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Sectionalism
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When a region or section of the country places its interests above that of the
rest of the nation as a whole.
Differences Between the North and South
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Railroads- More in the North
Economy- South/Farming, North/Industry
Population- North was larger because of numerous immigrants seeking jobs
in the factories
Slavery
Causes of Sectionalism
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Slavery
Westward Expansion
Tariffs- The South did not want them, The North was in favor
Slavery
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Southerners see slavery as a necessity
24% of Southerners owned slaves
How a slave was treated depended on the owner
Slave Revolts
Because of the harsh treatment of slaves, several revolts occurred.
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Nat Turner’s Rebellion- Turner was a slave preacher in Virginia who
believed he was chosen by God to lead a revolt. He persuaded his
congregation to help him. 60 armed men and boys killed 57 white, many of
them women and children before the militia ended the revolt.
Slave Codes were passed to further limit the activities of slaves, they
outlawed communication and congregation, reading and writing, and
preaching by blacks.
Abolition
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The movement to end slavery
William Lloyd Garrison- Started a newspaper called “ The Liberator” to
educate people about the cruelties of slavery. Published the paper until the
13th Amendment ended slavery.
Frederick Douglass- Former slave who lectured about slavery. Started a
newspaper called “The North Star” Became an advisor to Abraham Lincoln
The Road to War
Wilmot Proviso- Proposed by David Wilmot, from Pennsylvania. He proposed that
all land gained from Mexico should be free. This was mainly a political statement. It
passed the House, but failed in the Senate.
Election of 1848
Zachary Taylor won because a Third Party candidate took votes from Martin Van
Buren.
Compromise of 1850
Proposed by Henry Clay
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California comes in as a free state
Utah and New Mexico territories would be decided by popular sovereignty
Texas gets $10 million to give up its Eastern border for New Mexico
Stricter Fugitive Slave Laws
Slave Trade abolished in Washington DC
Clay cannot get it passed, because not everyone likes all of its parts. Stephen
Douglass breaks it into 5 separate bills and gets all of them passed. The death of
Zachary Taylor also helped, because he was opposed to it and had threatened to
veto.
Kansas-Nebraska Act
Proposed by Stephen Douglass. He wanted to open the territory for settlement and
to build a new rail line that originated in Chicago. Based on the 36-30 line, both
states would enter as free states. Douglass proposed that they should use Popular
Sovereignty to make that decision. People from the North and South flood the area
to try to gain a majority.
Bloody Kansas
Sack of Lawrence- Pro-slavery group destroyed the town
Potawatomie Creek Massacre- Led by John Brown and his sons. Went door to door
and viciously murdered 5 slave owners.
Party Split
The Whig Party divides over the Kansas-Nebraska Act. The Northern Whigs end up
becoming the Republican Party and the Southern Whigs move to the Democrats.
John Browns Raid
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Plans to take over the US arsenal at Harpers Ferry VA and start a slave
uprising. Once the government was told about this, they sent troops to
Harpers Ferry to end the raid.
Caning of Sumner
Charles Sumner was a Senator from Massachusetts, he gave a speech called “The
Crime Against Kansas” in opposition to slavery. During the speech, he verbally
attacks another Senator, Andrew Butler from South Carolina. He also makes fun of
his speech impediment, which he suffered after having a stroke. A few days later, as
Sumner is sitting in his desk in the Senate Chamber, Butler’s nephew, Preston
Brooks walks up behind him and begins beating him with his cane. He beat him
until his cane broke. Sumner ended up with brain damage and spent 3 years in a
hospital. Brooks resigned from his Senate seat and was re-elected two years later as
a hero of the South. Many Southerners sent him new canes and thanked him for
defending their cause.
Dred Scott Decision
Scott was a slave whose master was a US Army Officer. He moved from Missouri to
several free states, which he lived in for a number of years. After moving back to
Missouri, his master died. He sued for his freedom, going all the way to the Supreme
Court. The Court said that no slave or descendant of a slave could be a citizen. This
decision widened the social and political gap between North and South and moved
the Nation closer to Civil War.
Underground Railroad
Series of underground and hidden passages that helped slaves escape to the North
and Canada. Harriet Tubman was the most famous conductor, she was a former
slave who helped about 3000 slaves escape to freedom. Her nickname was Moses.
The Underground Railroad helped about 50,000 slaves escape to freedom.
Uncle Toms Cabin
Fictional book written by Harriet Beecher Stowe that detailed the treatment of
slaves by a harsh master. The South said that the book was not an accurate
portrayal of Slavery. Great Britain and France decided that they would not help the
South in the Civil War because of this book.
Election of 1860
Going into the election, several Southern States had already said that if Lincoln was
elected, they would secede from the Union.
Lincoln was ok with the slavery that already existed, his goal was to stop the spread
of slavery to new territories and states.
Candidates
- Abraham Lincoln- Republican
- Stephen Douglass- Northern Democrat- Favored Popular Sovereignty
- John Breckenridge- Southern Democrat
- John Bell- Constitutional Union
Lincoln received 40% of the popular vote, the Democratic vote was split.
South Carolina leaves the Union in December, withdraws all of its representatives
from Washington DC. Within a month, 6 more state secede from the Union.
Confederate States of America are formed with their own Constitution, Capital,
President and Vice President.