H12/1/11; T11/25/08; T12/11/07; T12/5/06; T12/6/05

Growing Sectionalism: Impact of the Kansas-Nebraska Act

(Ch. 14.1 & 14.2; pp. 384-393)

I. Uncle Tom’s Cabin - 1852• Harriet Beecher Stowe (MA)• fictional account of slavery• Simon Legree – cruel• slave families; loyalty of slaves• more northern sympathy for slaves• widely read – 300K copies in 1852;

– 1.2M by summer of 1853

• plays, popular• abolitionist ↑• angered S – banned in S• Lincoln: “So you’re the little lady who started this

war”

II. Election of 1852

• Pierce (Dem-NH)• Scott (Whig-VA)• John Hale (Free Soil) – only 5%• Dems can win in N, if candidate does not oppose slavery

• Whigs only receive 35% of S. vote (compared to 50% in 1848)

• more regional vote • harder to retain non-sectional ties

III. Kansas-Nebraska Act – 1854

A. Roots – Gadsden Purchase -1853– transcontinental RR– S. route– purchased land for $10M from Mex.– many N. upset – want N route

III. Kansas-Nebraska Act – 1854 (cont.)

B. Douglas’ Proposal – 1854– wants N. transcontinental RR – Chicago would be hub– need S. support– open K-N to possibility of slavery– pop. sov. in territories– believe Kan- slave; Neb – free– would continue sectional balance

III. Kansas-Nebraska Act – 1854

C. Response– S: happy – open to slavery [allowed for possibility

of slavery]– N: betrayed MO Compromise (36-30 line)

power of slaveocracy– helps create Republican Party

IV. Creation of Republican Party – 1854

• opposed to spread of slavery• not abolitionists [although included

abolitionists]• strictly regional party• built on earlier parties: Liberty, Free Soil