Initial Causes of the Civil War1850-1861

Causes of the Civil War Class Notesheet

Uncle Tom’s Cabin• “So you’re the little lady who started the big war.”

-Abraham Lincoln

• Author-Harriet Beecher Stowe (1852)

• About-To show the evils of slavery and the injustice of the Fugitive Slave Act

• Copies Sold-Sold millions of copies and sold out in just two days

• View of the North-Changed way the Northerners felt about slavery, changed opinions about it

• View of the South-Felt it did not properly represent slave life

Dred Scott Decision• Background-Dred Scott was a slave in Missouri who moved to Wisconsin, a free state, then back toMissouri. Is Dred Scott a free person or not? • What was the Supreme Court Decision-Said that Dred Scott had

no power to sue because he was a slave and that slavery could not be banned in a territory

• View of the North-Feared the expansion of slavery into northern territories, rallied against it

• View of the South-Rejoiced, slavery was legal in all territories

Lincoln-Douglas Debates

• “A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure permanently half slave and half free.”-Abraham Lincoln

• Explain the quote-Lincoln felt that the nation cannot be one of slavery and freedom, that it must be one or the other

• What would Lincoln’s opponents say he’s promoting-Opponents to Lincoln feel that he believes that the nation must be all free, without slavery

John Brown’s Raid

• Who was he-A northern abolitionist who lead anti-slavery campaigns in Kansas and the East

• What did he do-Lead a group of followers to a federal arsenal to overtake weapons to lead a slave revolt.

• View of the North-Considered him a hero

• View of the South-Considered Brown insane and the northern response as evidence that the North and South would not be able to live together

Election of 1860

Candidate Party Party PlatformAbraham Lincoln Republican Prevent Extension of

SlaveryStephen Douglas Northern Democrat Popular SovereigntyJohn Bell Constitutional Union Preserve the UnionJohn Breckenridge Southern Democrat Protect Slavery in the

Territories

Complete the chart below

What was the southern response to Lincoln’s election-Southern states begin to secede December, 1860 starting with SC, then AL, FL, GA, LA, MS, and TX