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Overview: Sectional Conflict and Civil War
Since the founding of the United States the North and South held distinct and different cultures
from one another. One was an Industrial and Urban focused region while the other favored Rural life
and most importantly Slavery. It was the issue over slavery that would create much of the sectional
conflict and would lead to an all out civil war. From the aftermath of the war with Mexico to Lincoln’s
presidential election the United States was in a intercontinental battle between the North and the South
that would pave the way to the Civil War. Once the bloody war concluded Americans were faced with a
rebellious and destroyed South along with the prospect of 4 million newly freed slaves.
Conflict Over Territorial Expansion
Much of the nation’s Sectional Conflicts were large in part due to the enormous amount of land
won in the west. After defeating Mexico and gaining almost all the West the newly gained territories
faced a tough decision on whether to allow slavery in their state after joining the Union. As a result,
many territories chose not to become states and instead to join later. However, when California chose
to become a free state, oppose to one in favor of slavery, the South exploded with anger as the addition
of California as a free state would tip the balance of power to the North. In order to maintain peace the
Compromise of 1850 was enacted that allowed California to enter as a free state while increasing the
power of the Fugitive Slave Law momentarily keeping the peace. The next sectional conflict would occur
in the Nebraska Territory when Senator Stephen A. Douglass proposed the Nebraska-Kansas Act which
would split the Nebraska Territory, and these two states would hold elections on whether allowing
slavery or not. Popular sovereignty as it would be called would denounce the Missouri Compromise and
allow individual states to choose whether or not to allow slavery. The act was passed, and almost
immediately some amazing events occurred. The Whig Party was completely crippled and killed, and
the Democratic Party was split between the North and South. Out of the remains of the Whig Party and
some antislavery members of the Democratic Party came the Republican Party which openly
disapproved of the expansion of slavery. Soon after ,once Kansas began it’s efforts to create a state
constitution proslavery advocates from Missouri came pouring into the state to make Kansas a slave
state. Not willing to stand by so easily antislavery supporters rallied together and set up their own
constitutional convention to make their own constitution against slavery. What followed was a bloody
stalemate between the two opposing forces as guerilla warfare tactics were employed to intimidate the
other. Many lives were lost as the conflict soon came to be called “Bleeding Kansas” and would
foreshadow the even more bloody event in the coming years. In the twilight years of Sectional Conflict
the last straws on both sides would be taken that would push the South to secession.
Conflicts in late 1850’s
Sectional Conflict in the later half of the 1850’s would spell doom for the Union as the South’s
fears of Northern dominance came to realization. Following the bloody events in Kansas Senator Charles
A. Sumner of Massachusetts denounced the proslavery fighters there and especially against Andre P.
Butler a senator from South Carolina and huge supporter of slavery. A couple days after the speech
Butler’s nephew, Preston Brooks, approached Sumner and continuously battened him with his cane until
Sumner lay unconscious. Sumner became a martyr in the North and Brooks became a wide known hero
across the South increasing the tension between both sides. The publication of Harriet Beecher Stowe’s
“Uncle Tom’s Cabin” further added to the Northern resentment of slavery. Then the Dred Scott Decision
occurred in 1857 where the Supreme Court ruled that the Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional
from the beginning, and that slaves were merely property and not citizens scoring a victory for the
South. Flaming the South’s fear in a Northern conspiracy was John Brown’s Raid at Harpers Ferry where
John Brown an antislavery supporter attempted to rally slaves there to fight back unsuccessfully. In the
end he was killed and the South suspected the North of aiding Brown and his crusade. Finally, after
Abraham Lincoln gained national attention when he publicly debated against Stephen A. Douglass on
the issue of slavery the Republican Party chose him as their candidate to run for the presidential election
in 1860. He barely managed to win thanks to his already established fame in the west and the support of
the antislavery movement in the North to the dismay of the South. Lincoln’s victory would be the final
straw as Southerners now saw secession as the only possible solution, and not long after Southern
states began to secede in surprising numbers. What followed would be the bloodiest war in American
history.
Mobilization for War
Although many southern states seceded by the time Lincoln first took office the mobilization of
each side’s armies took some time and major legislation passed before the actual fighting began. The
North’s efforts for war would include numerous laws towards funding the war and drafting troops. For
example, the Homestead Act of 1862 allowed citizens to claim 160 acres of land, and as long as they live
there for at least 5 years they could purchase it for a small fee. The National Bank Acts of1863-1864
created a new banking system that stream lined the nation’s currency and the national bank notes
issued. In order to finance the war the government had to levy taxes, issue paper money, and borrow
money not just from banks but ordinary citizens as well. Most of it came from borrowing the money by
issuing government bonds that anybody could buy. The government didn’t actually begin a draft until
1863 but before many brave men flocked to the army until midway in the war. Not long after riots all
over the North began to occur one of the largest would be in New York City where over 100 people died.
While the North’s economy found a significant increase during the war the South would have a very
different experience. Like the U.S. government, the newly created Confederacy in the South also
enacted many of the same tactics to finance the war, but because of their lack of power the Confederate
government was much less successful. In fact, most of their financing came from the issuing of their
paper currency which is the most unreliable, and caused an enormous inflation in the South to occur by
the war’s end. The same army shortages that plagued the North also occurred in the South that
prompted the Confederate government to issue the Conscription Act which forced all white males
between the ages of 18 to 35 to serve in the Confederate Army for at least 3 years. By the end of the
war while the North would benefit economically the same could not be said in the South as almost
aspects of southern life would be significantly shortened.
