Sectionalism

Election of 1848

• Zachary Taylor: Whig– Army general in Mexican-American War– Neutral to slave issue

• Lewis Cass: Democrat• Martin Van Buren: Free-Soil Party– “Free soil, free speech, free labor, and free men.”– Supported the Wilmot Proviso

• Result: Taylor-163 Cass-127 Van Buren-0

Slavery

• Expanding slavery into new areas: – Mexican Cession• Wilmot Proviso• Popular Sovereignty

California, New Mexico and Utah

• CA Application for statehood would threaten sectional balance in Senate– Admitted as Free State

• Opposed by Southern states • Threatened secession

• NM & UT: Leaned towards free state status as well– Number of free states, if admitted, would

undoubtedly tip balance in favor of the North– Would be left to popular sovereignty

Fugitive Slave Law

• Underground Railroad and fugitive slave issues anger Southerners– Underground Railroad aiding fugitive slaves– North is not respecting constitutional protections

of slavery: Fugitive Slave Laws• South will demand a new, stronger fugitive slave law by

1850

Washington D.C. & Slavery

• North is very angry that the slave trade continues in D.C. – Demand abolition and an end to slave auctions in

the capital city• Felt that it was an embarrassment to the government

Texas and Disputed Territory

• Texas claimed a vast majority of land east of the Rio Grande– Part of New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas, and

Oklahoma• Threatened to seize Santa Fe• Federal government denied Texas’ claims to the land

– Would send troops if Texas made moves to invade these areas

Compromise of 1850

• Sectionalism over slavery continues and is at an all time high by 1850– Henry Clay proposes the Compromise of 1850 to try and

prevent a national crisis• Compromise of 1850: PopFACT– Pop: popular sovereignty in Mexican Cession– F: Fugitive Slave Law Strengthened – A: Abolition of slave trade in D.C.– C: California admitted as a free state– T: Texas given $10 million for disputed Mexican territory

New Fugitive Slave Law

• Became the single most frictional issue between North and South in the early 1850s– Slaves could not testify on their own behalf– Slaves denied a jury trial– Heavy fines for individuals that helped fugitive

runaway slaves• Many northern states refused to accept the law– Massachusetts made it illegal to enforce (seen as

nullification in the South)

Effect of the Compromise of 1850

• North got the better deal– California tipped the balance in favor of the North– Popular sovereignty chose against slavery in NM &

UT– Slave trade stopped in D.C.-step towards

emancipation– North gained 10 more years to expand

economically and gain sentiment for Union cause• At the time, many northerners were unwilling to go to

war

Election of 1852

• Franklin Pierce: Democrat– Sympathetic to the South but in favor of Com. Of

1850• Winfield Scott: Whig– Army general in Mexican-American War– Supportive of fugitive slave law• Split Whig Party

• Result: Pierce defeated Scott: 254-42– End of the Whig Party: shattered by sectionalism

Kansas-Nebraska Act: 1854

• Stephen Douglas proposes splitting Nebraska Territory into two parts: – Nebraska (proposed free state)– Kansas (proposed slave state)• Would ultimately be left to popular sovereignty to

decide slave issue• Kansas was above 36°30’ line: slavery prohibited

– Solution: repeal the Missouri Compromise of 1820» Passed due to Douglas guiding it through Congress

Reaction to Kansas-Nebraska Act

• North furious over repeal of Missouri Compromise– In retaliation, refused to honor Fugitive Slave Law– Anti-Slavery movement grew significantly– North unwilling to compromise anymore– Birth of the Republican Party• Included angry Whigs, northern Democrats, Free-

Soilers, and Know-Nothings– Republican Party was not allowed in the South

“Bleeding Kansas”

– Because popular sovereignty would decide whether slavery would exist Kansas, U.S. citizens flood into area• Both pro & anti-slavery

– Conflicts between the two broke out between the two groups repeatedly

• John Brown comes to Kansas in October of 1855 to resist spread of slavery– At the time, only 2 slaves lived in Kansas– Mini-civil war in Kansas begins

» Will last through the US Civil War

Caning of Charles Sumter

• Republican Senator Charles Sumner gave a speech “Crime Against Kansas” – Condemned pro-slavery southerners and insulted

Southern senator • Preston Brooks: SC Congressman savagely beat Sumner

with his 11 oz. gold-headed cane– Unanimously reelected by SC – Beating demonstrated the hatred that now existed between

the North and South

John Brown Strikes Again

• John Brown seeks revenge against pro-slavery citizens living in Kansas– Him and his sons slaughter 5 – Brown felt that he was doing God’s work• Extreme abolitionist• Brown escaped justice for the time being

Kansas and Statehood

• Kansas applies for statehood– State constitution written by pro-slavery

southerners• Approved by slave supporters in the territory in 1857• Congress denied constitution and sent it back to Kansas

for revisions– Kansas rejected proposal for revision– Kansas was denied statehood until it agreed to enter as a free

state in 1861

Election of 1856

• James Buchanan: Democrat– Believed in popular sovereignty in territories

• Captain John C. Fremont: Republican– First presidential election for new Republican Party– No extension of slavery into the territories

• Millard Fillmore: American Party (Know-Nothings)– Nativist party– Opposed to Irish, German, Mexican, and Chinese immigration– Anti-Catholic

• Result: Buchanan-174, Fremont-114, Fillmore-8

Dred Scott Decision

• March 6, 1857• Dred Scott: slave that lived with his master for 5 years in Illinois

and Wisconsin– Free soil

• Abolitionists will back Dred Scott in suing for his freedom due to the fact that his master had taken him to a free state and territory

