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As You Read
The Antislavery Movement
1.
Use a graphic organizer like this one to take notes on the origins of the
antislavery movement, the role of African American abolitionists, and
the role of white antislavery sympathizers. Use the Reading Focus questions on the
next page to help guide your note taking.
2.As you read the section, underline or highlight definitions and descriptions of the
Key Terms and People listed on the next page.
Origins of the Antislavery Movement
Possible responses:
•The antislavery movement originated before the American Revolution.
•The movement became a powerful force in the 1800s.
•The movement resulted from the Second Great Awakening, which was a
spiritual revival.
•The abolition movement (the movement to end slavery) was the largest
reform movement at the time.
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Chapter 5
Role of White Abolitionists
Possible responses might include:
•William Lloyd Garrison was a leading white abolitionist who
published the antislavery newspaper The Liberator.
•Garrison was a radical abolitionist who favored immediate
emancipation.
•Garrison helped create the New England and the American
antislavery societies.
•White antislavery activists helped promote abolition by
distributing newspapers, pamphlets, and slave narratives.
•Harriet Beecher Stowe’s novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin attracted
many new followers.
•Arthur and Lewis Tappan helped create the Liberty Party, the
first antislavery political party.
•John Brown was a militant abolitionist who thought that only
war would end slavery.
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Role of Black Abolitionists
Possible responses might include:
•Militant abolitionists like David Walker and Henry Highland
Garnet favored the use of force to end slavery.
•Most black abolitionists did not favor violence.
•Frederick Douglass was a leading black abolitionist.
•Douglass contributed to the abolition movement by writing
and speaking against slavery; he also published a newspaper
and a slave narrative, which attracted many followers.
•Black abolitionists used public speeches, antislavery news­
papers, and slave narratives.
•Sojourner Truth was a well-known abolitionist from New
York.
•Black abolitionists also protested against discrimination
(unfair treatment).
•Elizabeth Jennings sued a streetcar company in New York
City for discrimination.
•Antislavery conventions were another method that African
Americans used to push for equality.
Section
1 The Antislavery
Movement
Before You Read
Main Idea
Reading Focus
Both black and
white Americans
helped support
the antislavery
movement in
the early to
mid-1800s.
• What were the origins of the antislavery movement, and what led to
its growth in the early 1800s?
• Who were some black abolitionists,
and what methods did they use?
• Who were some white abolitionists,
and what methods did they use?
Key Terms and
People
abolition movement
David Walker
Frederick Douglass
Sojourner Truth
discrimination
William Lloyd Garrison
John Brown
Building Background
Reform movements swept the nation in the early 1800s. Reformers sought to improve
conditions for white Americans in factories, prisons, and crowded cities. In addition, a
growing number of Americans turned their attention to the issue of slavery. Both black
and white Americans grew increasingly vocal in their opposition to the South’s “peculiar
institution.” These reformers demanded change—and they would be heard.
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Origins of the Antislavery Movement
The antislavery movement in the United States developed before the American
Revolution. Early colonists, such as the Quakers, had long protested against slavery
on moral grounds. As the colonists’ struggle for independence from Great Britain
intensified, more people in the colonies joined the call to end slavery. In fact, the first
antislavery society in North America was formed in Philadelphia in 1775.
The antislavery movement did not truly become a major force in American
society until the early 1800s, however. At that time, a religious revival known as the
Second Great Awakening spread across the United States. This rebirth of religious
fervor encouraged some Americans to try to reform, or improve, aspects of society.
The increased focus on religion and social reform contributed to the growth of the
antislavery movement. A growing number of Americans viewed slavery as a moral
wrong that went against their religious beliefs. Social reformers began to unite and
form organizations to oppose slavery. The antislavery movement soon became one of
the most prominent—and controversial—reform movements of the period. Section Activity
Use the following activities to help
reinforce the main idea of this section.
1.Review with students the key points
of the section. Lead a class discus­
sion about the methods that black
and white abolitionists used to
spread their message. Ask students
to discuss what methods they be­
lieve were most effective and why.
2.Organize the class into groups of
four to five students. Ask students
to imagine that they are members
of an antislavery society in the
mid-1800s. Ask each group to
plan activities that promote the
organization’s antislavery message.
3.Have group members write a
proposal outlining the actions their
local antislavery society should take
to spread its message and gain
new followers. Tell students to be
as specific as possible in their plans
and to explain their rationale for the
methods they selected.
Reading Check
1. Identify What led to
the growth of the antislavery
movement?
a religious revival known as the
Second Great Awakening and the
subsequent increase in social reform
The Liberator, a popular
antislavery newspaper
steps to freedom
105
Black Abolitionists
American antislavery groups differed in their goals. For example, some groups
opposed the spread of slavery but supported keeping the system in places where it
already existed. Other antislavery activists supported the abolition movement, a
campaign to abolish, or end, slavery. The supporters of this movement were called
abolitionists. Among the most vocal abolitionists were free blacks, who often risked
their freedom and even their very lives to try to end slavery.
2. Underline or
highlight the descrip- FPO
tion of David Walker’s
significance to the black
antislavery movement.
Black Militants
Some of the first outspoken black abolitionists were militants, people who aggressively support a cause. Many militant black abolitionists favored the use of force to
end slavery. Their rousing writings and speeches called on African Americans to
One such militant abolitionist was a free black
resist slavery by any means necessary. ________________________________________
merchant named David Walker. In 1829 Walker published a controversial pamphlet
_________________________________________________________________________
calling
on African Americans to rise up against slavery.
_______________________________________________
History’s Voices
“They want us for their slaves, and think nothing of murdering us in order to
subject us to that wretched condition—therefore, if there is an attempt made
by us, kill or be killed . . . Had you not rather be killed than to be a slave to a
tyrant, who takes the life of your mother, wife, and dear little children?”
—David Walker, Appeal to the Colored Citizens of the World
Frederick Douglass was
born into slavery in
Maryland. He learned
to read and write and
in 1838 cleverly wrote
1817–1895
his own pass to escape
to the North. There, Douglass began giving speeches describing
his terrible ordeals under slavery. A brilliant speaker with a sharp
intellect, he mesmerized audiences and soon became a leading
spokesperson for the abolitionist cause. Douglass proved to be a
gifted writer as well. Today his autobiography, Narrative of the Life of
Frederick Douglass, is considered a classic of American literature.
During the Civil War, Douglass advised President Abraham Lincoln,
urging him to enlist black soldiers and to make ending slavery a goal
of the war. After the war, Douglass focused on causes such as racial
prejudice, land rights for former slaves, women’s rights, and lynching.
In 1889 he became the first African American to hold a high rank in
the U.S. government when he was appointed U.S. minister to Haiti.
3. Explain What skills made Douglass a persuasive abolitionist?
Frederick
Douglass
his intellect and talent for writing and public speaking
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Chapter 5
Frederick Douglass
One black abolitionist who opposed the use
of force was Frederick Douglass, who had
escaped slavery. Douglass was a gifted writer
and speaker and used these talents to try
to end slavery. He published an antislavery
newspaper, The North Star, and described
his life under slavery in Narrative of the Life
of Frederick Douglass. In addition, Douglass
traveled throughout the United States and
the British Isles giving speeches on the evils
of slavery. His eloquent appeals drew many
people to the abolition movement.
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Faces of History
Walker was not alone in his call for the
use of force. New York abolitionist Henry
Highland Garnet urged enslaved African
Americans to resist their masters. In an
1843 speech he declared, “Brethren, arise,
arise! Strike for your lives and liberties . . .
Let every slave throughout the land do this.”
