Transcript Causes of the Civil War

I. Growing Sectionalism
 Sectionalism - loyalty to your own region instead of
to the nation as a whole.

During the 1800’s the United States was divided into 3
regions.
North – Northern states, Free States, against slavery, economic
base was industry and manufacturing
 South – Southern states, Slave States, supported slavery,
economic base was production of cotton on plantations
 West – Western States, Primarily Free states but some slave
states, economic base was farming.

II. 3 Main Causes
 The main issues dividing the North and the South were
differing views regarding states’ rights, the expansion of
slavery and the existence of slavery

States’ Rights – Powers reserved for the individual states and state
governments rather than the federal (nation) government
10th Amendment in the Bill of Rights
 Each state has power and authority to choose its own course.
 Belief in self governance.
 Nullification – do states have the right to reject federal laws – Y or N



Slavery – Force servitude, based on race. Morally wrong based on
our core beliefs in freedom and self governance.
Slavery’s Expansion – Should slavery expand into new territories?

Loss of governmental power if slavery is not allowed to expand.
Fugitive Slave Laws

1.
2.
1850
It was a law that required all citizen in the United
States to help in the recovery of runaway slaves.
Captured persons did not get a jury trial.
Slavery becomes a national topic of conversation
and more people start standing up against slavery.
Uncle Tom’s Cabin

1.
2.
1852
Was a book written by Harriet Beecher Stowe that
depicted slavery and the life of a slave in the South
Brought the evils of slavery to the attention of
many Americans who were once neutral.
Southern’s denied the validity of the book.
Kansas-Nebraska Act
“Bleeding Kansas”

1.
2.
1854
Congress passed a law that allowed the territories
of Kansas and Nebraska to decide for themselves
whether or not to allow slavery. The Act repealed
the Missouri Compromise
Pro-slavery and Anti-slavery people rushed to the
territories and a bloody mini civil war started in
the two territories
Court Case: Dred Scott v. Sandford

1.
2.
1857
A court case where a slave was suing for his
freedom after his owner had died.
Widened the political gap between the North and
the South by encouraging the growth of slavery by
not giving people rights.
John Brown & Harper’s Ferry

1.
2.
1859
John Brown and 21 others attempted to capture a
store of weapons that would be used to destroy
slavery by attacking slaveholders and helping
runaway slaves
Northern Abolitionist hailed Brown a martyr while
the South labeled Brown villan.