DECADE OF CRISIS

1850’s

Abolitionist Movement William Lloyd Garrison-

most radical white abolitionist-newspaper “The Liberator”- 1831

Frederick Douglass- escaped slave- became an abolitionist author and speaker

Reformers and abolitionists: Harriett Tubman-

leader of the Underground Railroad

Sojourner Truth- abolitionist and women’s rights

The Grimke Sisters 1830s

Abolitionist sisters from S.C.

Sarah and Angelina

Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony

First women’s right convention-1848 Seneca Falls, NY

Fought for women’s rights

Compromise of 1850 California is admitted as a free state Utah and New Mexico will have popular

sovereignty (people decide issue of slavery)

Buying and selling slaves (slave trade) in Washington, D.C. is illegal, but owning slaves is not.

Fugitive Slave Law (next slide)

Fugitive Slave Law1. Federal law to help slaveholders

recapture slaves.2. Slaveholders could demand help from

authorities.3. Blacks (free or slaves) could not defend

themselves.4. Anyone who helped a slave or refused

to help the slaveholder could be fined and/or jailed.

Reaction to the Compromise of 1850:

Results:1. Made Northerners accomplices in slavery against

their will.2. Made slavery personal to those who had not been

touched by it.3. Ordinary people began to join abolitionist groups.4. Northern states passed Personal Liberty Laws

which conflicted with the Fugitive Slave Act. (State vs. Federal Law)

Reaction to Compromise of 1850: Uncle Tom’s Cabin – written by

Harriet Beecher Stowe- 1852

1. Written in protest to the Fugitive Slave Act.

2. She talked to escaped slaves

3. Showed slavery at its best and worst

Uncle Tom’s Cabin (cont’d)4. Excellent propaganda; sold more than

any book except the Bible

5. Northerners – agitated and wanted to order an end to slavery

6. Southerners – angry; defended slavery

7. Uncle Tom’s Cabin and reaction to it helped cause the Civil War.

Kansas-Nebraska Act & Its Results Terms of the Compromise: – proposed

by Stephen Douglas- 1854

1. Popular Sovereignty for Kansas and Nebraska territories. Repealed Missouri Compromise (trying to increase Southern support to run for President).

2. Proposal would get Southerners to agree with a northern route for the railroad.

Kansas- Nebraska Territory

Kansas-Nebraska Act & Its Results: Results – Douglas misjudged

Northern dislike of slavery in territories

Kansas – fraudulent election produced pro-slavery territory government. Elected 2 governments – 2 capitals (Topeka and Lawrence)

Kansas-Nebraska Act & Its Results:“Bleeding Kansas” – 200 deaths

• Pro Slavery men murdered anti slavery men in Lawrence

• John Brown and sons murdered 5 slavery supporters

• (called the Pottawatomie Massacre)• Abolitionists helped “free soil” settlers

move to Kansas so they could vote• “Beecher’s Bibles” - guns

John Brown

Kansas-Nebraska Act & Its Results: Violence Spreads1. Senator Charles Sumner (Mass.) –

violent anti slavery speaker.2. Preston Brooks – (S.C.) Republican who

beat Sumner unconscious on the Senate Floor.

3. S.C. cheered Brooks for defending the honor of the South.

*This proved to the North that the South had a violent Society.

Sumner/Brooks Incident

Slavery

Immigration and New Parties Immigration Flood

1. 1845-1860 – mostly from Ireland, most go to New York

2. Settled in free states – jobs, land, no slave labor for compromise

3. Germans, Scandinavians went to mid-west; Irish stayed in cities.

Immigration 1840 - 1860

Immigration and New Parties Opposition To Immigrants

1. Nativism – native born people favored over immigrants

2. Job Competition – immigrants worked for less

3. Religion – many immigrants were Roman Catholic

4. Language differences - accents

Immigration and New Parties New Political Alliances- Whig

party had split over slavery, Dem. Party was weak- this opened the door for new parties

Parties began to split into Northern and Southern branches

-One new party was the American Party-also called the “know nothings”

-Strong b/c nativist attitudes against immigrants was so strong

-created from a secret organization called the “Order of the Star Spangled Banner” and answered ques. w/ “I know nothing”

Republican Party -1854-based entirely in North

Favored: 1. Higher wages2. Transcontinental Railroad3. Protective Tariff4. No Slavery in Territories

Election of 1856 – Buchanan won the Presidency

Free-Soil Party- opposed the extension of slavery into new territories

Crisis - Secession Dred Scott Case- 18561. Background – Scott was a slave, taken to a free

state and back to a slave state. He sued for freedom but lost because: 1. He was not a citizen therefore he can’t sue. 2. He was considered property and property

does not change with geography.

2. Ruled Missouri Compromise Unconstitutional

Dred Scott

P. 332 Red Book

1. On what basis did Dred Scott sue for his freedom?

2. What state Supreme Court did the case end up in? Did this help or hurt Scott’s case?

3. What year did the case make it to the Supreme Court and how many of the nine justices voted against Scott?

4. List two reasons why Chief Justice Taney ruled against Scott.

5. Why was the Supreme Court’s ruling so shocking and controversial? Even though it was a victory for the south, how did it help the Republican Party?

Lincoln-Douglas Debates

1. Part of Illinois Senate race

2. Focus was on slavery in territory

3. Great Contrast:

Douglas – (Dem.) Fashionable, flowery language, confident politician. Popular Sovereignty

Lincoln – (Rep.) plain-spoken, self-educated, very honest. No slavery in territories.

* Douglas won but Lincoln was now famous (South saw that both national parties were against slavery).

John Brown’s Raid -18591. Wanted to spark slave rebellion

2. Captured Federal arsenal in Harper’s Ferry, Va.

3. Brown and his raiders surrendered to Robert E. Lee.

4. Brown was tried and executed for treason

John Brown’s Raid- Harper’s Ferry, Va.

http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/loc.natlib.ihas.100010565/default.html

John Brown headed to his execution

Event aroused strong feelings: North: “Courageous martyr” South: “reckless disregard for human life” to

urge slave rebellions

Moved US closer to warElection of Lincoln – Nov.1860 4 Parties and candidates- divided votes Lincoln won with only Northern support S.C. and 6 others seceded- Dec. 1860