Such calls for resistance shocked some black
abolitionists, who looked for more peaceful
methods to end slavery.
The Black Abolition Movement
Douglass was just one of many free blacks who worked to try to end slavery during the early to mid-1800s. To spread their message, black abolitionists gave public
speeches and held antislavery conventions to push for freedom. In addition, black
abolitionists wrote eloquently about the evils of slavery. By 1860 African Americans
published more than a dozen antislavery newspapers in the United States. These
papers included Douglass’s North Star and the Mystery, a Pittsburgh paper published
by Martin R. Delany. Some black abolitionists who had once been enslaved, such as
Douglass, also wrote slave narratives. These personal accounts of slave life helped
educate people about the horrors of slavery.
Black abolitionists included brave women as well as men. One of the best-known
female black abolitionists was Sojourner Truth. A tall, charismatic woman, Truth
had escaped from slavery. She went on to become a leading abolitionist and women’s
rights activist. Truth wrote a stirring slave narrative about her life and captivated
audiences with her fiery speeches and songs. Other female abolitionists include Jarena Lee, Zilpha Elaw, and Julia Foote—all of whom were preachers.
In addition to working to end slavery, black abolitionists protested against racial
discrimination, the unfair treatment of people of a certain race. Although African
Americans in the North were free, they often faced unequal treatment because of
their race. Some black abolitionists took direct action to fight racial discrimination.
For example, Elizabeth Jennings of New York City fought a horse-drawn streetcar
company that refused to let her ride in the car reserved for white passengers. She
boldly sued the Third Avenue Railway Company—and won! Jennings received $225
in damages. More important, her case paved the way for a second case, after which
the company let all black New Yorkers ride its streetcars. Virtual Field trip
Go online to experience a
virtual field trip to key sites
from the period leading up
to and during the Civil War.
go.hrw.com
Keyword:
00000000
Online
Quiz
Keyword: SAAH CH5
Reading Check
4. Contrast How did militant
abolitionists differ from other
black abolitionists?
Militant abolitionists favored the
use of force, whereas other black
abolitionists did not.
White Abolitionists
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
African Americans were not the only people to speak out against slavery in the
United States. Thousands of white activists joined the antislavery movement as well
during the mid-1800s. Many of these white activists were strong abolitionists who
worked tirelessly to end slavery and became leaders in the movement.
William Lloyd Garrison
White journalist William Lloyd Garrison became one of the foremost abolitionists in
the nation. In 1831 Garrison founded a leading antislavery newspaper, The Liberator.
In the first issue he made his commitment to abolition clear.
History’s Voices
“I will be as harsh as truth, and as uncompromising as justice. On this subject, I do not
wish to think, or to speak, or write, with moderation . . . I am in earnest—I will not
equivocate—I will not excuse—I will not retreat a single inch—AND I WILL BE HEARD.”
—William Lloyd Garrison, The Liberator, January 1831
Skills Analyzing Primary
FOCUS
Sources
FPO
5. What is Garrison’s attitude
toward slavery? How can you
determine his attitude?
He strongly opposes it; he uses very
strong language.
As his statement shows, Garrison was a radical abolitionist. He challenged calls
for gradual abolition and instead demanded an immediate end to slavery. In 1854
Garrison caused a sensation when he burned a copy of the U.S. Constitution, which
he claimed supported the institution of slavery.
steps to freedom
107
John Brown supported
violence to oppose slavery.
Reading Check
6. Identify What methods did
white abolitionists use to help
spread the antislavery message?
published newspapers, distributed
pamphlets, gave public speeches,
published accounts of slavery by for­
mer slaves, created a political party
Section
1
The Granger Collection
Over the years, Garrison worked hard to end slavery. He helped found the New
England Anti-Slavery Society and the American Anti-Slavery Society. He and other
white abolitionists contributed their own money to pay for lecture tours and to purchase the freedom of many enslaved people. Like black abolitionists, white abolitionists often risked their lives as well. For example, in 1835 a mob in Boston physically
attacked Garrison until he was rescued.
Other White Abolitionist Leaders
To abolish slavery, abolitionists needed to persuade people to join their cause. White
abolitionists, like black abolitionists, used many methods to spread their message.
Some white abolitionists, such as Garrison, published antislavery newspapers. Other
white abolitionists, such as Theodore Weld, published antislavery pamphlets and
books. Weld’s 1839 pamphlet Slavery As It Is helped inspire one of the most famous
abolitionist literary works—Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe. This novel,
published in 1852, depicts the terrors and tragedies of slave life. The novel sold some
300,000 copies the first year and drew new supporters to the antislavery cause.
Some white abolitionists used political means to oppose slavery. New York abolitionists Arthur and Lewis Tappan favored the use of legislation rather than protest.
More moderate than Garrison and his followers, the Tappan brothers thought that
the government should put an end to slavery. In 1839 they helped establish the Liberty Party, the first antislavery political party in the United States.
Other white abolitionists were willing to take even more drastic steps to free
enslaved people. One of these militant white abolitionists was John Brown. Like
black militants, Brown thought that only force could end slavery. In 1849 he moved
his family to a black community in North Elba, New York. There, he learned firsthand from former slaves of the evils of slavery. Brown came to believe that nothing
short of war could end slavery. In time, his belief would come true. go.hrw.com
Assessment
Online Quiz
Keyword: SAAH HP5
7. Recall What was the abolition movement, and who were some important male and
female participants in the movement?
movement to end slavery; participants—David Walker, Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, William Lloyd Garrison, John Brown, Arthur and
Lewis Tappan
8. Make Inferences Why did militant abolitionists such as David Walker and John Brown
inspire some people and shock others?
Walker and Brown inspired some people and shocked others because they rousingly called for the use of force to end slavery.
9.Evaluate Which tactic used by abolitionists do you think was most successful? Why?
Possible answer—the use of slave narratives, because they could educate many people about the harsh realities of slavery
108
Chapter 5
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Reviewing Ideas, Terms, and People
Building Social Studies Skills
Analyzing Primary Sources
Understand the Skill
Primary sources are documents or other historical sources created by people present at
historical events either as witnesses or participants. Letters, diaries, newspaper stories,
and speeches are all examples of primary sources. By analyzing primary sources,
historians can learn valuable information about people’s attitudes during a specific
period in history.
Learn the Skill
Use the strategies shown at right to learn how to analyze primary sources.
Step 1: Identify the author
or creator and the purpose of
the primary source.
Who created this speech, and
what was his or her purpose?
creator—Frederick Douglass;
Fellow-citizens; above your national, tumultuous joy, I hear the
mournful wail of millions! whose chains, heavy and grievous yesterday,
are, to-day, rendered more intolerable by the jubilee shouts that reach
them . . . My subject, then fellow-citizens, is AMERICAN SLAVERY.
I shall see, this day, and its popular characteristics, from the slave’s
point of view. Standing, there, identified with the American bondman,
making his wrongs mine, I do not hesitate to declare, with all my soul,
that the character and conduct of this nation never looked blacker to
me than on this 4th of July! Whether we turn to the declarations of
the past, or to the professions of the present, the conduct of the nation
seems equally hideous and revolting. America is false to the past, false
to the present, and solemnly binds herself to be false to the future.
Standing with God and the crushed and bleeding slave on this occasion, I will, in the name of humanity which is outraged, in the name
of liberty which is fettered [held back], in the name of the constitution
and the Bible, which are disregarded and trampled upon, dare to call
in question and to denounce, with all the emphasis I can command,
everything that serves to perpetuate slavery—the great sin and shame
of America!
purpose—to explain why he
thought Americans should not
celebrate the Fourth of July as
long as slavery continued
Step 2: Determine the point of view of the author or creator.
