Download Causes of the Civil War and Antebellum Period

The Antebellum Period and
Causes of the Civil War
Georgia Studies
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 (get rid of)
slavery, but the South felt their economy needed
slavery to exist because they needed to have a
source of cheap labor to work the fields and
produce crops
North: against
South: for
States’ Rights
States’ rights – the belief that the state’s
interests should take importance over the
interests of national government
North: against – felt the United States had to work
together to be united
South: for – felt that the individual states knew
what their needs were better than Northern
politicians
Nullification
Nullification – the belief that a state should
have the authority to nullify (void) any
federal law they thought was
unconstitutional
North: against – wanted to place a tariff on
goods the South imported from Europe
South: for – felt they shouldn’t have to follow
federal laws they didn’t like
Missouri Compromise: 1820
Missouri Compromise – When Missouri asked to
become a state, the balance of slave states to
free states was equal (11 & 11). Senate was equal,
House was slanted toward free.
Because Missouri wanted to be slave state, the
Missouri Compromise of 1820 allowed Missouri
to be admitted as a slave state, but also created
the state of Maine (formerly part of
Massachusetts) as a free state.
The Missouri Compromise also prohibited
slavery north of 36◦ 20’ latitude (the southern
border of Missouri) for all future states.
Compromise of 1850
After the discovery of gold there, California
grew very quickly and 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, the Compromise
of 1850 was suggested which 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:
• 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 that the measure was necessary in
order for Georgia to remain in the Union.
• Eventually the disagreement over the Platform lead to
new political parties forming which placed 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.
Northerners were angry because they felt this
contradicted the MO Compromise.
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
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, 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
In 1860, there was division between the Northern
Democrats & Southern Democrats.
Northern democrats wanted to campaign on popular
sovereignty (the ability of a territory to decide
whether or not they would have slavery).
Southern Democrats felt slavery should be allowed in
all the territories.
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.
Lincoln also wanted to allow western territory
land to be given away to settlers, and to
construct a transcontinental railroad (mainly
in the North). Southern states did not like
these plans.
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 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
Mneumonic 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.