• Decision: Dred Scott was a slave and not a citizen, therefore could not sue in federal court– Effectively ruled that blacks are not citizens – Slaves can not be taken away from owners without due process of

law• Private property is protected and can be moved from slave to free state (5th

amendment clause)

Impact of Dred Scott

• Missouri Compromise is overturned as unconstitutional

• South is extremely happy– Possibility for the creation of new slave states and

territories• North is infuriated– Will say that the ruling is merely an “opinion” and

doesn’t have to be honored

Panic of 1857

• Causes: over-speculation on land and railroads– Influx of California gold into economy:• Inflation

– Overproduction of grain• Lower prices → lower profits

• Industrial North was hit the hardest: widespread unemployment

• South was not affected significantly because of the strength of “King Cotton”

Lincoln-Douglas Debates• Republican Abraham Lincoln challenges

Democrat Stephen Douglas for the Illinois Senator seat in 1858– Douglas was the incumbent: very high profile,

influential senator• Lincoln’s nomination speech: “A house divided

cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure, permanently, half slave and half free.”

Lincoln-Douglas Debates

• Lincoln will challenge Douglas to 7 debates in Illinois.– Douglas supported the idea of popular sovereignty in

territories– Lincoln supported non-extension of slavery into

territories – Debates received national attention

• Result: – Douglas wins the senate seat – Lincoln has been put in the national spotlight and

appears to be a very good candidate for presidential nomination in 1860

Harper’s Ferry• John Brown plans to secretly invade the South and

create a slave rebellion– Going to give slaves weapons and establish a free black

state– Backed financially by northern abolitionists

• October 1859: Brown seized the arsenal at Harper’s Ferry, Virginia– 7 innocent people killed, 10 wounded– Brown and his followers were trapped in the armory

and surrendered to Robert E. Lee• Hanged after their trial

Election of 1860

• Abraham Lincoln: Republican– Non-extension of slavery– Protective tariff for industry– Internal improvements

• Stephen Douglas: Democrat– Northern

• John C. Breckinridge: Democrat– Southern

• John Bell: Constitutional Union Party– Want to preserve the union– Feared that if Lincoln was elected, South would secede

Election of 1860

• Most sectional election to take place• Lincoln elected with only 40% of the vote– Was not allowed on the ballot in 10 southern

states– SC believes they can not secede

• South no longer felt secure in the Union

Southern Secession

• December 1860: South Carolina unanimously votes to secede from the Union– Within 6 weeks, 6 other states voted to secede:

• Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas• Created the Confederate States of America

– Jefferson Davis chosen as president

• President Buchanan did little to prevent secession– Felt he did not have the constitutional authority– Union still not ready for a war– Lincoln will continue this policy rather than using force

• Border states

Reasons for Secession

• Political Balance appeared to be in the favor of the North• Sectional Republican party threatened Southern rights• Hated being criticized by know-nothings, abolitionists, and

the interference by Underground Railroad and John Brown• Hoped to end long-time dependence on the North• Felt they had the moral high ground

– Voluntarily entered into the union, can leave voluntarily as well• Right to replace government that is not meeting the needs of the

people

Indian Policy

• Indian tribes viewed as independent nations– Treaties with them had to be ratified by the

Senate: foreign policy• Forced relocation away from areas of white

settlement– Bureau of Indian Affairs set up reservations for

Indians

Warfare

• 1868-1890: constant warfare raged in the West between Indians and U.S. troops– Buffalo Soldiers: 20 percent

• Led by Sherman, Sheridan and Custer– Sheridan: “The only good Indian is a dead Indian.”

Sand Creek MassacreColorado: 1864• In 1861, Cheyenne and Arapaho indian tribes

were forced into the desolate Sand Creek reservation due to an increase in gold mining in the area

• In November, Colonel Chivington’s militia massacred 400 Indians who were promised immunity and protection by the Federal government– Mutilation of women and children

Sioux War

1876-1877• Gold miners rushed the Black Hills to find gold in

South Dakota– Indian Warriors led by Sitting Bull attack U.S. troops

after treaties were violated– Battle of Little Big Horn (1876): General Custer’s forces

clash with 2,500 warriors led by Crazy Horse• Custer’s men were completely wiped out, 150 warriors killed• Indians chased to Canada where they received asylum

– Hunger forced them to return and surrender to U.S.

Custer’s Last Stand

Nez Perce• Chief Joseph– Ceded a lot of land to the U.S. in exchange for a large

reservation in Oregon and Idaho– Forced to cede even more land when gold is discovered– 1877: U.S. Government ordered removal of the Nez

Perce from Oregon• War broke out: Nez Perce won several battles before fleeing

to Canada• Stopped and shipped south to a malaria-infested camp in

Kansas – Were promised to be sent to the Dakota but U.S. government

reneged – Over a third die from disease

Wounded Knee

1890: – Last major clash between U.S. troops and Indian

tribes in the U.S.– Army was sent to end sacred “Ghost Dance”

performance by Dakota Sioux– 300 Sioux men, women, and children were killed

Result of Indian Wars

• By 1890, all North American tribes were on reservations– Cheaper to feed them than to fight them– Reservations were grossly ignored by government– Tribes ravaged by disease and alcohol

• Helen Hunt Jackson: A Century of Dishonor (1881)– Book written detailing the awful Indian treatment

by the U.S. government