What is the speaker’s attitude
toward his subject?
He is passionate and outraged in
his belief that slavery is wrong
and that the United States cannot
declare itself a free nation as
long as millions of its people are
enslaved.
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
—Frederick Douglass, “What to the Slave Is the Fourth of July?” speech,
presented to the Rochester Ladies’ Antislavery Society, July 5, 1852
APPLY the SKILL
1. Infer Douglass was originally asked to give his speech on July 4, but he refused.
Why might Douglass have refused to give this speech on that day?
Possible answer—He did not think that people should celebrate freedom on the Fourth of July as long as African Americans were enslaved, as he had once been, and denied the very freedom and liberty being celebrated.
2. Evaluate How would this source help a historian understand the speaker’s views
on slavery?
The source explains how Frederick Douglass, a leading black abolitionist, viewed slavery as inconsistent with the expressed ideals of liberty
and freedom celebrated on the Fourth of July in the United States.
steps to freedom
109
As You Read
The Coming Conflict
1.
Use a graphic organizer like this one to take notes on the key events and
key disagreements that led up to the secession of the southern states.
Use the Reading Focus questions on the next page to help guide your note taking.
2.As you read the section, underline or highlight definitions and descriptions of the
Key Terms and People listed on the next page.
UNION STATES
CONFEDERATE STATES
Key Disagreements
Possible responses include:
Possible responses include:
1820s–1840s
1820s–1840s
The Missouri Compromise keeps balance of slave and free
states and outlaws slavery in the northern Louisiana territory.
•The expansion of slavery into the western territories creates
conflict between the slave states and the free states.
•Disagreement over Missouri’s admission as a slave state.
•Disagreement over California’s request for statehood causes the
South to threaten to secede from the Union.
1850s
1850s
•The Compromise of 1850 admits California as a free state,
creates a new fugitive slave act, and abolishes slave trade in
Washington.
•The Fugitive Slave Act makes it easier to retrieve runaway slaves.
•Free blacks in the North create self-protection groups as a result
of the Fugitive Slave Act.
•1854: The Kansas-Nebraska Act lets Kansas and Nebraska territories use popular sovereignty to determine if slavery will exist.
•1857: The Dred Scott decision declares African Americans are not
U.S. citizens and the Missouri Compromise is unconstitutional.
•1859: John Brown leads a failed slave revolt at Harpers Ferry,
Virginia.
•The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 causes controversy over capturing
runaway slaves and free blacks in the North.
•The Kansas-Nebraska Act leads to disagreements and violence
between proslavery and antislavery groups in the two territories.
•The Dred Scott decision further heightens tensions between
proslavery and antislavery forces.
1860s
•Abraham Lincoln is elected U.S. president without winning a
single southern state.
•South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Texas, and
Mississippi secede from the Union and in December 1860 form
the Confederate States of America.
110
Chapter 5
1860s
•The election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860 leads to the secession
of seven southern states.
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Key Events
Section
2 The Coming Conflict
Section Activity
Before You Read
Main Idea
Reading Focus
Disagreement over
slavery led to conflict between the
North and South
and to the eventual
secession of eleven
southern states.
•How did the issue of slavery cause
tensions to rise between the North
and the South?
•How did African Americans react
to the Fugitive Slave Act?
•What conflicts intensified the
debate over slavery into a crisis?
•What further events led the nation
to split apart?
Key Terms and
People
Missouri Compromise
sectionalism
Compromise of 1850
popular sovereignty
Fugitive Slave Act
Kansas-Nebraska Act
Dred Scott decision
Republican Party
Abraham Lincoln
Confederate States of
America
Building Background
As tensions over slavery heightened, the North and the South edged closer to conflict.
Disputes over the expansion of slavery escalated, and violence began to break out. Could
the country continue like this—half slave and half free? The rising tensions between the
two opposing forces would soon tear the country apart at its seams. Rising Tensions
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
For years Americans had looked hopefully to the West. Some people hoped to find
wealth by moving west. Other people just hoped to get land of their own. Whatever
the reason, growing numbers of Americans had begun settling the West. As they did
so, the issue of slavery’s expansion soon arose. Would settlers be allowed to bring
enslaved people into the new territories? By the early 1800s the expansion of slavery
had become a sectional concern that threatened the peace and unity of the nation.
The Missouri Compromise
The tensions between the slave states and the free states began to increase in the
early 1800s. In 1819 the Missouri Territory’s application for statehood caused an
uproar. At the time, the nation was equally balanced with 11 slave states and 11 free
states. This balance meant that the slave states and the free states had the same number of senators in the U.S. Congress. If Missouri joined the Union as a slave state, this
balance in the Senate would be upset.
Eventually, Congress resolved the issue with the Missouri Compromise of 1820.
Under this agreement, Missouri was admitted as a slave state and Maine was admitted as a free state. In addition, the agreement banned slavery north of the 36°30' N
latitude in the unorganized territory of the Louisiana Purchase. The Missouri Compromise helped maintain the delicate balance in the U.S. Senate. Despite the success
of the compromise, though, strong disagreements between the North and the South
over the expansion of slavery remained. Feelings of sectionalism, or devotion to the
interests of one geographic region over those of the nation, were increasing.
Use the following activities to help
reinforce the main idea of this section.
1.Review with students the key
points of the section. Lead a class
discussion about the events that led
to the secession of seven southern
states. Ask students to discuss if
they think this crisis could have
been avoided or if it was inevitable.
2.Organize the class into groups of
four to five students. Assign each
group one of the major events leading up to secession. Ask students
to imagine that television existed
during the 1800s. Have students in
each group create a short newscast
about their event. Roles students
might play are anchors, on-the-spot
reporters, writers, and editors.
3. Have each group present its newscast to the class.
1. Why was the
westward expansion
of slavery a controversial issue?
because the westward expansion of slavery could upset the
balance of power in Congress
between slave and free states
and because some people opposed the expansion of slavery
on moral grounds
Steps to Freedom
111
Compromises over Slavery
FPO
Examine the maps below. In the space provided, write a description of each of
the compromises that addressed the issue of the expansion of slavery.
OREGON
COUNTRY
Missouri
Compromise
line (36°30’N)
MIC
HIG
OREGON
TERR.
ME
AN
.
RR
TE
NEW
SPAIN
UNORGANIZED
TERRITORY
CA
MO
UTAH
TERR.
UNORGANIZED
TERR.
MINNESOTA
TERR.
Missouri
Compromise
line (36°30’N)
NEW MEXICO
TERR.
ARKANSAS
TERR.
Disputed
FLORIDA
TERR.
UNORGANIZED
TERR.
2. Missouri Compromise of 1820
3. Compromise of 1850
Admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a
Admitted California as a free state; in the New
free state; prohibited slavery above 36°30' N latitude
Mexico and Utah territories, popular sovereignty
in the unorganized territory of the Louisiana Purchase
would decide whether to allow slavery in those
areas; abolished the slave trade in the District of
The Compromise of 1850
As time passed and new territories sought statehood, the leading question remained:
Would each new state be a slave state or a free state? While many politicians struggled and fought over this issue, a few worked furiously to maintain the balance. InHRW
School - US History
1848, however, the
United States gained a vast
amount of land inHigh
the West
as a result
HRW
us07fs_c10map103ba - The Compromise of 1850
High School - US History
FINAL 10/06
/05
of the Mexican-American War. Almost immediately, a debate beganIMA
in Congress
over
us07fs_c10map103da - The Missouri Compromise, 1820
whether
new territories in the region should allow slavery.
