chapter 15, section 4. people in the territories were looking for a new political voice neither the...
TRANSCRIPT
Chapter 15, Section 4
Republicans Challenge Slavery
People in the territories were looking for a new political voiceNeither the Whig party or Democratic
party would take a stand against slaveryRepublican Party: mixture of Free Soilers,
northern Democrats, and antislavery Whigs
Main goal of the Republican Party was to keep slavery out of the Western TerritoriesA few were abolitionists hoping to end
slavery in the SouthJohn C. Fremont: selected by Republicans
in 1856 to run for PresidentLittle political experience but opposed
the spread of slavery
The Republican Party
James Buchanan: Democratic nominee from PennsylvaniaSympathized with the Southern position
on slaveryBuchanan won the electionFremont won 1/3 of the popular vote
without the support of any southern state
1858 Abe Lincoln, a Republican, challenged democrat Stephen Douglas for his seat in the Senate
Abe Lincoln of Illinois
Born in the backcountry of KentuckyHis family moved often to find better landLincoln spent only a year in school but taught
himself how to read and writeHe opened a store in Illinois Studied law on his ownSpent 8 years in the state legislatureOne term in CongressHe opposed the Kansas-Nebraska Act1858 ran for the Senate
A Self starter from Kentucky
Lincoln was not a national figureTo the people of Illinois Lincoln was just
folks
“Just Folks”
Stephen Douglas drew big crowds on the senate campaign trail
Lincoln could not draw crowds this largeHe followed Douglas on the campaign
trail answering him speech for speech
The Lincoln – Douglas Campaign Trail
Lincoln challenged Douglas to a series of debatesDebated seven times
A series of debates
Called Lincoln a hot headed abolitionist who wanted blacks and whites to be equal
Douglas warned Lincoln’s call to end slavery would result in war
Popular sovereignty was the best way to solve the slavery crisis
Douglas speaks
If slavery is wrong then Lincoln and other Americans could not ignore it
Lincoln did not believe in perfect equalityHe did believe slavery was wrong
Lincoln replies
Newspaper reprinted their speechesThe more northerners read Lincoln’s
speeches the more they thought of the injustive of slavery
Douglas won the election by a small margin
Lincoln was known throughout the country
The two rivals would meet again in two years
A leader emerges
John Brown carries his antislavery campaign from Kansas to the east
He led a group of followers including 5 African Americans to Harper’s Ferry VirginiaThere they raided a federal arsenal: Gun
warehouseBrown thought African Americans would
flock to the arsenalHe would give them weapons and lead
a revolt
John Brown’s Raid
No slave uprising took placeRobert E. Lee led troops killed 10 raiders
and captured John BrownBrown was found guilty of treason and
murder and sentenced to death
Seizing the arsenal
Because he showed dignity during his trial Brown became a hero to many northerners
Northern church bells rang the morning he was hanged
White southerners were outraged by the northerners response
Trial and death