Download CHA3UE.01 Chapter 13: "Impending Crisis" Unit: Causes of the

CHA3UE.01
Chapter 13: "Impending Crisis"
Unit: Causes of the American Civil War
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Part 1: The Democrats and Expansion
· Manifest Destiny: the idea that the United States of America was destined by God to expand
its boundaries to include, but not restricted to, North America.
· 1844 election: the election between Henry Clay and James K. Polk which was dominated with
the issue of the annexation of Texas, as well as the annexation of Oregon.
· Henry Clay: the presidential candidate from the Whig Party who was noncommittal on the
issues of annexation of territories.
· Martin Van Buren: The former president of the United States prior to the election of 1844
election.
· Whig Party: a political party which competed against the Democrats in the election of 1844.
· James K. Polk: the winner of the 1844 election representing the Democrats. He represented
Tennessee in the House of Representatives for 14 years, 4 of them as Speaker, and
subsequently served as governor.
· Democratic Platform: that the re-occupation of Oregon and re-annexation of Texas at the
earliest practicable period are great American measure.
· John Tyler: the outgoing president of Texas who won the congressional approval for Texas in
February 1845
· December 1845: in December 1845, Texas became a state of the United States of America
· Compromise over Oregon: the establishing of the Canadian-United States border at the 49th
parallel proposed by Polk.
· "54-40 or fight!" : a bellicose slogan referring to where the Americans wanted the AmericanCanadian boundary to be
The Southwest and California
· Tensions in the Southwest: the Mexican gouvernment broke of ties with the United States
after the annexation of Texas.
· Texas Boundary Dispute: the conflict over the Mexican-American boundary, where Texas
claimed the boundary to be the Rio Grande river as the southern and western boundary and
the Mexicans claimed it to be the Nueces river to the north of the Rio Grande. President Polk
then sent a small army under General Zach Taylor to protect against a Mexican invasion.
· Zachary Taylor: the general who was sent to protect Texas from Mexican invasion.
· New Mexico Dispute: the desire of the Americans to expand and claim California by going
thorough and claiming New Mexico because New Mexico had become more American than
Mexican
· American Interests in California: the desire of the Americans to claim California as well as
their ports
· Native American Reserves: the Native Americans who lived in New Mexico and mingled with
the Spanish-Mexicans
· American Immigration in Southwest: the policy of the 1820s where Mexico encouraged
American immigrants to colonize New Mexico
· American Settlers and Polk: the sentiment of the American immigrants to bring California into
the United States, a dream shared by President Polk, who sent the army to try to take it.
The Mexican War
· Failure of the Slidell Mission: John Slidell was sent to try to buy off the Mexicans who was
rejected by the Mexican leaders.
· Cause of Mexican War: the sending of American troops across the Nueces River to the Rio
Grande and the refusal of the Mexicans to fight until they attacked a small unit of American
soldiers.
· May, 13th 1846: the declaration of war by Congress with votes of 40 t0 2 in the Senate and
174 to 14 in the House.
· Opposition to War: there were many opponents to the war such as the Whig Party, who
thought that Polk caused the war deliberately and critics, who thought that the war was taking
away resources from the more important problem of the Northwest. Opposition of the war
intensified as the public became aware of the casualties and expense.
· Battles: the fights between the Mexican and American forces where American forces gradually
advanced to the Mexican capital, Mexico City.
· Bear Flag Revolution: a conflict in progress in 1846 when Col Stephen W. Kearny went to
California which was between the American settlers, which was a well-armed exploring party
led by John C. Fremont and the United States navy.
· Autumn 1846: the end Kearny’s completed conquest of California
· The Bold New Campaign: a campaign to conquer Mexico launched by Scott when he
assembled an army at Tampico which the navy transported down the Mexico coast. He never
lost a battle before seizing the Mexico capital.
· Peace Treaty: the willingness of the new Mexican government to negotiate a peace treaty
· Treaty of Guadeloupe Higaldo : the agreement of the Mexican government to ceded New
Mexico and the California to the USA and acknowledge the Rio Grande as the boundary of
Texas. The USA promised to assume any financial claims its citizens had against Mexico and to
pay the Mexicans $15 million.
· Trist Treaty and Opposition: the Treaty of Guadeloupe Higaldo and the promise of the USA to
not expand anymore. The opposition wanted to annex all of Mexico and the people who
wanted to end the war were the anti-slavery citizens who wanted to stop the spread of slavery.