IMA FINAL10/06/05
The conflict over slavery in the new territories went unresolved until California,
part of the newly acquired region, applied for statehood in 1849. California’s leaders
Academic Vocabulary
wanted the region to enter as a free state. However, this move would upset the bal4. Use the context, or surrounding words in the sentence, to
ance in the U.S. Senate between the slave states and the free states.
write a definition of acquired.
To leaders in the South, an imbalance of power was unacceptable. Outraged
Possible definitions—gained or
southern leaders feared that the South would lose economic and political power. As
HRW
received.
a last resort, some southerners
High School -in
USCongress
History even threatened that their states would
us07fs_c10leg103ba
us07fs_c10leg103ca
secede,
or break away,&from
the United States if the balance of power was upset.
IMA FINAL10/06/05
“Let them secede!” countered some northerners scornfully. Sentiment among a
growing number of people in the North was that slavery had outlived its usefulness.
The Cleveland Plain Dealer stated bluntly, “Rather than see slavery extended one
inch beyond its present limits, we would see this Union rent asunder [split apart]!”
112
Chapter 5
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Columbia; created a stricter fugitive slave law
In Congress, veteran senator Henry Clay of Kentucky, who had helped develop
the Missouri Compromise, came up with a plan to solve the California problem.
After debating Clay’s plan for months, Congress agreed to a series of laws called the
Compromise of 1850. Under this compromise, California joined the Union as a
free state. The rest of the land gained from Mexico was then organized into the New
Mexico and Utah territories. In each territory, the issue of whether to allow slavery
would be decided by popular sovereignty, or by the popular vote of the people. In
addition, the Compromise of 1850 ended the slave trade in the District of Columbia
and, to appease the slave states, provided a tougher fugitive slave law. Although neither the North nor the South was completely satisfied with the compromise, it had
prevented a larger conflict—for the time being. Reading Check
5. Analyze Why were the
Missouri Compromise of 1820
and the Compromise of 1850
necessary?
to prevent further disputes between
the free states and the slave states
and to enable new states to join the
Union
The Fugitive Slave Act
Although the Compromise of 1850 seemed to settle one dispute in the battle over
slavery, it triggered another. As part of the compromise, the Fugitive Slave Act
established strict new measures concerning runaway slaves. For years, southern
slaveholders had complained that northerners ignored fugitive slave laws by aiding
escaped slaves. In an effort to stop such actions, the Fugitive Slave Act made assisting
runaway slaves a federal crime. Federal commissioners were appointed to enforce the
law, and all citizens were expected to “aid and assist” in its execution. Under the new
law, people who helped or hid fugitive slaves were subject to heavy fines and imprisonment. Federal marshalls could enter northern states where slavery was illegal and
arrest fugitive slaves, even those who had been free for decades. Furthermore, African Americans accused of being runaways had to prove that they were free, often a
difficult or impossible task. The law put many black northerners—both those who
were legally free and those who had escaped slavery—at risk.
Fighting the Fugitive Slave Act
The Fugitive Slave Act enfuriated many northerners and encouraged more of them
to support the fight against slavery. Across the North, people openly resisted the new
law and organized to fight it. As slave catchers began capturing fugitive slaves, abolitionists urged African Americans to prepare to defend themselves.
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
History’s Voices
“What is life to me if I am to be a slave in Tennessee? . . . My home is here,
and my children were born here . . . I will not live a slave, and if force is
employed to reenslave me, I shall make preparations to meet the crisis.”
—Reverend Jermain Wesley Loguen, “I Won’t Obey the Fugitive Slave Law,” 1850
Harriet Tubman, the famous black conductor for the Underground Railroad, was
determined to help fight the Fugitive Slave Act. In 1860 in Troy, New York, Tubman
learned that a man named Charles Nalle had been captured and was to be returned
to slavery in Virginia. Determined to help Nalle, Tubman bravely rushed to the U.S.
commissioner’s office, where he was being held. There, she waited along with a large
crowd that had gathered. As Nalle was being escorted out of the office, the crowd
pushed forward and tore him away from his captors. Tubman stated that she tied her
bonnet to the man’s head so that he could escape undetected through the crowd.
This broadside warned
African Americans in Boston to keep alert for slave
catchers in the area.
steps to freedom
113
Reading Check
6. Summarizing How did
African Americans try to protect
themselves from the Fugitive
Slave Act?
They helped captured African
Americans escape, and they formed
self-protection groups to warn one
another of danger.
Black Self-Protection Groups
As the threat of capture for escaped slaves increased, many black communities in
the North organized groups to protect themselves. On more than one occasion,
these self-protection groups helped save African Americans from capture. One such
incident involved the Christiana organization, a group in Christiana, Pennsylvania.
William Parker, a formerly enslaved black man, had organized this group. Like many
similar groups in the North, the Christiana organization had developed a plan in
which members would alert one another if a slave catcher was seen in the area.
In September 1851 a Maryland slaveholder accompanied by a U.S. marshal and
an armed group pounded on Parker’s door. The slaveholder had warrants claiming that four African Americans staying in Parker’s house had escaped from him.
When the slaveholder demanded the men’s return, Parker’s wife blew a horn for
help. Neighbors came to the Parkers’ aid, and the battle was on. The intruders shot at
Parker and his group, who fired back. In time, the group of slave catchers retreated.
The African Americans had successfully defended their freedom. During the
shooting, however, the slaveholder was killed and others were badly injured. Many
southerners demanded vengeance. Authorities eventually seized two white Quaker
abolitionists and several African Americans and arrested them for treason. William
Parker, now a fugitive himself, had to flee and leave his family behind. The Conflict Becomes a Crisis
The Kansas-Nebraska Act
No sooner had the Compromise of 1850 cooled rising tensions, then another crisis
heated them up again. In 1854 Congress passed the Kansas-Nebraska Act. This act
organized Kansas and Nebraska into federal
territories and, overriding the restrictions
of the Missouri Compromise, stated that
popular sovereignty would decide the issue
of slavery. Thus, the people of the territories
would vote whether to allow slavery there.
The Kansas-Nebraska Act bitterly
divided the nation. Proslavery and antislavery forces both sent supporters to
live in Kansas to help influence the vote.
Slaveholders and abolitionists, such as John
Brown, settled in Kansas to provide additional support. Heated exchanges between
the two groups soon led to violence. “BleedDred Scott “had no rights which the
ing Kansas,” as the situation was called,
white man was bound to respect,”
became yet another battleground in the
ruled Chief Justice Roger Taney.
dispute over the expansion of slavery.
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Chapter 5
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Throughout the 1850s the dispute over slavery raged on. Three key events—the
passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act, the Dred Scott decision, and John Brown’s
raid—would bring the crisis between the North and the South to a head.
The Dred Scott Decision
Primary Sources
As conflict raged in Kansas, a case came
before the Supreme Court in 1857 that was
to have landmark significance. The case dealt
Among the members of John Brown’s unsuccessful raid at Harpers
with Dred Scott, an enslaved Missouri man.