Leaders and their Policies
Abraham Lincoln and the Republicans would rise to the occasion in the North, but in the South
Confederate leaders and the Confederate itself would struggle to coincide with the stronger state
governments. During a time of war and crisis no president before or after would step up to the pedestal
like Abraham Lincoln who lead the Union through one of it’s most critical periods. He propelled some of
the most lasting legislation ever seen to that point like the Emancipation Proclamation that freed
millions of slaves in the South, and lead the Union’s armies with success as he utilized the Union’s higher
number and resources to the max. The Emancipation Proclamation itself would renew the North’s will to
fight in the middle of America’s bloodiest war, and destroy slavery in the South forever. However, not
everything was as perfect as it seemed because in order to repress the high amount of rebellious
attitude towards the war effort he had no choice but to limit people’s rights. For example, he suspended
habeas corpus of people unfaithful to the war cause. Also he even went against the Supreme Court’s
ruling in Ex Parte Milligan case which made Lincoln’s removal of habeas corpus unconstitutional by
simply ignoring the Court’s orders. In the war many of Lincoln’s appointed generals struggled to find
prolonged success until finally Lincoln found the perfect candidate for the position. After some major
wins in the west including Vicksburg, Lincoln appointed Ulysses S. Grant to be the general of the Union
forces as he too completely utilized the Union’s larger numbers and resources to their absolute breaking
point. The South unlike the North had a president who failed to effectively use the South’s advantages,
and due to his large ego the Confederate forces did not have the proper command system that they
needed. In fact, it was because of President Jefferson Davis that the South was unprepared to deal with
the men shortages and destruction that the North was inflicting. The South only managed to gain
success in the beginning due to the North’s underestimating of the South’s determination and their
leaders’ advanced tactics. Confederate leaders like Robert E. Lee and Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson not
only withstood Union advances but in some cases their forces were able to make significant advances of
their own. In the end, it was thanks to Abraham Lincoln’s and General Grant’s resourcefulness that
would defeat the South’s better trained and arguably more tactful leaders.
Major Battle and Their Significance
Although the first shots of the Civil War would be fired at Fort Sumter the first major battles
would occur elsewhere, and the chaos would quickly spread throughout the U.S. and even in the North.
The fist battle would occur at Manassas where the Battle of Bullrun would be held as Union forces were
crushed by the advancing Confederate forces. This particular battle would be significant in making
leaders realize on both sides just how bloody the war would get and the old ways of fighting would no
longer work. Also that the South would not easily go down, thus lengthening the expected end to the
war. While the Eastern Theatre experienced a long stalemate. In the West the Union armies were able
to take control of one of the South’s most crucial cities, New Orleans, with the help of the Ironclad ships
that allowed the Union to attack from the sea and land, and after their victory in the Battle of Shiloh the
Confederacy was completely cut off from the South end of the Mississippi River. The Union Army in
Virginia meanwhile continued to face a tough Confederate Defensive Wall, and after the Second Battle
of Bullrun and a second Union defeat Lincoln put George McClellan in charge of the Potomac Army
stationed there. However, a month later at Antietam the Union army managed to bring Lee and his
forces to their knees, but due to McClellan’s unwillingness to pursue the fleeing enemy Lincoln once
again replaced another general. However, McClellan’s victory at Antietam ended the possibility of
European assistance to the South, and allowed Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation ending
slavery in the Confederate South. Thankfully Grant continued to find success in the West as he captured
the stronghold of Vicksburg, and thus cutting the South in half and gaining full control of the Mississippi
River. Also the Union’s Anaconda Plan to surround the remaining Confederate states was getting a huge
boost from Grant’s decisive victories. Before the surrender of Vicksburg, Robert E. Lee was trying to
relieve some pressure from Vicksburg by invading Union territory and advancing as far as Pennsylvania.
The Army of Potomac and Lee’s forces finally met up in Gettysburg where Lee’s forces where massacred.
Soon after at the Battle of Chattanooga with the help of Grant’s leadership the Union Army defeated
Bragg’s Confederate forces, and at the same time completely turning the war to the Union’s side. Now
with the entire Union Army under Grant’s control he shifted the Union’s forces attention towards seizing
Richmond and going east through Georgia eventually ending on the South’s side of the Atlantic Ocean.
While Richmond took a while to siege, Sherman’s forces at Georgia quickly began to invade by
destroying any unfortunate crops and towns crossing their way. The Capture of Atlanta a few days later
was a huge morale booster in the North and won Lincoln’s reelection in 1864. Sherman continued his
“March to the Sea” as Confederate city after city fellb and the South suffered incredible devastation.
Eventually after Grant’s forces took over pivotal railroad junctions in Petersburg just outside Richmond.
Lee knew that defending the city was a lost cause. He tried to regroup with Joseph E. Johnson’s army
who were busy battling Sherman and his forces, but Grant quickly cut Lee off before they could regroup.
Lee had no choice but to surrender on April 9, 1865 at Appomattox Courthouse ending any major future
conflicts and the Civil War itself.
