Civil War – Part 1

Sectionalism:Favoring the interests of one area over those of the nation as a whole

South = agriculture and slavery

North = Industry

Sections:

North: Maine to Pennsylvania & Delaware1. Farmers2. Growing in areas of industry and manufacturing3. Wage earners (immigrants)

South: Maryland to Florida (along the Atlantic Coast)

1. Agrarian society/cotton based2. Little or no industry3. Slave labor

West: Appalachian Mountains to the Mississippi River

Split area – mainly agrarianNorthwest – small farmers/grain

productsSouthwest – large plantations

cotton

Sectionalism can also be illustrated with the passage of legislation on a particular topic.

1. Missouri Compromise of 1820a. Missouri - slave stateb. Maine - free state

c. Louisiana Territory – north of 36°, 30´ was free

territory

2. Compromise of 1850 (proposed by Henry Clay - Great Compromisor)

a. California – (after the gold rush) enters as a “free” state

b. Southwest - NM/Utah Territories acquired from the Mexican-Am War - created and slavery was to be based upon popular sovereignty (majority rules)c. Slavery would remain legal in Washington DC (capitol)

d. Fugitive Slave Law –

requires anyone (in the US) to return a runaway or face criminal punishment themselves.

3. Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854)a. Nullifies/Voids Missouri Compromise

Both Kansas & Nebraska territories sought admission to the Union as

states.b. Nebraska – enters as a “free” statec. Kansas – left up to popular sovereignty

result: Kansas became a bloody battlefield (but finally becomes a slave state)

Transition maps from 1820-1854

1857 - Dred Scott v. SanfordScott – (Missouri slave) was taken North by his master and lived in the free areas of Illinois and Wisconsin for 4 years.

After 4 years, for economic reasons, Scott was taken back to Missouri

and sold to a new master, Sanford. Under the influence and advise of

abolitionists, Scott sued Sanford in Wisconsin courts b/c he believed he was a free man.

The basis of his argument was that Scott had lived on “free” soil for 4 years. Case went to the US Supreme Court.

Supreme Court ruled:

a. Scott was not a citizen and therefore could not sue - threw out case.b. Court went one step further and added that

the fed. Gov’t had no power to prohibit slavery in Wisconsin since the Missouri Compromise was nullified – state matter

Result: Major blow to blacks and encouraged abolitionists to step up their efforts to rid the nation of slavery.

1859 - John Brown's RaidJohn Brown, abolitionists, and 18 other seized the fed. Arsenal at Harper’s Ferry, VA. They planned to give the guns/ammo to the slaves so that the slaves could start a rebellion. They were successful but fed troops hunted them down. Brown was eventually caught by Col. Robert E. Lee.Brown was convicted of murder, conspiracy, and treason. He was later hanged.

As a result of John Brown’s death, many slaves decided to “run” for their freedom. One of the most popular ways was the Underground Railroad which took slaves North and ultimately to Canada. The most famous “conductor” was Harriet Tubman

1860 Election: Issue = How to deal with Slavery Issue?

Party Candidate Platform

Northern Democrat Stephen Douglas Supported slavery by popular

sovereignty

Southern Democrat

Republicans

Constitutional Union Party

1860 Election: Issue = How to deal with Slavery Issue?

Party Candidate Platform

Northern Democrat Stephen Douglas Supported slavery by popular

sovereignty

Southern Democrat John Breckenridge Protection of slavery

Republicans

Constitutional Union Party

1860 Election: Issue = How to deal with Slavery Issue?

Party Candidate Platform

Northern Democrat Stephen Douglas Supported slavery by popular

sovereignty

Southern Democrat John Breckenridge Protection of slavery

Republicans Abraham Lincoln Limit the extension of slavery in the

territories

Constitutional Union Party

1860 Election: Issue = How to deal with Slavery Issue?

Party Candidate Platform

Northern Democrat Stephen Douglas Supported slavery by popular

sovereignty

Southern Democrat John Breckenridge Protection of slavery

Republicans Abraham Lincoln Limit the extension of slavery in the

territories

Constitutional Union Party

John Bell Solve slavery through

compromises and moderation

Results: Lincoln wins.

The South viewed Lincoln’s victory as a defeat for

slavery altogether (not just limiting slavery) and that Lincoln would free the slaves – a direct threat to their livelihood.

According to the SC Convention, any attempt to bring in fed troops would trigger SC to succeed. In Dec., 1860 Ft. Sumter, a Union fort, had been in need of supplies for six months. When Lincoln took office, he was made aware

that if he sent supplies to

SC, then SC might see this movement as a direct threat.

Lincoln decided to send supplies b/c he could not turn his back on a fed. Installation. SC got word of this and decided to take the Fort before supplies/reinforcements got there.

The firing on Ft. Sumter marks the beginning of the Civil War.