Ferry were five African Americans. One of them was John Copeland,
Scott had traveled with his master to Illinois
who wrote this letter to his brother shortly before his execution.
and Wisconsin Territory, both areas where
“Not that I am terrified by the gallows which I see staring me in
slavery was illegal. When Scott returned to
the face, and upon which I am so soon to stand and suffer death
Missouri, he sued for his freedom. He argued
for doing what George Washington . . . was made a hero for
that living on free soil had made him free.
doing . . . Washington entered the field to fight for the freedom
Scott’s case made its way to the U.S.
of the American people—not for the white men alone, but for
Supreme Court. In the Dred Scott decision,
both black and white . . . It was a sense of the wrongs which we
a deeply divided Court ruled against Scott’s
have suffered that prompted the noble but unfortunate Captain
argument. Led by Chief Justice Roger Taney,
Brown and his associates to attempt to give freedom to a small
the Court stated that Scott could not sue in
number, at least of those who are now held by cruel and unusual
federal court because he was not a citizen
laws, and by no less cruel and unjust men.”
under the U.S. Constitution. The Court further stated that the Missouri Compromise,
Skills
FOCUS A nalyzing P rimary S ources
which had prohibited slavery in certain
7. Points of View What is Copeland’s view of
territories, was unconstitutional. The Court
John Brown?
explained that the Fifth Amendment of the
Copeland sees Brown as a noble hero who is unfortunate
U.S. Constitution protected the property
because he is being executed..
rights of slaveholders and that the Missouri Compromise
deprived slaveholders of those rights without due proc­
ess of law.
Even though many white southerners viewed the
Dred Scott decision as a victory, abolitionists were outraged. Did the ruling mean the
Supreme Court was on the side of slavery? Frederick Douglass declared that the decision should serve as a “link in the chain of events preparatory to the downfall and
complete overthrow of the whole slave system.”
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
John Brown’s Raid: A Letter
John Brown’s Raid
Radical abolitionist John Brown contributed another link in the growing chain of
events. By 1859 Brown could no longer stand slavery. He decided that force was the
only way to end the institution. Brown came up with a plan to raid a federal arsenal
at Harpers Ferry, Virginia. An arsenal is a place where weapons are stored. His plan
was to seize the weapons and use them to arm a slave revolt. Some abolitionists, such
as Harriet Tubman, supported Brown’s plan, but others warned him against it.
Despite such warnings, Brown struck on the night of October 16, 1859. Along
with a band of 21 comrades, he successfully broke into the federal arsenal. Then a
snag occurred. Few enslaved African Americans in the area were willing to run away
and join Brown. The next afternoon local militias trapped Brown’s group inside the
arsenal. The following day, U.S. Marines captured what remained of the group.
Brown’s raid inflamed many white southerners. In contrast, many northerners
viewed Brown and his comrades as heroes. After being convicted in a trial, John
Brown was sentenced to hang on December 2, 1859. On that day, church bells tolled
across the North in salute of Brown. Reading Check
8. Sequence What series of
events in the mid- to late 1800s
led to increased conflict between
the North and the South?
Kansas-Nebraska Act, Dred Scott
decision, and John Brown’s raid
steps to freedom
115
The Nation Splits Apart
Throughout the 1850s unpopular compromises, laws, and court decisions had deepened the divisions in the United States. Many Americans feared that ideological, economic, and political divisions over slavery would permanently rip the nation apart.
Info to Know
Shortly after it was created,
the Republican Party
absorbed two existing antislavery political parties—the
Liberty Party and the FreeSoil Party.
The Election of 1860
Since the 1840s, antislavery groups had tried without success to form antislavery
political parties. Spurred on by the Kansas-Nebraska Act, however, antislavery forces
united to try again. In 1854 they formed the antislavery Republican Party. The new
party quickly gained support across the North. In 1856 Illinois lawyer and politician
Abraham Lincoln joined the Republican Party. Lincoln quickly became a leader of
the party. Addressing the Illinois Republican convention, he made a dire prediction.
History’s Voices
“‘A house divided against itself cannot stand.’ I believe this government
cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free. I do not expect the
Union to be dissolved—I do not expect the house to fall—but I do expect
it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing or all the other.”
—Abraham Lincoln, June 16, 1858
9. Identify Points of
View Why did many southerners
oppose Lincoln’s election to the
presidency in 1860?
They feared that because Lincoln was
a Republican, he might try to outlaw
slavery in the South.
Section
2
The First Southern States Secede
Many southerners were angered by Lincoln’s election. “A party founded on the . . .
hatred of African slavery is now the controlling power,” wrote the New Orleans Delta.
The election propelled southerners into action. Seven southern states—South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas—seceded from
the United States. In December 1861, the seven states formed the new nation of the
Confederate States of America, also called the Confederacy. Lincoln, not officially
president until his inauguration in March 1861, could only watch in frustration.
Despite attempts to restore the nation, it remained divided. go.hrw.com
Assessment
Online Quiz
Keyword: 000000
Choose the letter of the term or person in the right column that best
matches each description in the left column.
e 10. This agreement allowed one new slave state and one new free state to
c
b d a
116
enter the Union and prohibited slavery in the northern portion of the
Louisiana Territory.
11. This law established strict new laws for the capture of escaped slaves.
12. His election led directly to the secession of seven southern states.
13. This agreement allowed California to enter the Union as a free state.
14. Violence erupted as a result of this controversial legislation.
Chapter 5
a. Abraham Lincoln
b. Compromise of 1850
c. Fugitive Slave Act
d. Kansas-Nebraska Act
e. Missouri Compromise
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Reading Check
In 1860 the Republican Party chose Lincoln as its candidate for president. Southerners vowed to defeat Lincoln and the antislavery Republicans. However, a division
in the Democratic Party, which dominated the South, split the southern vote. As a
result, Lincoln won the presidency despite receiving less than 40 percent of the popular vote and not winning a single southern state.
Applying What You’ve Learned
Creating a Time Line
The years leading up to the secession of the southern states were some of the most
turbulent in U.S. history. The conflict over slavery led to political disagreements,
protests, and even violence. Use your notes from Section 2 to complete the time line
of key events that led to increasing tensions between the North and the South.
1820
Missouri Compromise
1850
1850
Compromise of 1850
1854
The Kansas-Nebraska Act leads to violence and
conflict in “Bleeding Kansas.”
1857
Dred Scott decision
1859
John Brown’s raid of the arsenal at Harpers Ferry, V
Abraham Lincoln wins the presidential election.
December 1860
1860
Founding of the Confederate States of America
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
November 1860
ASSESS YOUR KNOWLEDGE
1. Recall What event resulted from Lincoln’s election to the presidency?
the secession of seven southern slaveholding states from the Union
2. Compare What two events on the time line were attempts to settle conflicts
between the free states and the slave states?
Missouri Compromise of 1820; Compromise of 1850
steps to freedom
117
As You Read
The Civil War—Freedom Won
1.
Use a graphic organizer like this one to take notes on war breaks out,
African Americans in the Civil War, and the Emancipation Proclamation.
Use the Reading Focus questions on the next page to help guide your note taking.
2.As you read the section, underline or highlight definitions and descriptions of the
Key Terms listed on the next page.
War Breaks Out
Possible responses include:
•Seven southern states secede from the Union and form the Confederate States
of America, also known as the Confederacy.
•Confederacy officials start seizing federal arsenals and other property in the
South.
•April 12, 1861: Confederates fire on Fort Sumter in South Carolina; war begins.
•Lincoln calls for volunteer troops to put down the southern rebellion.
•Four additional southern states secede.
African Americans in the Civil War
The Emancipation Proclamation
Possible responses include:
•Lincoln gradually came to agree that the Constitution allowed him to free
enslaved African Americans in areas of the Confederacy in rebellion.
•January 1, 1863: Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, which freed
all enslaved people in areas that were in rebellion against the United States
but did not free slaves in areas of the Confederacy under Union control.
•Reactions were mixed, from celebrations to anger over partial emancipation.
118
Chapter 5
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Possible responses include:
•The Union initially rejects black troops, but informal black military units form
in the North.
•The Union begins to use contrabands, other African Americans in noncombat roles.
•The Confederacy uses slave labor to support the war effort.
•In 1862 the Union allows black troops to enlist (First Louisiana Native Guards).