Polk did not like the treaty but he and the Senate accepted these terms.
(Part 2: ??)
Part 3: The Sectional Debate
- James Polk (pg 355):
President if the United States who tried to transcend sectional divisions. Earned the hate of btoh
northerners and westerners who believed his policies favoured the south at their expense.
Supported a proposal to extend the Missouri Compromisre through the new territories through
the Pacific Coast banning slavery in the North but permitting it in the south.
- David Wilmot (355): Representative of pennsykvania, an antislavery Democrat, introduced an
amendment ti tge apropriation bill prohibiting slavery in any territory acquired from Mexico.
This bill passed the House, but failed in the Senate. It would be called up, debated, and voted
repeatedly for years.
-Southern militia belief in the South (355):
Southern militants contentded that all americans had equal rights in the new territories in
cluding the right to move their property.
-Missouri compromise line (355): The line that separated the slavery states in the south from
the non-slavery states in the north.
-Squatter sovereignty (355): a plan that would allow the people of each territory (acting
through their legislature) to decide the status of slavery there.
-Presidential campaign of 1848 (355): Presidential compaigne dampened the controversy over
slavery for a time because both parties avoided the subject to gain votes. So Polk declined to run
so democrats noominated Lewis Cass and the other party nominated Zachary Taylor of
Louisiana who was the hero of the mexican war but had no previous political experience.
-Free-Soil Party (356):
Drew from the existing Liberty party and the anti-slavery wings of the democratic parties. It's
candidate was former president Martin Van Buren who in the election failed to carry a single
state but he pulled an impressive 2091 votes - 10% of the total brackets.The Free Soilers elected
10 members to parliament. This emergence of the free soil party signalled the inability of the
existing parties to contain the political passions slavery was creating.
- James Marshall (356): A carpenter working on a ranch and found traces of gold in the
foothills of Sierra Nevada.
-Gold Mania (356-357):
Crazed atmosphere of greed and excitment for the gold.
-California population boom/overall growth (356-357):
the Forty-Niners abandoned farms jobs homes and families and piled onto ships and went to the
trails (95% of which were men) as did Free labourers, merchants, chinese migrarnts, attracted to
the West US for the gold. However the native american population decreased by 120 000 people
(from 150000).
- Forty-Niners (357):
Gold rush migrants who abandoned their farms in search of gold.
- Atmosphere (357):
Tensions between north and the south because of slavery
-Chinese Migrants (357):
Gold rush attracted some of the first chinese migrants to the United States as news of the
discovers created huge excitment in China. Chinese in California were free labourers looking for
gold or hoping to profit from other exconomic opportunies the gold rush created.
-Coolies (357):
Immigrants who were forced to migrate to Peru or Cuba.
-Indian Hunters (357)
: They were white americans hunting and killing native americans before the gold rush, which is
why the native american population decreased so rapidly.
-Treatment of Native Americans (357):
A new state law permitted the arrest of loitering or orphaned indians who were assigned to slave
labour.
- Cultural diversity in California (357):
Californa's population had always been diverse but after the gold rush it became even mor so.
The gold rush attracted not just white Americans but Europeans, Chinese, South Americans,
Mexicans, Free Blacks and Slaves whop accompanied southern migrants.
-Status of California (357):
California swelled in agriculture and urban populations and conflicts over gold arose and
intersected qwith racial and ethnic tensions to make the territory unusually turbulant place. As a
result pressure grew to create a more stablea nd effective government.
- Zachary Taylor:
President of the United States who believed statehood could become the solution to the issue of
slavery. He urged California quickly adopted a constituion that prohibited slavery and in
December 1849 Taylor asked congress to admit California as a free state.
- California Adopted A Constitution That Prohibited Slavery:
At Zachary Taylor's urging, California quickly adopted a constituion that prohibited slavery and
in December 1849 Taylor asked congress to admit California as a free state.
- The number of free and slave states was equal in 1849 – fifteen each.
Admission of California would upset the balance; and new Mexico, Origon and Utah might upset
it furhter leaving the sout in the minority in the Senate as it already was in the South.
- In 1849, Congress rejected Taylor’s request to admit California as a free state and
granting New Mexico statehood.