Slavery and Abolition
Uncle Tom’s Cabin- Anti-slavery book portraying slavery in the south under extremely heinous
means, written by Harriet Beecher Stowe who had never actually been to the south.
Dred Scott vs. Stanford- Ruled against Scott stating that slaves were indeed not people but
property. This furthered the cap between the south and north as well as reflected the time
periods views on the African American population.
John Brown- Famous for his attack on Harpers Ferry, john brown was an avid abolitionist whose
actions would lead to the event named bleeding Kansas. Very important person.
William Lloyd Garrison- Editor of the Liberty newspaper and co-founder of the American Antislavery society, William Lloyd Garrison was a passionate abolitionist who called for the”
immediate and complete emancipation of all slaves”.
Harriet Tubman- Freed slave, Harriet Tubman was an iconic figure who helped African
Americans travel along the Underground Railroad to freedom.
Fugitive Slave Act- Part of the compromise of 1850, this act stated that all runaway slaves were
to be brought back to their former slave owners.
Harpers Ferry- Incident where John Brown (V.I.P) and 21 other men seized weapon aboard
Harpers Ferry in order to arm slaves and start a rebellion of slaves against their southern
masters.
“Bleeding Kansas”- A Proxy war between border hopping northerners and southerners over
whether or not Kansas would be a slave state, due to the fact that only votes counted and not
where you were from.
Frederick Douglass- Abolitionist and talented orator alike, Frederick Douglass was a freed slave
who showed African Americans could be productive citizens. He was the founder of many
abolitionist movements and also supported woman’s suffrage.
Abolitionist- A Person against slavery
Nat Turner- Leader of the largest slave revolt resulting in 55 slaves dead and 56 whites dead.
This also led to stricter laws against African Americans restricting their rights.
Popular sovereignty- The idea that the peoples of the state or territory decided whether or not
they would introduce to the union as a free or slave state.
Harriet Beecher Stowe- Wrote a graphic anti slavery book called Uncle Tom’s Cabin. This
abolitionist; however, had never actually been to the south nor had ever witnessed slavery. He
book also outraged the south and prompted to write.
Underground Railroad- A secret network of safe houses and checkpoints slaves used to escape
the south and arrive at freedom, or Canada. This sophisticated network involved all types of
people including working class whites, farmers, and most notably Harriet Tubman.
Military and Civil war
Battle of Bull Run- First major battle of the civil war where the confederates defeated union
troops resulting in over 3000 union losses to 2000 confederate losses.
Thomas J. Jackson- Known wildly as “Stone Wall” Jackson, he was the second most notable
confederate general. He was also in the major battles of Bull Run, Antietam, and Frederiksberg.
Ulysses S. Grant- Most notable union general, Ulysses S. Grant won many key battles during the
civil war and eventually defeat confederate forces to end the war, He also understood math.
Fort Sumter- Opening engagement to the civil war, where Fort Sumter was bombarded by
confederate artillery and surrendered the following day to confederate forces. No deaths
besides a horse.
Gettysburg- Described as the turning point in the civil war; it was the bloodiest battle in the
entire war where the Army of the Potomac under General Meade stopped confederate attacks
by General Robert E. Lee and ended his northern invasion.
Appomattox Court House- Site of Robert E. Lee’s surrender to Ulysses S. Grant after being
surrounded on 3 sides. This would mark the end of the war for Virginia.
Shiloh- A major battle in the west, Shiloh a.k.a. battle of Pittsburg landing, was the bloodiest
battle to date in the civil war pitting General Ulysses S. Grant against confederate generals
Albert Sidney Johnson and P.G.T. Beauregard ending in a Union victory on the second day of
battle.
Robert E. Lee- Infamous Confederate general who routed Union forced at many major battles
but was unable to save the confederacy when matched against the much larger and well
supplied Union armies.
Antietam- large battle were the Army of the Potomac face off against lees northern army once
again leaving over 23,000 dead and lees retreat.
Anaconda Plan- This plan outlined a plan to defeat the confederacy by blockading it by ocean
and then cutting off its supply lines along the Mississippi wile slowly tightening its grip like an
anaconda.
Joseph Hooker- Union general best known for the woman that vigilantly followed his Army
around thus coining the term ‘hookers’.
Conscription Act- Basically a draft first used by the south and later used by the north to
conscript men for the cause.
George McClellan- Second most notable general of the Union and commander of the Army of
the Potomac. McClellan would go on to hold his own against Lee but ultimately be relieved of
command by Lincoln.
Battle of the Seven Days- the single bloodiest battle in the civil war, were Robert E. Lee’s army
of north Virginia and McClellan’s Army of The Potomac were pitted together resulting in the
retreat of Lee and the stop of his northern invasion.
“King Cotton”- The term illustrating the southern emphasis on cotton, they believed that cotton
alone could support the confederate states and effectively weaken the northern states if cotton
exports ceased.
William T. Sherman- less than important Union general with little losses and little wins; he is
scene by some historians to be the first modern general for his “scorched earth” policy.
Vicksburg- Generals sacked Vicksburg and the confederate’s surrendered. This would help to
turn the tide of the war.
Jefferson Davis- President of the Confederate states, decent political leader.
Political leaders/Government
Henry Clay- Dubbed the “Great Compromiser” he would serve to settle disputes such as the
nullification crisis and go on to create the American system. He also served many key roles in
American government but was never able to become president.