•In 1863 the U.S. Congress approves the recruitment of black troops.
•The Massachusetts 54th Infantry is one of the first all-black regiments.
•Black troops faced discrimination but won medals for their bravery.
•Black women served in the war as nurses, cooks, spies, and fundraisers.
Section
3 The Civil War—
Freedom Won
Section Activity
Before You Read
Main Idea
Reading Focus
Key Terms
The Civil War led
to new roles, rights,
and freedoms for
African Americans
in the North and
the South.
•What events led to the outbreak of war between the
Union and the Confederacy?
•What different roles did African Americans play during
the course of the Civil War?
•What led Lincoln to issue the
Emancipation Proclamation?
contrabands
First Louisiana Native Guards
54th Massachusetts Infantry
border states
Emancipation Proclamation
Juneteenth
Building Background
After years of painful dispute, the United States broke apart. Several southern states
formed the Confederate States of America to protect their way of life, including the institution of slavery. Secession, however, did not end the dispute between the North and the
South. The tense situation would require only a spark to unleash the heat of war. War Breaks Out
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
On March 4, 1861, Abraham Lincoln became president of the United States. He
immediately set out to assure southerners that his government would not provoke
war. Like most Americans, Lincoln hoped the southern states would return peacefully to the Union. In less than two months, however, civil war had broken out.
An Attack Leads to War
During the months before Lincoln took office as president, Confederate officials
had begun seizing federal arsenals, forts, and other property in the South. After he
became president, Lincoln argued that this federal property belonged to the Union.
Therefore, he ordered Union forces to protect all federal property in seceded states.
In South Carolina, Confederates were determined to take Fort Sumter, which
guarded Charleston Harbor. Union forces were equally determined to keep the fort.
To help defend Fort Sumter, President Lincoln sent in ships with essential supplies.
When Confederate leaders learned of the ships, they worried that troops might follow. Before that could happen, Confederate forces took action. On April 12, 1861,
they began firing on Fort Sumter. After more than 30 hours of cannon fire, Union
forces surrendered. The Civil War had begun.
In response to the fall of Fort Sumter, President Lincoln declared that the South
was in a state of rebellion. Lincoln called on each state to send troops to put down the
rebellion. Most states rallied to his call. However, most of the slave states that were
still in the Union refused. Instead, shortly after Lincoln’s call for troops, Virginia,
Arkansas, Tennessee, and North Carolina seceded and joined the new Confederacy.
Use the following activities to help
reinforce the main idea of this section.
1.Review with students the key points
of the section. Lead a class discussion about the ways in which the
Civil War affected African Americans
in both the North and the South.
2.Organize the class into groups of
four to five students. Have each
group create a chart identifying
the key roles of African Americans
in the war. Students might use the
following categories: Black Troops,
Black Laborers, Black Military
Spies, Black Women, Confederate
Enslaved People, and Black Leaders.
3.Have each group share some of the
roles it listed for one category.
4.As an extension, have each student
create a flyer or poster announcing
the passage of the Emancipation
Proclamation. Remind students to
provide specific information about
the Proclamation.
Academic Vocabulary
1. Use the context, or surrounding words in the sentence, to
write a definition of essential.
Possible definitions—necessary; vital;
important.
steps to freedom
119
Info to Know
After Union leaders called
for volunteers, some African
Americans who had gone
to Canada to escape slavery
wrote to President Lincoln
offering to return to fight for
the Union.
Reading Check
2. Draw Conclusions Why
might Union generals have
accepted black troops despite
the lack of official government
approval?
Possible answers—Union generals
desperately needed more troops;
the generals did not agree with the
federal policy against black troops.
Preparing for War
With the outbreak of war, armies on both sides prepared to fight. When Union leaders called for volunteers, many black men in the North were eager to join. U.S. Army
officials hesitated, however. Many northerners did not consider African Americans
to be equals and were afraid of arming them. As a result, the U.S. Army turned away
black volunteers, although the U.S. Navy accepted them. Unable to serve in the army,
African Americans in some northern cities created informal military units. The units
then trained in preparation for the day they might be called to duty.
Frustrated by the Union army’s refusal to use black troops, a few Union generals
took African Americans into their ranks anyway. Shortly after the war began, runaway slaves from the South began appearing at Union army camps seeking protection and wanting to help. Some Union commanders allowed these escaped slaves,
known as contrabands, to work in their camps. Union leaders soon compromised
on the use of African Americans in the army. Some black men were allowed to join
the army as cooks, as hospital orderlies, or in other noncombat roles. Meanwhile, the
U.S. Navy approved the active enlistment of black men in September 1861.
African Americans contributed to the war effort in the Confederacy as well.
Enslaved people on farms and plantations grew much of the food for the South.
Their slave labor freed white men to fight for the Confederacy. Slaves also performed
many Confederate noncombat jobs, such as cooking and driving wagons. African Americans in the Civil War
African Americans eventually received the chance to fight in the Union army. Once
able to participate, they played a crucial role by going on dangerous missions as soldiers and spies as well as serving in other capacities.
Black soldiers, such as those
in Company E of the 4th
U.S. Colored Infantry, fought
bravely and proudly in the
Civil War.
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Chapter 5
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African American
Union Soldiers
The Enlistment of Black Troops
The Union did not experience the quick victory in the Civil War that leaders had
expected. As the war continued, northern attitudes about the use of black troops began
to change. In July 1862 the U.S. Congress approved the limited enlistment of black men
in areas of the South where the fighting was heaviest.
Robert
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Smalls
Hardships and Heroism
During the Civil War black troops faced hardships not shared by white troops. For
example, black troops often received fewer supplies and less training than white
troops, as well as less pay at first. Many African Americans took steps to counter such
discrimination. Members of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry, for example, protested
unequal wages by refusing pay for more than a year. The U.S. government eventually
agreed to pay black troops the same as white troops. Black soldiers also faced special
dangers if taken captive. Confederate troops enslaved or executed captured black soldiers rather than hold them as prisoners of war.
In spite of discrimination and hardship, more than 186,000 black men bravely
served in the Union’s armed services during the Civil War. African Americans were
especially noted for their service in the U.S. Navy. Fully one-fourth of all Union sailors in the Civil War were African American. Hundreds of heroic black sailors, such as
Robert Smalls, proved their bravery and loyalty to the Union.
In all, black troops fought with distinction in more than 250 skirmishes and battles
and won 23 Congressional Medals of Honor, the nation’s highest military award. One
heroic black soldier was Sergeant William H. Carney of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry. During the assault on Fort Wagner in 1863, Carney risked his life to protect the
Union flag. He was later awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his bravery.
1861: Northern black men form
informal military units; a few
Union generals use black men
in noncombat roles; U.S. Navy
recruits black sailors; 1862: Union
approves a limited enlistment
of black troops; black regiments
formed; 1863: U.S. Congress
approves recruitment of black
soldiers; 1865: Confederacy
recruits black soldiers.
steps to freedom
121
The Granger Collection
By the end of 1862 several black
Faces of History
Born into slavery in
regiments had been formed in areas of the
South Carolina, Robert
South under Union control. One such regiSmalls was hired out
ment was in New Orleans, Louisiana. This
to work on steamboats
black regiment had been part of a Louisiana
as a youth. Intelligent
1839–1915
state militia. After Union forces gained
and a quick learner,
control of New Orleans in 1862, General
Smalls soon became an expert steamboat pilot. In 1861, after the
Civil War began, he was impressed into the Confederate navy to
Benjamin F. Butler organized the regiment
serve aboard the Planter, a medium-sized warship.
into the First Louisiana Native Guards, also
On May 12, 1862, the ship’s white officers went ashore, leaving
known as the Corps d’Afrique. Within a few
Smalls and seven other black men to guard the ship in Charleston
months, Butler had enough volunteers to
Harbor. During the night, Smalls piloted the ship out of the harbor.
field two additional black regiments.
