
Kansas-Nebraska Act – This act called for people of
new territories to vote and decide whether their
territory should be free or slave.
Northerners were angry because they felt this
contradicted the MO Compromise.
This act caused fighting to break out between proslavery and freesoiler
groups.
When Kansas applied for statehood (as a slave
state) its bid was rejected which showed
southerners that the northern votes alone could
keep states from being slave states.
Dred Scott Case
Dred Scott case – In 1834, Dred Scott, a slave, was
taken by his owner from Missouri to Illinois (a
free state), and later to Wisconsin (also free).
When they returned to Missouri later, Dred
Scott filed a lawsuit arguing he should be free
because he had lived in a free state.
Abolitionists in the North raised enough money
to take the case to the U.S. Supreme Court
where it was ruled that Mr. Scott was not able to
sue because he was a slave and therefore, not a
citizen. The Supreme Court also ruled that
Congress had no authority to stop slavery in the
territories, further dividing the North & South.
Election of 1860
Background:
In 1854, a new political party formed. Known as the
Republican party, it existed only in free states,
so many who were opposed to slavery joined.
Election of 1860 – Democratic
candidates
In 1860, there was division between the Northern
Democrats & Southern Democrats.
Northern democrats wanted to campaign on popular
sovereignty (the ability of a territory to decide
whether or not they would have slavery.
Southern Democrats felt slavery should be allowed in
all the territories.
Each side nominated its own presidential candidate,
Stephen Douglas from the North and John
Breckenridge from the South.
Election of 1860 – Republican
Candidate
The Republican party nominated Abraham
Lincoln.
Lincoln was opposed to allowing slavery to
spread, but said he would not try to end it in
states where it already existed.
Lincoln also wanted to allow western territory
land to be given away to settlers, and to
construct a transcontinental railroad (mainly
in the North). South states did not like these
plans.
Election of 1860 - Results
Lincoln won the election without receiving the
majority of the vote because the Democratic
vote was split.
He did not receive a single electoral vote in the
slave states.
This was the first time a candidate had won
based upon the vote of one section of the
country. Talk of secession (the act of pulling
out of the Union) and war began
immediately.
Debate in Georgia over Secession
Although Georgian’s supported the Union, they favored states’
rights more.
Immediately after the election, Georgia’s governor called a
legislative session to determine if a convention should be
called to decide the question of secession. After heated
debate the governor called for a secession convention.
In December 1860 (just a little over a month after Lincoln’s
election), South Carolina seceded from the Union. Most
Georgian’s supported South Carolina’s move, and in January
of 1861, Georgia seceded.
Order of secession of the states: South Carolina, Mississippi,
Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, & Texas
Mneumonic Device: Sorry Miss Flora almost got lost today.
Alexander Stephens
Alexander Stephens was a well-known
legislator for the state of Georgia from
Crawfordsville who spoke out against
secession after the election of 1860 at the
special session called by the governor.
He was later named Vice President of the
Confederacy.
Goods and services available in
Georgia during the antebellum period
The backbone of Georgia’s economy was still
agriculture with cotton being the primary
crop.
Many cotton mills also existed in the state by
this time as well as shoe factories,
tanneries, iron factories, grist mills, and
brick and pottery factories.