Writ of habeas Corpus - The writ to a fair trial by jury and protected against unlawful
imprisonment.
Radical Republicans- Republicans that believed the south should be punished for starting the
war and would settle for nothing less than radical reconstruction.
Trent Affair- An Incident in which to confederate diplomats attempted to reach Britain in order
to press for war against the Union but were eventually caught wile aboard the Trent ( a British
mail steamer), they were brought back to the states and tried.
Roger Taney- 5th chief justice of the supreme court and a remembrance of Jacksonian era, most
known for his decision in the case of Dred Scott which decaled that slaves where property not
people.
Election of 1860- This election set the stage for the Civil war when Abraham Lincoln won the
presidency without any support from the southern states. Before Lincoln could even be sworn
into office most of the southern states had already declared independence from the Union.
“Know Nothing Party”- A Party that strove to lessen immigration and the ideas of naturalization
feeling they were dangerous towards the Anglo-Saxon protestant values. This party spread
across the States but ultimately accomplished little.
Homestead Act- This act allowed for applicants to receive up to 160 acres of land west of the
Mississippi if they lived on the land for 5 years, showed improvements, and the land was yours.
This also allowed for an agricultural growth as more farmers obtained land in the west.
Copperheads- This was the name given to anti-war democrats in the north wanting an
immediate peace settlement with the south. Anti-war
Emancipation Proclamation- An executive order set out by Abraham Lincoln declaring that all
slaves in the confederate states were free. Only around 50,000 slaves were freed initially but
more were liberated as Union armies encroached on the south.
James Buchanan-15th president of the United States, Buchanan was a great president but
ultimately failed to keep the union together and stop the war from eruption. He is viewed by
many historians as one of the worst presidents.
Lecompton Constitution-written in response to the Topeka constitution the Lecompton
constitution was very proslavery as it was written by mostly slave owners. This new constitution
was put up for vote by the people of Kansas alongside the Topeka constitution resulting in
Kansas being admitted as a free state.
Wilmot Proviso- A proviso that would’ve banned slavery in any territory acquired from Mexico
including the Mexican cession. Although it passed in the house it never passed through the
senate. This document further fueled the debate over slavery.
“Bleeding Sumner”- The incident when Preston Brooks beat Charles Sumner near death with a
cane, eventually breaking it over his head as a result of the increasing tensions between north
and south over the topic of slavery.
John C. Calhoun- eloquent politician from South Carolina, john C. Calhoun was a propionate of
state rights, free trade, and most importantly endorsed the idea of nullification and succession
from the union.
Daniel Webster- Member of the Whig party and proponent of the second party system Webster
was an avid politician that tried to keep the union together.
John Wilkes Booth- Famous south actor and anarchist who assassinated President Lincoln.
Joseph smith- Founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, religious Mormon
prophet, shot and killed by mob along with others
Compromise of 1850- This compromise; set forth by Henry Clay, suggested that the new
territories gained from the war with Mexico would be allowed to decide if slavery would be
allowed when they applied for statehood. Also Texas would be paid $10million in order to
settle its land dispute and pay off Mexico. Moreover in the District of Columbia slave trade
would be abolished but slavery itself would remain.
Morrill Land Grant Act- Provided land to anyone who would put a college on it.
Ostend Manifesto- Stated that the U.S. would buy Cuba from Spain and if they didn’t sell it
implied the U.S. would go to war; this would be the start of the U.S. move into the Caribbean.
In the early nineteenth century, America sought to resolve its political disputes
through compromise, yet by 1860, this no longer seemed possible. Analyze the
reasons for this change. Use the documents and your knowledge of the period
1820-1860 to construct your response.
Throughout U.S. history politicians have always come to compromises in order to
resolve problems, however, in the time period roughly between 1820-1860 this became an
increasingly hard task and there began a separation of power and struggle over the topic of
slavery. Although slavery was the main factor in the end of compromise there were also other
underlying factors that led to this split in communication.
The first significant sign of this divide in government was the Missouri compromise of
1820; this stated that everything north of Missouri would be free of slavery including Missouri,
while everything south would be open to slavery. This settled the dispute for the time being but
as the U.S. fulfilled the idea of “Manifest Destiny” the new territory would once again come
into question. The Mexican succession, as a result of the Mexican-American war, fulfilled the
idea of manifest destiny but also reopened the question of slavery in the new territories. These
new talks eventually lead to the compromise of 1850 created by Henry Clay. This Compromise
included both pro slavery and anti-slavery parts. The Fugitive slave act and other clauses
satisfied the pro slavery proponents’ .For anti-slavery proponents (abolitionists) it stated that
Texas would be brought into the union, and the new territories would be able to decide
whether or not they would enter the union as a free or slave state. This idea was dubbed
“popular sovereignty” and would cause even more of a gap between parties. This new gap in
societies would be exemplified in an incident called “bleeding Kansas”. This was a proxy war
between abolitionists and pro slavery activists, as Kansas came to vote on whether it would be
slave or a free state, flocks of these activists border hopped into Kansas to sway the vote. This
eventually led to battles and skirmishes from abolitionists fighting with proslavery activists.
