Download Chapter Seven: The Antebellum period

Chapter Seven:
The Antebellum period
Mrs. Eby
Objectives: SS8H6 & SS8E1
• SS8H6: The student will analyze the impact of the
Civil War and Reconstruction on Georgia.
a. Explain the importance of key events and issues that
led to the Civil War including slavery, states rights,
nullification, Missouri Compromise, Compromise
of 1850, and the Georgia Platform, Kansas-Nebraska
Act, Dred Scott case, election of 1860, the debate
over secession in Georgia and the role of Alexander
Stephens.
SS8E1: The student will give examples of the kinds of
goods and services produced in Georgia in different
historical periods.
Background
•
Antebellum: period before the war
1.
What was manifest destiny? The belief that it was
the will of God that the United States expand its
borders to the Pacific Coast
2.
Name the three areas of our country acquired during
the antebellum period. Texas, Oregon, and
California
3.
What war resulted in the United States gaining control
of Texas? The Mexican-American War
4.
What key event led to California’s rapid population
increase? Gold Rush of 1849
Slavery
Slavery – The North wanted to abolish slavery, but
the South felt their economy required slavery to
exist because they needed to have a source of
cheap labor to work the fields and produce
crops
States’ Rights
States’ rights – (the belief that the state’s interests
should take precedence over the interest of
national government) The North believed that in
order for the Union to work best together,
political decisions should be made that would
benefit the entire country. They believed that all
states should abide by the laws made by the
federal government. The South thought states
had the right to govern themselves and should be
able to decide what is best for their needs or
situation. They did not believe northern
politicians could have any idea what is best for a
southern state.
Nullification
Nullification – (the belief that a state should have
the authority to nullify any federal law they
thought was unconstitutional) This debate
arose from a series of tariffs placed on
importing foreign-made goods. The South was
very dependent on foreign goods because they
did not have factories to make the goods. The
North was able to produce many of their own
goods, so these tariffs primarily penalized the
southern states. Many in the South favored
nullifying these types of decisions.
Missouri Compromise
Missouri Compromise – In 1819, the United States
had 22 states, 11 were slave states, and 11 were
free states. This meant the senate had an equal
amount of senators from slave states and free
states. The House had more representatives from
free states than from slave states. When Missouri
applied for statehood in 1819, it applied as a slave
state. This led to the Missouri Compromise in
1820 which stated that Maine would enter the
union as a free state, and Missouri as a slave state
(to keep the balance equal). From that point
forward slavery would be prohibited north of 36◦
20’ latitude (the southern border of Missouri).
Compromise of 1850
Compromise of 1850– Due to the growth of California after
the discovery of gold there, California was ready to ask
for statehood. (A state could ask for statehood after they
had 100,000 residents). In 1850, there were 15 slave states
& 15 free states. Because California’s constitution did not
allow slavery, its admission would mean the balance in
the Senate would change. After eight months of debate, a
compromise bill was suggested. The Compromise of 1850
had benefits for both sides.
Compromise of 1850, cont.
For the North it meant:
• California would be admitted as a free state
• Slave trading was ended in the District of Columbia
• Texas gave up its idea of annexing New Mexico, thus taking
that territory away from a slave state
For the South it meant:
• The territories of New Mexico and Utah would determine if
they wanted to be slave or free
• The residents of the District of Columbia could keep the
slaves they already had
• Congress would pass a law (the Fugitive Slave Act) stating that
slaves who ran away to free states would be returned to their
owners
The Georgia Platform
(re: Compromise of 1850)
The Georgia Platform:
• Many Georgians did not like the Compromise of
1850, but they were urged to accept it by some of
their congressmen. A “Georgia Platform”
supporting the Compromise was adopted at a
convention in Milledgeville (the state capital). It was
clear, even to the Georgians who did not approve of
the Compromise, that the measure was necessary in
order for Georgia to remain in the Union. Eventually
the disagreement over the Platform lead to the
formation of new political parties leaving the
Democrats in power in Georgia.
Kansas-Nebraska Act
Kansas-Nebraska Act – This act called for people of
new territories to vote and decide whether their
territory should be free or slave. This act
angered northerners who felt it contradicted the
Missouri Compromise which did not allow for
slavery north of Missouri’s southern border.
This act caused fighting to break out between
proslavery and freesoiler groups. When Kansas
applied for statehood (as a slave state) its bid
was rejected which showed southerners that the
northern votes alone could keep states from
being slave states.
Dred Scott Case
Dred Scott case – In 1834, Dred Scott, a slave, was
taken by his owner from Missouri to Illinois (a
free state), and later to Wisconsin (also free).
When they returned to Missouri later, Dred
Scott filed a lawsuit arguing he should be free
because he had lived in a free state.
Abolitionists in the North raised enough money
to take the case to the U.S. Supreme Court
where it was ruled that Mr. Scott was not able to
sue because he was a slave and therefore, not a
citizen. The Supreme Court also ruled that
Congress had no authority to stop slavery in the
territories, further dividing the North & South.
Election of 1860
Background:
In 1854, a new political party formed. Known as the
Republican party, it existed only in free states,
so many who were opposed to slavery joined.
Election of 1860 – Democratic
candidates
When the democrats had their convention to elect a
presidential candidate in 1860, they argued over the
party’s platform. Northern democrats wanted to
campaign on popular sovereignty (the ability of a
territory to decide whether or not they would have
slavery), but southern democrats disagreed. They
felt slavery should be allowed in all the territories.
The issue ended up splitting the democrats in two,
and each side nominated its own presidential
candidate, Stephen Douglas from the North and
John Breckenridge from the South.
Election of 1860 – Republican
Candidate
The Republican party nominated Abraham
Lincoln. Lincoln was opposed to allowing
slavery to spread, but said he would not try
to end it in states where it already existed. In
addition, Lincoln’s platform wanted to
implement a protective tariff (allowing
western territory land to be given away to
settlers), and construct a transcontinental
railroad (with one end in the North). None
of these measures benefited the South.
Election of 1860 - Results
Lincoln won the election without receiving the
majority of the vote because the Democratic
vote was split. He did not receive a single
electoral vote in the slave states. This was the
first time a candidate had won based upon
the vote of one section of the country. Talk
of secession (the act of pulling out of the
Union) and war began immediately.
Debate in Georgia over Secession
Although Georgian’s supported the Union, they favored states’
rights more. Immediately after the election, Georgia’s
governor called a legislative session to determine if a
convention should be called to decide the question of
secession. After heated debate (with Alexander Stephens
opposed, and Robert Toombs and Thomas Cobb for
secession), the governor called for a secession convention. In
December 1860 (just a little over a month after Lincoln’s
election), South Carolina seceded from the Union. Most
Georgian’s supported South Carolina’s move, and in January
of 1861, Georgia seceded.
Order of secession of the states: South Carolina, Mississippi,
Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, & Texas
Pneumonic Device: Sorry Miss Flora almost got lost today.
Alexander Stephens
Alexander Stephens was a well-known
legislator for the state of Georgia from
Crawfordsville who spoke out against
secession after the election of 1860 at the
special session called by the governor. He
was later named Vice President of the
Confederacy.
Goods and services available in
Georgia during the antebellum period
The backbone of Georgia’s economy was still
agriculture with cotton being the primary
crop. Many cotton mills also existed in the
state by this time as well as shoe factories,
tanneries, iron factories, grist mills, and
brick and pottery factories.