He stopped briefly to pick up his family and some friends and then
In 1863 the U.S. Congress approved
steered the ship into Union territory, where he handed it over.
the general recruitment of black soldiers.
Smalls’ heroic exploit gained him fame and admiration. Lincoln
made him a pilot in the U.S. Navy, and Smalls later became a captain,
Recruiting efforts began immediately, and
the highest rank of any black naval officer at the time.
black leaders such as Frederick Douglass
3. Identify What event gained Smalls fame and admiration?
called on African Americans to join the
his commandeering of a Confederate warship in May 1862
fight against the South. One of the first black
regiments organized under the new law was
the 54th Massachusetts Infantry. At first,
the regiment was allowed to perform only
manual labor. Later, however, the members of the regiment fought in battle and distinguished themselves as some of the Union’s most heroic soldiers.
4. Identify the steps
In March 1865 the Confederacy also began to recruit black troops. Few black
that led to the recruit- FPO
men enlisted, though. Less than a month later, Confederate general Robert E. Lee
ment of black troops in the
Civil War.
surrendered to Union general Ulysses S. Grant. The Civil War was over.
Heroic Black Women in the Civil War
Black women also displayed outstanding bravery during the
Civil War. Many women served as nurses, and others traveled
with the troops and helped cook, sew, and wash.
The most common job for women during the Civil War
was that of nursing the sick. One heroic black nurse was Susie
King Taylor, whose husband was an officer in the First South
Carolina Volunteers. Not only did Taylor nurse the sick and
cook for the troops but she also taught many soldiers to read
and write in her spare time.
Sojourner Truth, a leading black abolitionist, also worked
to support the war effort. Truth helped raise money and supplies for southern black refugees. In addition, she met with
President Lincoln, after which she agreed to nurse wounded
black soldiers in Freedmen’s Hospital in Washington.
Black Military Spies
Some African Americans served the Union as military spies.
Union officials quickly learned that black spies could often
pass on valuable information about Confederate plans without
being detected. Harriet Tubman herself became a Union spy.
Tubman served for three years in areas of the South, during which time she gathered
information from enslaved people. Union general Rufus Saxton praised Tubman for
her “remarkable courage, zeal and fidelity.”
Mary Elizabeth Bowser was another well-known black spy. Bowser, who pretended she could not read, worked as a servant in the home of Confederate president
Jefferson Davis. There, she listened to conversations and examined documents. Later,
she passed on any valuable military information to Union officials. Sojourner Truth, a former slave and a leading abolitionist, helped support black troops in the war.
Reading Check
5. Summarize In what ways
did African Americans contribute
to the war effort for both the
North and the South?
They served as soldiers, manual
laborers, spies, nurses, and support
personnel.
During the first part of the Civil War, one crucial question remained unanswered:
What would President Lincoln do about the issue of slavery? Many abolitionists
argued that the war was pointless if it was not being fought to end slavery. Yet many
white northerners opposed emancipation, or the freeing of enslaved people.
Resolving the Issue of Slavery
Such differing opinions put Lincoln in a difficult position. Although he was opposed
to slavery, he did not want to lose northern support for the war. He knew that many
white northerners would not risk their lives for African Americans. Therefore,
Lincoln did not initially make ending slavery a war aim. Rather, the war was being
fought to restore the Union. In addition, Lincoln feared that ending slavery might
lead to the secession of the slave states still in the Union. The slave states of Delaware,
Kentucky, Maryland, and Missouri—known as the border states—had stayed in the
Union. Because of their location between the North and the Confederacy, the border
states had strategic military importance. The Union could not risk losing them.
122
Chapter 5
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The Emancipation Proclamation
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Yet the issue of slavery continued to come up as the war progressed. As Union
armies pushed into Confederate territory, thousands of contrabands sought refuge
with them. At first, the Lincoln administration favored returning contrabands to
slaveholders. Some Union commanders even did so. Such actions infuriated abolitionists. They pointed out that every enslaved African American who left the South
meant one less person to help the Confederacy.
Lincoln and his advisors soon decided he had to take some action against slavery.
Lincoln, though, faced a dilemma. He did not think the U.S. Constitution gave the
president the power to end slavery. Lincoln therefore proposed a plan for compensated emancipation in the border states. Under this plan, the border states would
receive federal funds in exchange for passing state laws to abolish slavery over time.
Although loyal to the Union, the border states were not ready to end the slave system
on which their economies were based. All four states rejected Lincoln’s plan.
However, Union forces were struggling to defeat the Confederacy. Union leaders convinced Lincoln that ending slavery in the South was of military importance.
They explained that the Confederacy would be crippled without slave labor. Lincoln
decided that he could use his constitutional power as commander in chief to end
slavery in the rebelling states. He began forming a new emancipation plan. In April
1862, Lincoln and Congress took the first step by ending slavery in the District of
Columbia. Soon after, Congress outlawed slavery in all U.S. territories.
Lincoln wanted to wait for a major Union victory before announcing his full
emancipation plan. In September 1862 the victory came at the bloody Battle of
Antietam. With the win he wanted, Lincoln announced his new plan. Once again he
offered compensated emancipation to slaveholders in the border states. More important, he declared that on January 1, 1863, he would free all enslaved African Americans in rebel areas of the South.
Response to Lincoln’s Plan
The reaction to Lincoln’s announcement was mixed. Some abolitionists were hopeful
that his plan would deal a deathblow to the institution of slavery. Other abolitionists were angry, however, because the Proclamation did not end slavery in states that
were not in rebellion, such as the border states. In addition, the Proclamation did not
apply to areas of the Confederacy that Union troops already controlled.
Some other northerners opposed Lincoln’s plan for emancipation. As Lincoln had
feared, some white Union soldiers resigned rather than fight to end slavery in the
South. In addition, many unskilled workers in the North were upset. These workers feared that ending slavery would lead to a flood of black workers from the South
who would increase job competition. When the U.S. government had hired formerly
enslaved African Americans to help harvest crops in Illinois in 1862, white workers
had rioted in protest. Similar riots had occurred in northern cities.
Yet many northerners rallied behind Lincoln and his plan. These Americans
hoped that freeing the Confederacy’s enslaved African Americans would help
shorten the war. One Cincinnati newspaper declared that Lincoln was destroying the
“labor system which feeds the enemy.” Many Union soldiers also supported the plan.
A Union colonel noted that even though few soldiers were abolitionists, they were
eager “to destroy everything that . . . gives the rebels strength.”
6. Use the graphic
FPO
organizers below to
identify the arguments for
and against emancipating
enslaved African Americans.
For Emancipation
1. Decreasing the South’s slave
labor force would weaken the
Confederate war effort.
2. Freed African Americans could
provide additional forces for the
Union war effort.
Against Emancipation
1. The border states and many
northerners might cease to support the Union war effort.
2. The president may not have
the constitutional power to
emancipate enslaved people.
3. Southern black workers might
take jobs away from northern
white workers and promote riots.
steps to freedom
123
Lincoln Issues the Emancipation Proclamation
The night before Lincoln’s plan was to go into effect, black and white abolitionists
gathered at watch meetings across the North. On January 1, 1863, Lincoln issued the
Emancipation Proclamation. This groundbreaking order proclaimed all enslaved
African Americans in rebel areas to be emancipated, or free. As news of the Proclamation spread, many African Americans and abolitionists rejoiced. A major step
toward the end of slavery in the United States had been achieved.