Most notable of these skirmishes was John Browns raid on Harpers Ferry. This incident enraged
southerners that a northern Abolitionist would try to create a slave rebellion. Bleeding Kansas
Reopened many sealed wounds in that it enraged both the south and the north on the views on
their respective opposites. This event was also accompanied by “Bleeding Sumter” where
Preston Brooks attacked Charles Sumter with a cane and beat him nearly to death showing that
not only the common populations of activists were resulting to violence but the politicians as
well. These two events furthered the separation between the two emerging parties not just on
a political standpoint but social as well.
As politics and new compromises were sought the social balance of the U.S. also began
to shift as well, often due to the emergence of new abolitionists and continued ideas based
upon social society. One notable form of pro abolitionist social propaganda was the emergence
of American literature. Books like Uncle Tom’s Cabin, written by Harriet Beecher Stowe, opened
the eyes of many northerners and divided the gap between north and south. Another form of
literature emphasizing pro abolitionist ideas was the Liberty news paper, and was as
controversial as its chief editor William Lloyd Garrison. Garrison was an avid abolitionist who
famously called for the “Immediate and complete emancipation of all slaves”, however he was
far ahead of his time. He also helped to create an organization called the American Anti-Slavery
Society, a pacifist organization which aimed to promote the greater good for all slaves. Yet
another, more profound, abolitionist Fredric Douglass would help to push the question of
slavery into politics and society using everything including himself for evidence against slavery.
The ideas of great abolitionist such as previously mentioned and many others influence many
key events. For example the creation of the Underground Railroad was a direct result of
freedom ideas and helped slaves escape to the north for freedom, the most notable conductor
on this railroad was Harriet Tubman who would be immortalized as the savior of fleeing slaves.
Another example is Nat turner’s rebellion which was directly influenced by abolitionist
movements and the idea of freedom. This rebellion involving the deaths of 55 slaves and 56
white’s both scared and angered the south which in turn, led to a serious of laws restricting the
rights of slaves to almost nothing. This breach of rights angered the northern abolitionists and
led to a campaign to stop slavery with the use of the judicial branch, resulting in the court case
of Dred Scott v. Stanford. In a not surprising fashion the court ruled against Scott stating that a
slave was not a person but property and therefore had no case. This outraged abolitionists but
gave speed to proslavery activists.
All these social and political factors contributed to the increasing gap between the south
and north, this rift would further the inability to compromise between north and south. As the
south began to look for a compromise the ideas of Succession and nullification emerged as a
result of John C. Calhoun. This allowed the south to play a trump card and further put a hole in
the ability to compromise. Finally a bitter and persistent south reached the breaking point
when Lincoln was elected president without one southern vote. This was a clear end to
compromise as the two factions were clearly separate and the south opted for succession. As
the south succeeded and the civil war began, you can clearly see the regression and the slow
decay of any ability to compromise from the Missouri compromise until the election of Lincoln
as a result of the political and social differences/disputes.
Essay Prompt 2: Analyze ways in which controversy over the extension of slavery into western territories
contributed to the coming of the Civil War. Confine your answer to the period 1845-1861.
Since the Missouri Compromise in 1820 the North and South were fighting for dominance as
each side developed different cultures, and began to view the other as not as friend but foe. After
defeating Mexico and completing Manifest Destiny Americans on both sides saw the west as a way to
greatly increase their side’s power. From the early sectional conflicts over land to Lincoln’s 1860
presidential election victory the United States would be in a political dispute over land that would slowly
tear the country apart. It would mainly be the disputes over slavery expanding into the western
territories that would create the most controversy and chaos. Also the question of slavery itself not just
it’s expansion, but it’s mere existence along with the North’s and South’s alarming cultural differences
that would lead to further resentment. In short, slavery was but one of the few major problems that was
splitting the Union apart.
Since slavery’s first introduction to the New World in 1619 it has been a reoccurring morality
issue for Americans, and although many Northerners didn’t oppose it’s existence they still did not want
it to expand. Beginning with California entering as a free state in 1850 the South did not want the
North’s political might to increase, and as a result thanks to the aging compromiser, Henry Clay, the
Compromise of 1850 was ratified. It allowed California to enter as a free state while increasing the
power of the Fugitive Slave Law which angered hundreds of Northerners momentarily keeping the
peace. More controversy began when Stephen A. Douglass called for the territory of Nebraska to be slit,
and popular sovereignty to be enacted in both of the new states. This act alone would bring rise to the
Republican Party, and split the enormous Democratic Party between North and South. Now voters could
decide on whether or not to accept slavery in their state while basically denouncing the Missouri
Compromise set 30 years before. Not long after proslavery advocates from Missouri came pouring into
Kansas, and thus when the constitutional convention was held and a proslavery constitution was
chosen. Antislavery voters who without the Missouri natives would truly make up the majority decided
to create their own constitution in Topeka. The two sides began to fight in a bloody conflict that would
become to be Bleeding Kansas as both sides’ death tolls began to rise. The last straw for many
southerners came when Abraham Lincoln an outspoken antislavery candidate for presidency won in
1860 finally pushing the South off the ledge. Secession was the only possible answer for many Southern
leaders, and the expansion of slavery was largely behind it.
Although the expansion of slavery was the main cause it was also merely the match used to light
the already existing division between the North and South. Even before the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
that gave the U.S. the entire west there were already huge cultural differences between the two sides.
