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Unit 8 Chapter 15 Section 1
Texas Secession
Objective: What are the five
causes of the Civil War? What
was the new Southern nation
called? How did Texas get
involved? Where did the war
start?
Cause #1: Sectionalism
–
Prior to the Civil War, the United States
was not really united. Our country was
more like two separate countries
sharing the same land.


The North had industry (manufacturing), large
cities, a diverse population, and favored the
politics of the Republican party which
supported the abolition of slavery.
The South had an economy based on
agriculture (farming), a plantation lifestyle,
the views of the Democratic party, and
supported the institution of slavery.
Cause #1: Sectionalism
–
–
Southerners were especially loyal to
their state, and their section of the
country (i.e., the South). This idea is
called sectionalism.
The intense feelings of sectionalism
further divided the country into two
separate sections – the North and the
South.
Sectionalism
The two sections disagreed about
1. Economics and Protective tariffs
2. Slavery
3. Nature of “Union” of States; States
Rights vs. Perpetual Union
Issue 1: economics
North
 Industry
 Shipping
 Small farmers
 Make own finished
goods
 Want tariffs to
protect industry
Issue 1: economics
South
 Large plantations
 King cotton
 Many small farms
 Industry
underdeveloped
 Import finished goods
 Dislike tariffs they hurt
imports/exports
Cause #2: Slavery
–
–
Slavery was concentrated in the South on large cotton
plantations. There were 182,000 slaves in Texas in
1860. Only 5% of Texans owned slaves, because most
people were poor.
Slavery was a cause of the Civil War for two reasons:
 #1 – The South viewed slavery as a necessity to
maintaining their economic wealth. Slaves had no
rights and were considered property. However, many
people in the North viewed slavery as evil and
unconstitutional.
 #2 – Slavery was not just a moral issue but a political
issue as well. The North feared the spread of slavery
to new territories, which could cause an imbalance of
power.
– If there were more slave states in the U.S., then the
South would have more power in Congress.
– If there were more free states in the U.S., the North
would have more power in Congress.
Issue 2: Slavery
the
"peculiar
institution"
North
States outlawed by
early 19th century.
 enslaved labor is
competition
 Slaves might
replace laborers

South
 State laws
protected slavery
 Economy
depended on
slave labor.
Cause #2: Slavery
–
–
There was a growing movement of
abolitionists, or people who wanted to
end slavery.
Many Northerners who were against
slavery joined the new Republican
Party. They were opposed by
Southerners in the Democratic Party
that supported slavery.
Cause #3: States’ Rights
–
States’ rights is the idea that each state
had the right to determine whether or
not to follow federal laws.
Southerners supported states’ rights, as
opposed to federal control.
–



They believed they had the right to own
slaves and even secede, or withdraw, from
the Union if they desired it.
They argued that sovereignty, or supreme
power, rested in the states.
They also felt that any federal tax restricted
the rights of the individual states.
South: States’ Rights
Beliefs
 States had freely joined USA
 Union like a contract
 States could leave at will
 Rights of states supersede rights Federal
Government
Sorry USA
State first!
Hey, no fair
Cause #3: States’ Rights
–
Northerners did not support states’
rights.


They believed the national government had
final power.
The federal government had the power to
make laws that applied to all states, including
imposing tariffs (a tax on trade).
North: Perpetual Union
Beliefs
 States made promise when joined USA
 Impossible to leave
 rights of Federal Government supersede
rights of individual states
Me first
Cause #4: Election of 1860
–
There were two main candidates
for president of the United States in
1860.
 Republican Party – Abraham Lincoln
 Democratic Party – Stephen Douglas
Lincoln’s 1860 election
Southern perspective
 Republican
 unacceptable for Southern Democrats,
 stood against expansion of slavery
 This would ruin South’s economy.
No expansion of
slavery!
Cause #4: Election of 1860
–
–
–
–
When Abraham Lincoln won the presidential
election of 1860, Southerners believed that
their rights would no longer be respected.
Southern leaders believed it was time to
secede, or withdraw, from the Union.
As a result, 6 states immediately voted to
withdraw from the Union.
Many Texans urged Governor Sam Houston to
issue a call for a convention to consider the
secession of Texas.
Cause #5: Secession
–
–
On January 28, 1861, Texas leaders met in
Austin at the Texas Secession Convention. The
delegates quickly adopted a decree called the
Ordinance of Secession. This ordinance, or
local law, declared that the U.S. government
had abused its power and Texas had the right
to secede.
On February 23, 1861, the people of Texas
voted and approved secession. Texas became
the 7th state to withdraw from the Union.
Cause #5: Secession
–
At the Montgomery Convention,
delegates from seceded states formed a
new nation called the Confederate
States of America.



Under the Confederate Constitution, the
states were given more power, and the
federal government was given less.
They selected Jefferson Davis as president of
the CSA.
A Texan, John H. Reagan, became
postmaster general.
Cause #5: Secession
–
–
–
–
Governor Sam Houston was opposed to
secession. He was removed from his position
because he refused to take the oath of
allegiance to the Confederacy.
Overall, 11 southern states seceded from the
Union and joined the CSA.
Abraham Lincoln viewed Southern secession
as an unconstitutional act. He believed the
Union was perpetual, or continuing forever.
On April 12, 1861, Southern troops attacked
Fort Sumter, a Union garrison off the coast of
Charleston, South Carolina. This was the first
battle of the Civil War. No one was killed; as
this was a “bloodless opening to the bloodiest
war in American history.”
I'm outta
here!
Secession
Considered actions legal
 South Carolina seceded 1860.
 Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia,
Louisiana, and Texas soon followed

Wait we’re
leaving, too!
April 12, 1861 Confederate troops open
fire on Fort Sumter in Charleston, South
Carolina
To Arms!!!!
Lincoln calls out militias
 Subdue uprising in South
 Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina,
Tennessee seceded instead

Volunteers
To preserve
the UNION!!
And attack fellow
Southerners?
NEVER!!!!