Although the Emancipation Proclamation had a large emotional impact in the
North, it initially had little effect in the South. The Proclamation applied only to
enslaved African Americans in areas controlled by the Confederacy. The Union had
no power to enforce the order in those areas. Gradually, though, the Proclamation did
FPO
begin to have an impact. As Union troops advanced into Confederate territory, they
Historical Document
freed the enslaved African Americans they encountered. Some historians estimate
Go online to read
a historical document from
that thousands of people were liberated each day. At the same time, many northern
the Civil War.
African Americans risked their lives to spread the word of freedom in the South.
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Enslaved African Americans, on learning of their freedom, often put down their rakes
Online Quiz
Keyword: 00000000
and hoes and escaped to Union lines.
As Union leaders had hoped, the
Emancipation Proclamation began to
Primary Sources
weaken the Confederate war effort.
The reduction in the slave labor force
hurt the Confederacy’s armies and
President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation
plantations. The Proclamation ended
on January 1, 1863. The Proclamation freed all enslaved people in
any hope of foreign support for the
states under Confederate control and was a step toward the ThirSouth. Great Britain, a major importer
teenth Amendment, which ended slavery in the United States.
of southern cotton, had considered
“That on the 1st day of January, in the year of our Lord 1863, all
aiding the Confederacy. However,
persons held as slaves within any state or designated part of a
abolitionism was strong in Britain.
state, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the
After the Union made ending slavery
United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free . . .
a war aim, Britain was no longer willing to help the South.
And I further declare and make known that such
While weakening Confederate
persons of suitable condition will be received into the armed
forces, the Emancipation Proclamaservice of the United States to garrison [station troops in] forts,
tion strengthened Union forces. As
positions, stations, and other places, and to man vessels of all
mentioned earlier, the Union began
sorts in said service.”
the general recruitment of black solSkills
diers in 1863, after the Proclamation.
FOCUS A nalyzing P rimary S ources
Most African Americans who served
7. Interpret In addition to freeing enslaved
in the Union military enlisted during
people in areas under Confederate control, what
did the Emancipation Proclamation do?
this period. These black soldiers and
It opened the way for all formerly enslaved men “of suitsailors played an important role in the
able condition” to join the U.S. armed services.
Union victory. They knew that they
were fighting not only for the preservation of the Union but also for the
freedom of African Americans.
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Chapter 5
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Emancipation Proclamation
Most of all, the Emancipation Proclamation had a profound
impact on enslaved African Americans. In the South, Union troops
freed millions of African Americans from lives of cruel bondage. In
areas where the Proclamation did not apply, many enslaved African
Americans decided they were free as well and courageously escaped.
The Emancipation Proclamation is one of the key documents of
American history. President Lincoln himself recognized the historical
significance of his actions. In 1865 Lincoln called the Emancipation
Proclamation “the central act of my administration and the great
event of the nineteenth century.” The Proclamation’s main significance
was that it set an important legal precedent for African Americans. It
was the beginning of the end of slavery in the United States. Near the
end of the Civil War, Congress passed an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that abolished slavery throughout the nation.
The Emancipation Proclamation, issued
The Emancipation Proclamation’s Legacy
on January 1, 1863, freed all enslaved
Today a number of African Americans remember the legacy of the
African Americans in rebelling areas.
Emancipation Proclamation by celebrating Juneteenth. This event
commemorates June 19, 1865, the date when the Emancipation
Proclamation was announced in Galveston, Texas. Federal troops did not reach Texas Reading Check
8. Summarize What was the
to begin to free enslaved people until after the Civil War was over. In Texas, June 19
Emancipation Proclamation, who
came to be known as Juneteenth, a holiday on which African Americans celebrated
did it free, and how did African
Americans react to it?
their freedom.
It was a presidential order freeing
In 1980 Juneteenth became a state holiday in Texas. Although not an official
all slaves in areas at war with the
holiday elsewhere, Juneteenth has gradually gained popularity in other parts of the
United States. In fact, some of the largest Juneteenth gatherings are now held in the
Union. Many joyful southern African
northern cities of Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Juneteenth
Americans fled from slavery; northern
festivities take many forms, including public speeches, parades, rodeos, and picnics.
African Americans spread the word.
Many people also gather with their families to rejoice in the gains that African Americans have made and to reflect on their hopes for the future. Section
3
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Assessment
Online Quiz
Keyword: 000000
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Reviewing Ideas, Terms, and People
9. Recall What triggered fighting between the Union and the Confederacy in 1861?
The Confederate attack on Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861, triggered the fighting.
10. Draw Inferences Why might Union black troops have faced more hardships than
Union white troops during the Civil War?
Black troops experienced discrimination and were subject to enslavement or execution if captured.
11. Elaborate Do you think that President Lincoln should have freed all enslaved
African Americans in the Union and Confederacy in 1863? Why or why not?
Answers will vary, but students should address the reasons that led Lincoln to limit emancipation in 1863, such as the need to keep the support of the border states and the concern over the constitutionality of a presidential order freeing slaves in areas not under rebellion.
steps to freedom
125
Applying What You’ve Learned
Designing a Storyboard
Imagine that you have been asked to create a short film set during the Civil War. You
plan to focus on the role and experiences of African Americans in the Civil War. Use
your notes from this section to identify key ideas and events to depict in your film. Then
use a storyboard like the one below to plan the scenes for your film. Be sure to sketch
the scenes and write a description of the characters and action in each scene.
Scene 1
Scene 2
Description
Description
Scene 3
Scene 4
Description
Description
ASSESS YOUR KNOWLEDGE
1. Summarize What message are you attempting to convey in your film?
Students’ answers will vary but should be clear and describe a message in keeping with the assignment.
2. Analyze How do the scenes you created convey that message?
Students’ answers will vary but should be consistent with the previous answer.
126
Chapter 5
Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Students storyboards will vary. Possible scene
topics might include:
•African Americans’ desire to enlist
•Contrabands and black laborers in the war
•Black troops and war heroes (e.g., 54th Massachusetts Infantry or Robert Smalls)
•black women in the war (e.g., Susie King Taylor)
•black military spies (e.g., Harriet Tubman)
•reactions to the Emancipation Proclamation
Writing a Script
To complete preparations for your film, you need a script. Use the storyboard ideas
you developed on the previous page to help you select a specific scene. Write a two- to
three-minute script for that scene. In your script, include details about the setting, the
characters, and any important action that takes place in the scene. Most important, be
sure to write interesting and informative dialogue.
Scene:________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Setting:______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Characters:_______________________________ _________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
_______________________________ Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. All rights reserved.
Dialogue:
___________________________________
scripts will vary. Use the rubric below to assess student responses.
_Student
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________
script is easy to follow and well written.
_•The
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________
The content of the script demonstrates an accurate understanding of the topic and related
_•
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________
concepts being addressed.
_ ___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________
script provides descriptive details about the setting that clearly indicate time and place.
_•The
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________
script incorporates dialogue and action that is true to the historical facts.
_•The
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________
student provides a variety of descriptive or sensory details.
_•The
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________
spelling, punctuation, and grammar in the script are accurate.
_•The
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________
script is neatly typed or handwritten.
_•The
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________
script fulfills all the requirements of the assignment.
_•The
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________
the work represents the student’s full potential.
_•Overall,
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________
_ ___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________
_ ___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________
_ ___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________
_ ___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________
_ ___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________
_ ___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________
_ ___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________
_ ___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________
_ ___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________
_ ___________________________________________________________________________________
Steps to Freedom (1850–1865)
127