For one, while the North was a growing heavy industrial region, the South was still mainly focused on
agriculture. Thus slavery was almost an essential part of the Southern economy. Pro advocates of
slavery in the South such as John C. Calhoun in, “The Proslavery Argument”, argued that slaves had
better working conditions than most industrial workers in the North, and slavery truly was the only way
that two distinctly different races could coincide. Although many Northerners at first did not want a
complete end to slavery they did want slavery expansion to end. However, after Harriet Beecher
Stowe’s, “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”, was published many saw slavery as a moral sin and wanted it’s complete
abolishment. John Brown’s Raid at Harper’s Ferry also ignited flames of hatred from Southerners
towards the North as John Brown tried to rally slaves unsuccessfully. To further add to the resentment
when the Transcontinental Railroad was being planned both sides wanted it’s railroads to mainly be on
their side while resentment continued to build. To sum up, slavery just added to the already established
resentment between two diversely different sides.
Without the acquiring of the west in the 1840’s there’s a good chance that the Civil War would
have never happened. This new enormous land of opportunities also created a way for slavery to
expand, and increase the South’s power. The North would not simply stand by and allow Southern
delegates to increase their electorate power , and thus sectional conflicts began to occur throughout the
nation. What had begun as cultural differences and unlike social ideologies came to be so significant that
two sides could no longer coincide. The war for independence and slavery would quickly become
America’s most costliest and bloodiest war in history.
Essay Prompt 3In the early nineteenth century, America sough tto resolve its political disputes through compromise,
yet by 1860, this no longer seemed possible. Analyze the reasons for this change. Use the documents
and your knowledge of the period 1820-1860 to construct your response.
Due to distinct and different views on the role of government in the creating of laws and
boundaries of its people, sectional conflict was a clear reoccurring issue during the 18th century and
compromise became less and less viable because of the strong feelings and lengths people went to gain
any advantage for their view possible. Not only do conflicts over the annexing of Texas and the gains
from the Mexican-American war highlight the clear division over slavery, the events of bleeding Kansas
clearly and distinctly show the fully blossomed conflict over slavery in all of its rage. Starting as popular
sovereignty in Kansas due to the Kansas-Nebraska Act’s attempt to keep the peace with compromise,
the area became a battle zone for northern and southern politicians, metaphorically and later literally.
The clearly divided country is shown from as early as the Louisiana Purchase by the critics of whether or
not Thomas Jefferson had the authority to make the purchase and what was to be done with the land.
The Missouri compromise was the first major event in a sequence of compromises that slowly became
less and less useful because compromise eventually became too little of a goal for each side and peace
was broken. It was shown that compromise would not solve the issue, but only prolong it until an event
such as the election of 1860 and the electing of Abraham Lincoln as president would cause such a
division that the nation could not withstand the burden. With the secession of South Carolina, it was
shown that the country would either have to be permanently split in two or one law and view would
have to govern all.
The ideals of Manifest Destiny and the nation’s success in expanding from sea to sea put a huge
strain on the sectional conflicts that had already been in place since the Missouri Compromise. With
each acquisition of new land, the issue of slavery arose time and time again. Each time compromise was
put into place to try to resolve any issues that currently ensued, but these compromises did not look
toward the future or what strain that they may cause on the current sectional conflicts brewing. The
new land acquired by the US after the Mexican-American war highlights the strain of new land
acquisitions during the quest for manifest destiny on the already tense sectional division on the US. This
division is highlighted not only in the debates between Henry Clay and Stephen Douglas, but also in the
compromise of 1850 regarding the new territory. While the south pushed for increased strictness on the
fugitive slave laws, the north wanted to keep a majority of the U.S. as Free states. The more land that
was acquired, the bigger a strain on the compromises that came before them were. As bleeding Kansas
depicts the bloody violence that could and would ensue once the country came to its sectional breaking
point, the Dred Scott decision highlights the clear weaknesses of compromise. The decision by the
Supreme Court to rule the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional highlights the breakdown of
compromise in the 1850s. The inability to continue compromise by the election of Lincoln in 1860 was a
major cause of the civil war.
While the breakdown of compromise was greatly affected by the realization of Manifest
Destiny, it was also greatly affected by reform and abolitionist movements. The increased push
throughout the 1840s and 50s by abolitionists to make states become or stay free had a great impact on
compromise in the 19th century. While religion and social reform raged, the idea of freeing slaves
became more and more common in the north whereas before, some may have not had an opinion in
the north. With the releasing of Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriett Beacher Stowe, northern who may have
been deaf to the cries of slaves or abolitionists were shown the true horrors of slavery and why it
needed to change. The release of the novel not only affected the lives of many, but also created an
increase political push toward abolition because more people were aware and against the idea of
slavery. Events such as John Brown’s raid on Harper’s Ferry in 1859 show the moral push that was
caused by the reform movements and how far some northern would go for the cause. While the goal
may have not been to abolish slavery completely, many felt a moral devotion to push toward helping
the lives of the slaves and working toward fair treatment among all. The reform movements and moral
cause of the north created large amounts of sectionalism and was a major cause of the Civil war.
