Download Causes of US Civil War

BELLWORK
• As you know, slavery was a huge problem the
Americas faced in the “nation-building” period.
Slavery will be our focus today as we learn about the
causes of the U.S. Civil War.
• For bellwork today, the class is split into two
groups….. ½ will read pro-slavery arguments, and
the other ½ will read anti-slavery arguments.
• After reading the primary sources, on a sheet of
paper list FIVE arguments that support your side.
• Once we discuss, you will also fill in the opposing
viewpoint & arguments.
The U.S. Civil War
The Civil War (1861-1865) took more American
lives than any other war in history. It so divided
the people of the United States that in some
families brother fought against brother. The
Civil War was between the Southern States,
trying to preserve slavery and an agricultural
way of life, and the Northern States, dedicated
to a more modern way of life and to ending the
expansion-and, later, the existence-of slavery.
The terrible bloodshed left a heritage of grief
and bitterness that declined only slowly and,
even today, has not fully disappeared.
Causes of the U.S. Civil War
“A house divided against itself cannot stand. I
believe this government cannot endure
permanently half slave and half free…”
-Abraham Lincoln
Discussion
What do you think caused the Civil
War?
Cause #1 - Sectionalism
• The North
• Encouraged modernization
• Belief that the people should decide whether an
action was moral or immoral
• The South
• Held the present and past dear
• Profitable agricultural economy based on slave
labor
Discussion
Two different views of economic
freedom and the South’s view of
protection of “property”
Cause #2 - The Compromise of 1850
1. prohibited the slave trade in Washington,
D.C.
2. admitted California to the Union as a free
state
3. gave newly acquired territories the right to
decide for themselves whether to permit
slavery
4. included a strict fugitive slave law that
required Northerners to return escaped
slaves to their owners
The Fugitive Slave Law
• The fugitive slave law made northerners
accomplices to slavery, and was very expensive.
• Runaways were denied the right to trial, special
commissions handled cases, and received $5-$10
for every runaway.
• The law also required free citizens to assist
enforcement.
• Northerners rioted and some cities refused to
cooperate with the law.
Cause #3 - The Kansas-Nebraska Act
• allowed Kansas and Nebraska to decide
whether to allow slavery
• caused a rush of pro and anti slavery
“settlers” to fight for control (bleeding
Kansas)
• One southern senator even beat a northern
senator with his cane on the Senate floor
because of a speech he made about Kansas
Cause #4 - The Dred Scott Case
• A slave claimed
freedom because he
had lived for awhile in a
free state and territory
• U.S. vs. Dred Scott: the
court declared that no
black could be a United
States citizen
• Congress could not
prohibit slavery
Cause #5 - American Two Party System
• Democrats were divided:
– Northern Democrats believed each state and territory
should determine slavery status itself
– Southern Democrats believed slavery was protected by the
Constitution and that Congress could establish slave states
• Republicans considered slavery evil and opposed its
extension into Western territories
(“…there is a higher law than the Constitution” if the constitution permitted slavery, then
we are morally justified to ignore it. )
• Other Republican factions formed: Know-Nothing
Party blamed immigrants and Roman Catholics for the
country's problems
Discussion
In your opinion, which of the five
causes had the biggest impact on
the start of the U.S. Civil War?
•
The Election of Abraham
Lincoln
Background
–
–
–
–
Born very poor in a log cabin in Kentucky
Self educated lawyer; deep respect for the law
Known for his character, sincerity, and humor
Married to Mary Todd and had 4 sons (only 1 lived to adulthood)
The Election of Abraham
Lincoln
Election of 1860
1. The North had enough electoral votes to choose the
president (Lincoln received only 40% of the popular
vote)
2. The South leaves the Union
– Secession: formal withdrawal from a nation
– Jefferson Davis elected president
• His view of slavery was how he personally treated his
slaves, which was good, and he was not well traveled
Discussion
Who do you think had the advantage in the
Civil War, the Union or the Confederacy?
Why?
The U.S. Civil War
Advantages of the
North
– huge population
– standing army and
navy
– Industrialization &
manufacturing
– large transportation
system
Advantages of the
South
– Determination and
motivation
– military leadership
and combat
expertise
– only had to survive
to succeed
Civil War Generals
North:
Ulysses S.
Grant
South:
Robert E.
Lee
The Civil War
Lincoln’s Goals
• preserve the Union
• keep the border states on the side of
the Union
• keep foreign countries from helping the
Confederacy
What is missing from this
list?
Lincoln’s Goals
• preserve the Union
• keep the border states on the side of
the Union
• keep foreign countries from helping the
Confederacy
Lincoln’s Goals
“My paramount object in this struggle is to
save the Union, and is not either to save or
to destroy slavery. If I could save the Union
without freeing any slave I would do it, and
if I could save it by freeing all the slaves I
would do it; and if I could save it by freeing
some and leaving others alone I would also
do that.”
- (Lincoln's Letter to Horace Greeley)
Civil War Event Worksheet
• The Civil War lasted from
1861-1865 and was
comprised of various events,
battles and dates.
• To understand these a little
better you are going to
complete a graphic organizer
for homework.
• These will be your notes for
the section so make sure you
actually read the section and
summarize the information.