In December 1949 Taylor asked Congress to admit California as a free state, New Mexico would
also be granted statehood as soon as it was ready and should, like California, be permitted to
decide by itself what it should do about slavery. Congress balked, in part because of several other
controversies concerning slavery that were complicating the debate.
- Henry Clay’s Solution
Henry Clay belived that no compromise could last unless it settled all teh issues in dispute
between the sections. He presented a bill that propeosed the admission of Califonia as a free
state, the formation of territorial governmewnts in the reset of the lands acquired from Mexico,
without restriction on slaverry.
Abolition of the slave trade:
The bill suggested the abolition of the slave trade in the states and territorial states.
Slavery legal:
Though the slave trade was abolished, it was legal to own slaves or "property" already bought.
Territorial governments – unlimited slavery:
The formation of territorial govenments from the lands from Mexico had no rescritions on
slavery.
Fugitive slave laws:
Calhoun insited the North grant the South equal rights in the terrtories, that itagree to obseerve
the laws concerning fugitive slaves.
Clay’s solution defeated:In July , six months of this impassioned, nationalistic debate, Congress
defeated the Clay proposal. And with that, the controversy moved into its second phase, in which
a very different cast of characters predominated.
New leader: Senator Seward:One of the new leaders, a spokesman of New yourk, forty-nine
years old, a wily political operator who staunchly opposed the propoesed compromise. The
ideals of union werre to him less important thatn the issue of eliminating slavery.Jo
New leader: Jefferson Davis:Another new leader of Mississippi, a representative of the new,
cotton South. To hime slavery was less one of principles and ideals than one of economic selfinterest.
-Stephen A. Douglas:
A democratic Senator and open spokesmen for the economic needs of the west, especially for the
construction of railroads. His career was devoted to sectional gain and not in broad national
goals. He broke up the Bill for the Section Crisis.
-Compromise of 1850:
The Compromise of 1850, unlike the Missouri Compromise 30 years before , was not not a
product of widespread agreement on common national ideals. It was rather a victory of
bargaining and self-interest. Still members of Congress hailed the measure as a triumph of
statesmanship.
-John C. Calhoun:
Calhoun, 68 years old and so ill that he had to sit grimly in his seat while a colleague read his
speech for him, joined the debate. He insisted that the North grant the South equal rights in the
territories, that it agree to observe the laws concerning fugitive slaves, that it cease attacking
slavery, and that it amend the Constitution to create dual presidents, one from the North and one
from the South, each with a veto. Calhoun was making radical claims that had no chance of pass.
-Missouri Compromise:
Line that separated Southern slavery states from the Northern non-slavery states.
Group # 4 The Crises of the 1850’s
Pg. 359
· Economic boom: In the early 1850s conflict seemed to be forgotten among the booming
prosperity and growth. But the tensions between the North and South remained.
· Franklin Pierce: New Hampshire politician chosen by the Democrats as presidential candidate
who avoided the issue of slavery - elected in 1852. He supported the movement in the
Democratic party known as Young America.
· General Winfield Scott: The Whig presidential candidate in the 1852 election. A military hero
of unknown political views.
· Free-Soil Party and Ideology: In the 1852, the Free Soil Party had an anti-slavery presidential
candidate, John Hale, who repudiated the compromise of 1850.
· Fugitive Slave Act: The deportation of fugitive slaves. Northern opposition intensified when
Southerners began appearing in Northern states to pursue those who they claimed to be
fugitives.
· Ostend Manifesto : President Pierce had been persuing (unsuccessful) diplomatic attempts to
buy Cuba from Spain. In 1854, however, a group of his envoys sent him a private document from
Ostend, Belgium, making the case for seizing Cuba by force.
· “Young America”: A movement in the Democratic party. The expansion of American
democracy across the world in order to divert attention from the controversy of slavery.
· Slavery in territories:
· Transcontinental Railroad and Slavery: As the nation expanded westward, the problem of
communication between the older states and the areas west of the Mississippi river became
more and more critical. As a result, broad support began to emerge for building a
transcontinental railroad. Southerners wanted this railroad to run through slave states.
Northerners disagreed.
· Gadsden Purchase: James Gadsden persuaded the Mexican government to accept $10 million
for a strip of land through which the transcontinental railroad would run. This land is part of
modern-day New Mexico and Arizona. This facilitated a Southern route for the railway.