This great push toward reforms on the subject of slavery combined with the weary compromises
being made over land acquired with the realization of Manifest Destiny were both major factors in
starting the Civil War and signaling the breakdown of compromise. While events such as Bleeding
Kansas highlight the breakdown of compromise due to the realization of Manifest Destiny, the release of
Uncle Tom’s Cabin shows the growing sectionalism over the growing reform movement toward slavery.
Not only did each side try to influence outcomes of compromises, they also retaliated against each other
because of it. The sectionalism and growing division in the nation became too great when Lincoln won
the election of 1860 because he was not listed on the ballots in the south. The fury of the south and the
secession of South Carolina marked the end of compromise and the beginning of the Civil War.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Abraham Lincoln’s opposition to the Crittenden Compromise was based on:
(Hippocampus.org)
a. its support of the doctrine of popular sovereignty to be overridden once statehood was
achieved.
b. his opposition to the expansion of slavery in the territories.
c. his fear that its adoption might provoke Kentucky to leave the Union.
d. his belief he was bound by President Buchanan's earlier rejection of it.
e. his fear that it would bring European powers into the American conflict.
2. When Abraham Lincoln won the 1860 presidential election, people in South Carolina:
(Hippocampus.org)
a. welcomed his victory because it gave them an excuse to secede.
b. were very upset because they would have to secede from the Union.
c. vowed to give their loyalty to Stephen Douglas.
d. none of the above.
e. installed Stephen Douglas as a Southern President.
3. Many European powers welcomed the Civil War because: (Hippocampus.org)
a. they could regain control of a divided America.
b. war would weaken the United States' power in the Western Hemisphere.
c. war could end the concept of balance of power in the Americas.
d. such a conflict would halt the flow of blacks to Canada.
e. they could then take control of the slave trade.
4. A theoretical asset for the South that never materialized as the war progressed was:
(Hippocampus.org)
a. use of its vastly superior railway system.
b. intervention from Britain and France.
c. the fighting skill of Southern males.
d. its ability to fight on its own soil.
e. effective military leadership.
5. Britain failed to attempt to break the North’s blockade of the South because:
(Hippocampus.org)
a. they feared a renewed war with France if they did.
b. they did not want to engage against the superior American navy.
c. the British upper class supported the North from the onset of fighting.
d. the war did not impact Britain’s economy.
e. they feared losing Northern grain shipments.
6. The South expected British foreign aid because: (Hippocampus.org)
a. Britain had historically supported the notion of states’ rights.
b. Britain’s textile industry relied on southern cotton.
c. Britain exported large numbers of slaves from the south.
d. the government had refused to allow Uncle Tom's Cabin to be sold in the empire.
e. the British people would demand such action.
7. During the Civil War, the United States and Britain were nearly provoked into war by:
(Hippocampus.org)
a. Britain’s efforts to involve Mexico in the war.
b. Britain's refusal to observe the Union's blockade of Southern ports.
c. the Trent affair, which involved the removal of Southern diplomats from a British ship.
d. Napoleon III's interventions in Mexico.
e. the incompetence of Charles Francis Adams, the United States ambassador to London.
8. Confederate troops fired on Fort Sumter when it was learned that: (Hippocampus.org)
a. Lincoln had issued the Emancipation Proclamation.
b. Lincoln had ordered supplies sent to the fort.
c. the fort's commander was planning to evacuate his troops secretly from the fort.
d. Lincoln had ordered the fort reinforced with federal troops.
e. Lincoln had called for seventy-five thousand militia troops to form a voluntary Union army.
9. Many Northerners were willing to allow Southern states to leave the Union until:
(Hippocampus.org)
a. the raid on Harper’s Ferry.
b. shots were fired at Fort Sumter.
c. Stonewall Jackson was named to head the potential new nation.
d. South Carolina seceded from the United States.
e. Lincoln’s call for the abolition of slavery.
10. In order to keep the Border States in the North, President Lincoln: (Hippocampus.org)
a. relied solely on moral arguments.
b. used only constitutional methods.
c. declared martial law where needed.
d. never had to use troops.
e. ended slavery in those states.
11. As a result of the Civil War, the Northern economy: (Hippocampus.org)
a. grew and emerged more prosperous than ever before.
b. saw industrial profits improve but agricultural profits fall.
c. experienced a sharp drop in profiteering.
d. greatly helped the unskilled worker.
e. instituted the 8-hour work day for all industrial workers.
12. Which of the following came about as a result of the Civil War? (Hippocampus.org)
a. expanded taxation powers for the national government
b. increased power for the federal courts
c. the creation of the first federal social welfare agency
d. a northern route for the transcontinental railroad
e. all of the above
13. Consider the following political cartoon.
Which of the following statements best summarizes its message? (Hippocampus.org)
a. Andrew Johnson was an early conservationist.
b. Andrew Johnson worked closely with Congress in beginning a plan to rebuild the South.
c. Andrew Johnson failed to protect the civil rights of recently freed slaves.
d. Andrew Johnson worked hard to get Congress to pass a civil rights bill.
e. Andrew Johnson attempted to stop the growth of the Ku Klux Klan.
14. The Emancipation Proclamation originally freed only slaves in: (Hippocampus.org)
a. the Border States.
b. slave states that remained loyal to the Union.
c. United States territories.
d. states in rebellion against the United States.
e. Kansas and Nebraska.
