Lincoln and the start of the Civil War

The Early Years• Born February 12th, 1809• In a log cabin near

Hodgenville, Kentucky• Son of Thomas and Nancy

Hanks Lincoln• Moved to Indiana at age 7• Mother dies in 1818 from

milk sickness• Father remarries to Sarah

Bush Johnston

Serving the State of Illinois

• 1832 – Lincoln unsuccessful in run for Illinois legislature

• 1834, 1836, 1838, 1840 – won these races for Illinois legislature

• Member of the Whig party (remained a Whig until 1856)

• Studied law in spare time, became lawyer in 1836

Congress

• 1846 – Lincoln elected to the House of Representatives

• Opposed the Mexican War• Opposed slavery• After his term was over, he returned to Illinois

to practice law

Washington Cont’d

• Made unsuccessful attempt for seat in the Senate in 1854

• 1856 – received support for Republican Vice-Presidential nomination

• Opposed the Dred Scott decision

Lincoln-Douglas Debates

• 1858 – Lincoln challenges Stephen Douglas (Compromise of 1850) for Illinois US Senate seat

• Debated Slavery

Issues and Ideas• Stephen Douglas

– “The Little Giant”– 5’ 1” tall– Freeport Doctrine –

slavery decided by popular sovereignty

– Slavery was not morally wrong

• Abraham Lincoln– Little known lawyer– Abolitionist– 6’ 4” tall– Slavery was

morally wrong

Importance

• Lincoln is thrust into the national spotlight as a abolitionist leader

• Leading Republican

Election of 1860• 4 Major Candidates

John Breckinridge (KY) – Southern

Democrat

Stephen Douglas (IL) – Northern

Democrat

Sen. John Bell (TN) –

Constitutional Unionists (Whigs)

Republicans

• Nominate Abraham Lincoln (R – Illinois)

ELECTION OF 1860• Unique in American history because came down to two separate

races: Lincoln vs. Douglas in the North and Breckinridge vs. Bell in the South

• in 10 southern states, Lincoln did not even have a ticket and in 5 remaining slave states received 4% of popular vote

• Lincoln won by carrying northern states plus OR and CA—purely sectional victory with less than 40% of popular vote

What is secession?• Leave the Union

– Southern State Legislatures vote to pass “Articles of Secession”

– 7 states secede before Lincoln’s Inauguration• 12/20/1860 – SC• 1/9/1861 – MS• 1/10/1861 – FL• 1/11/1861 – AL• 1/19/1861 – GA• 1/26/1861 – LA• 2/1/1861 – TX • 3/4/1861 – Lincoln is Inaugurated

Lincoln’s Inaugural• “…We are not enemies, but

friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battle-field, and patriot grave, to every living heart and hearth-stone, all over this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.”

Confederate States of America On December 20, 1860, South

Carolina became the first state to secede.

They were followed by Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas.

The eleven states that had seceded formed the Confederate States of America.

They named Jefferson Davis as president.

They wrote a new Constitution which made slavery legal.

CSA Organization

• Government similar to the Union• Constitution nearly identical, except:

– State Sovereignty– Slavery as a right of whites– President limited to one six year term– President had “Line-Item” veto

The President and VP

Jefferson Davis Alexander Stephens

Advantages

• North– Factories– Population– Railroads (70%)– Telegraph– Money– Navy

• South– Great Leaders

(Robert E. Lee, “Stonewall” Jackson)

– Home Field Advantage

– Southerner’s believed in the cause

– Defensive War– Indian Tribes– Did not have to

win, only tie– Cotton and Tobacco

Causes of the Civil War

1. Increased Sectionalism

2. Tariffs 3. State’s Rights4. Preservation of the

Union5. Westward Movement6. Slavery7. Election of 1860