· The Kansas-Nebraska Act and Controversy: A controversy based mainly on slavery. The status
of slavery in both of these territories would be determined by the legislature, according to
popular sovereignty. Douglas divided the area into two territories - Nebraska and Kansas.
· Republican Party: Formed by the Anti-Nebraska Democrats and Anti-Nebraska Whigs in
opposition to the Kansas-Nebraska Act, it instantly became a major force in American politics.
· “Bleeding Kansas”: Kansas’ voting population was swelled by thousands of Missourians, and
elected a pro-slavery territorial legislature. Outraged anti-slavery forces elected their own
legislature and governor, and petitioned Congress for statehood. President Pierce denounced
them as traitors and threw his support behind the pro-slavery forces.
· Pottawatomie Massacre: John Brown and six of his followers murdered five pro-slavery
settlers in Kansas, leaving their mutilated discourage other supporters of slavery. This led to
significant civil strife in Kansas, including guerrilla warfare.
· Preston Brooks and Charles Sumner: Charles Sumner of Massachusetts was a militant
opposed to slavery. He gave the speech the Crime Against Kansas, where he criticised Senator
Andrew P. Butler. This enraged Butler’s nephew, Preston Brooks, who physically beat Sumner in
the Senate. Sumner became a martyr for the anti-slavery cause.
· The Pro-Slavery Argument: An anthology which outlined the views of the supporters of
slavery. It argued that slaves were better off in quality of life than the paid workers of the North,
and it explained that slaves were vital for the Southern economy.
· Election of 1856: The Democratic party wanted a candidate who was not closely related to the
Bleeding Kansas situation (in contrast to President Pierce). James Buchanan of Pennsylvania was
chosen. The Republicans nominated John C. Fremont, who had made a national reputation as
an explorer of the Far West. Buchanan won in a narrow victory. Fremont easily had the most
support in the North. Buchanan proved to be an extremely timid and indecisive president at a
critical time.
· Lyceums: In the mid 19th century, education and oratory combined created a movement which
was both popular and education. Its creators called it a Lyceum. The Lyceum was not a place,
but rather, an idea, put forth by Josiah Holbrook, a Yale graduate and school teacher, who
wanted to bring more knowledge to adults. Lyceums were popular throughout America, where
adults would extend their knowledge in general education and politics.
· Dred Scott Decision: Dred Scott was Missouri slave once owned by an army surgeon. After his
master’s death, he sued his master’s wife for freedom on the grounds that his residence in free
territory had liberated him. The court where he filed his claim eventually declared him free. The
brother of the surgeon’s wife claimed ownership of Scott, and Scott’s counter-suit to this claim
was thrown out because he was not considered a citizen. Chief Justice Roger Taney, of the
supreme court, reaffirmed this in his ruling, a resounding defeat for anti-slavery.
· Taney’s Sweeping Opinion: Taney declared that African American slaves were not citizens, and
were in fact property. By the Fifth Amendment, congress was prohibited from taking property
without the process of law. Taney argued that Congress had no right to take slaveowners’
property, and that t Missouri Compromise was thus unconstitutional.
· Lecompton Constitution Rejected: Pro-slavery forces in Kansas met in Lecompton, and framed
a constitution legalizing slavery. President Buchanan endorsed this, but Stephen A Douglas and
other western Democrats refused to support his motion.
· Lincoln-Douglas Debates: Lincoln was a successful lawyer who had long been involved in state
politics, but he was not a national figure like Douglas. He engaged in a series of debates against
Douglas in an effort to increase his visibility. These debates attracted enormous crowds and
received wide attention.
· John Brown’s Raid: John Brown, with financial aid from eastern abolitionists, made an
elaborate plan to seize a fortress in Virginia from which he believed he could foment a slave
insurrection in the South. Upon seizing the fortress, he was beseiged by pro-slavery forces and
surrendered.
· Presidential elections of 1860 and the Divided Democrats: The Democratic Party was torn
apart by a battle between southerners, who demanded endorsement of slavery, and westerers,
who supported popular sovereignty. After much ado they nominated Douglas as their candidate.
Lincoln was elected.
· Stephen Douglas: A Democratic politician who ran in the 1860 election.
· John C. Breckinridge: Vice president under Jefferson Davis.
· Constitutional Union Party: A party composed of ex-whigs who wished to avoid disunion over
the issue of slavery.