15. The Emancipation Proclamation had the effect of: (Hippocampus.org)
a. ending slavery immediately.
b. strengthening the moral cause of the Union with European nations.
c. increasing popular support for the Republicans in the 1864 election.
d. quieting public opposition to Lincoln's war policies.
e. reducing desertions from the Union army.
16. Slavery was legally abolished in the United States by the: (Hippocampus.org)
a. Fifteenth Amendment to the Constitution.
b. surrender terms of Robert E. Lee to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox.
c. Emancipation Proclamation.
d. Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution.
e. Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution.
17. The Union victory at Vicksburg was of major importance because: (Hippocampus.org)
a. it damaged the South’s plan for gaining control of the West.
b. foreign help for the Confederacy was much less likely.
c. it helped to quiet Northern calls for a peace settlement.
d. it reopened the Mississippi River to Northern trade.
e. all of the above.
18. Lincoln’s vice-presidential partner in the 1864 election, Andrew Johnson, was a:
(Hippocampus.org)
a. Whig.
b. Copperhead.
c. War Democrat.
d. States’ Righter.
e. radical Republican.
19. Sherman’s march to the sea was marked by: (Hippocampus.org)
a. its brilliant use of cavalry forces.
b. its impact in inspiring Northern voters to support abolition.
c. its public relations campaign to bring Georgians back into the Union.
d. the brutality of “total warfare” against Southern populations.
e. Sherman’s decision to speak publicly against the policy of freeing slaves.
20. Advances for women during the Civil War included: (Hippocampus.org)
a. gaining the right to vote.
b. gaining the right to own and manage their own property.
c. entering industrial employment and providing medical care for soldiers.
d. the right to fight in combat as the South became more desperate.
e. the growth of the cult of domesticity.
ANSWER KEY1. B
11.A
2. A.
12.E
3. B
13.C
4. B
14.D
5. E
15.B
6. B
16.D
7. C
17.E
8. B
18.C
9. B
19.D
10. C 20.C
ANSWER KEY1. B The Crittenden Compromise attempted to bring back a line much like the Missouri
Compromise line with rules that were stricter. Lincoln was against this because he did not want
to slavery to spread at all and wanted instead for it to be reduced.
2. A. South Carolina had been trying to get around laws and acts put into place that were
different from their views regarding slavery. SC was one of the most angered states over events
like Uncle Tom’s Cabin and John Browns raid and with Lincoln’s election, they had a reason to
finally justify secession.
3. B Since the release of the Monroe Doctrine, European nations had been looking for a way to
get in on the riches and resources that the western hemisphere possessed. With war breaking out
in the US, Europe hoped that the country would be weakened to a point to where they could go
back to harvesting what they wished from the western hemisphere.
4. B The south saw the advantages that the north possessed, but looked toward Europe in hopes
that they would act upon their wishes to gain power in the west by helping the south during the
war.
5. E While Britain wanted to help the south in order to try to gain power in the west, the nation
did not want to anger the north or create poor relations in the case that the north won. This would
have created a huge impact on the British economy if the north ended trade with them.
6. B Even though Britain wanted to gain power in the west, the large textile industry of the south
was also a meaningful factor of the British economy. The south expected British aid because of
the impact that the southern textile industry had on Britain.
7. C The Trent affair showed that Britain was looking into possible war relations with the south
which angered the north and provoked both sides almost to war.
8. B The troops wanted to remove northern posts from the south and were enraged when they
found out the Lincoln had no intention of leaving.
9. B Most northern states were not bothered by the south leaving because the nation was so
deeply divided already, but once southern officials fired on northerners, war began.
10. C Lincoln did not want to lose any more states to the south because the south may have not
only gained a majority advantage, It would also give a chance of the north fighting a defensive
war.
11.A As in many war time production periods, the northern economy rose and flourished greatly
while the southern economy died slowly because of the lack of trade that they enjoyed.
12.E All of the listed options came into being because of the war and the changes that the north
made to its own government in order to most effectively run the war and prevent any future
conflicts.
13.C Andrew Johnson did not possess the same vision that Lincoln did and did not push toward
ensuring the equality of the newly freed slaves, but instead attempted to punish the south for the
war.
14.D The emancipation proclamation was an attempt to reduce slavery while keeping the border
states apart of the union. It also signaled the clear advantages of the north during the war and
gave a moral cause for the union to fight.
15.B While the south was fighting for the moral cause of defending their views, the north
possessed little to no moral influence until the release of the emancipation proclamation.
16.D The thirteenth amendment made slavery constitutional illegal in order to prevent any
further conflicts over the subject.
17.E The union victory in Vicksburg crippled southern resistance because it signaled the
domination of the union in the west as well as the east and allowed for Sherman’s march to the
sea.
18.C Lincoln wanted to have Andrew Johnson as his running-mate because he wanted to gain
support for northern democrats that were skeptical of the war and Lincoln’s intentions. He also
wanted a running-mate that could raise moral toward the war and raise popularity regarding it.
19.D Sherman’s march to the sea showed the brutality that could ensure with total warfare.
Sherman and his troops destroyed anything and everything that they came across, leaving the
south in a wake of ruins.
20.C While women still possessed little rights, with the lack of man power on both side because
of the nation being spilt so severely, women were allowed to help the war cause because each
side needed whatever advantage they could get.
Bibliography

http://www.hippocampus.org/