A Storm Upon the Land The end of peace in America

A Storm Upon the LandA Storm Upon the Land

The end of peace in AmericaThe end of peace in America

Bleeding KansasBleeding Kansas

Freesoiler – citizens Freesoiler – citizens who wanted Kansas who wanted Kansas to become a free to become a free state.state.

The Democratic party The Democratic party was forcing them to was forcing them to accept the hijacked accept the hijacked election, and become election, and become a slave state.a slave state.

Brooks v. Sumner Brooks v. Sumner

"The Senate is a "The Senate is a dignified and dignified and decorous body, and decorous body, and its proceedings are its proceedings are conducted with conducted with much gravity and much gravity and order." order."

-Charles Dickens, -Charles Dickens, American Notes, American Notes, 1842. 1842.

Brooks v. SumnerBrooks v. Sumner

Preston Brooks, a Senator from South Preston Brooks, a Senator from South Carolina, walked into the Senate chamber Carolina, walked into the Senate chamber and, using his cane, beat Senator Charles and, using his cane, beat Senator Charles Sumner unconscious. Sumner unconscious. Sumner, in a speech against the crimes Sumner, in a speech against the crimes done to the Kansas elections, had called done to the Kansas elections, had called one of Brooks’ relatives a fat, stuttering one of Brooks’ relatives a fat, stuttering idiot, and that is why Brooks attacked idiot, and that is why Brooks attacked Sumner.Sumner.

Brooks v. SumnerBrooks v. Sumner

Look at this political Look at this political cartoon…cartoon…Sumner is the one on the Sumner is the one on the floor with a pen in hand…floor with a pen in hand…Brooks has the cane…Brooks has the cane…How does the media spin How does the media spin this story? What do they this story? What do they make the fight about?make the fight about?What are the people in What are the people in the back doing? Is the back doing? Is anyone trying to stop anyone trying to stop them?them?

President James BuchananPresident James Buchanan

Fifteenth PresidentFifteenth President

1857-18611857-1861

DemocratDemocrat

Only President to never Only President to never marry.marry.

His Presidency began His Presidency began with the infamous “Dred with the infamous “Dred Scott Decision.”Scott Decision.”

Famous for flip-flopping Famous for flip-flopping on almost every decision on almost every decision he made.he made.

President BuchananPresident Buchanan

When he was elected, he felt the Scott case was When he was elected, he felt the Scott case was “of little practical importance,” and that the “of little practical importance,” and that the Supreme Court would make the “right” decision.Supreme Court would make the “right” decision.

When Scott lost and the Supreme Court ruled When Scott lost and the Supreme Court ruled against Congress’ right to control the territories, against Congress’ right to control the territories, the freesoilers and Republicans were furious.the freesoilers and Republicans were furious.

Buchanan decided to end the troubles in Kansas Buchanan decided to end the troubles in Kansas by urging the admission of the territory as a by urging the admission of the territory as a slave state. This only made northerners more slave state. This only made northerners more upset.upset.

President BuchananPresident Buchanan

In 1858, the Republicans won control of In 1858, the Republicans won control of the House of Representatives.the House of Representatives.Every bill they passed in the next two Every bill they passed in the next two years was killed by the Democratically years was killed by the Democratically controlled Senate or vetoed by Buchanan.controlled Senate or vetoed by Buchanan.More and more northerners joined the More and more northerners joined the quickly growing Republican party, which quickly growing Republican party, which hoped to end slavery and the southern hoped to end slavery and the southern control of the government.control of the government.

Lincoln-Douglas DebatesLincoln-Douglas Debates

The Lincoln-Douglas The Lincoln-Douglas debates were a series debates were a series of formal political of formal political debates between debates between Abraham Lincoln and Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas Stephen A. Douglas in a campaign for one in a campaign for one of Illinois' two United of Illinois' two United States Senate seats. States Senate seats.

Typical Scene of the Lincoln-Typical Scene of the Lincoln-Douglas DebatesDouglas Debates

Lincoln-Douglas DebatesLincoln-Douglas Debates

Although Lincoln lost the Although Lincoln lost the election, these debates election, these debates launched him into national launched him into national prominence which eventually prominence which eventually led to his election as President led to his election as President of the United States. of the United States.

The debates focused on hot The debates focused on hot topics of the day, primarily the topics of the day, primarily the Kansas situation and the Dred Kansas situation and the Dred Scott Decision.Scott Decision.

Lincoln became the Lincoln became the “champion” of the Republican “champion” of the Republican cause.cause.

John Brown’s RaidJohn Brown’s Raid

With the Kansas conflict With the Kansas conflict still raging, John Brown, a still raging, John Brown, a militant abolitionist, militant abolitionist, decided to take matters decided to take matters into his own hands.into his own hands.

In the early years of In the early years of Bleeding Kansas, he Bleeding Kansas, he brutally murdered five brutally murdered five slave holders in slave holders in retaliation for the deaths retaliation for the deaths of five abolitions.of five abolitions.


Brown, in 1859, Brown, in 1859, decided to take the decided to take the abolitionist cause to a abolitionist cause to a new level.new level.

He infiltrated the He infiltrated the south, and began south, and began freeing slaves from freeing slaves from the plantations and the plantations and began plans to stage began plans to stage an armed uprising.an armed uprising.


Brown first needed Brown first needed weapons to arm the weapons to arm the slaves, and the Federal slaves, and the Federal arsenal in Harpers Ferry arsenal in Harpers Ferry became his target.became his target.

When he staged his raid When he staged his raid on the Federal arsenal on on the Federal arsenal on October 16, 1859, he had October 16, 1859, he had 21 men total; 16 whites 21 men total; 16 whites and only 5 blacks.and only 5 blacks.


Brown and his men cut the Brown and his men cut the telegraph lines to the town and telegraph lines to the town and then took 60 townspeople then took 60 townspeople hostage.hostage.Unfortunately for Brown, a Unfortunately for Brown, a train line ran through the town, train line ran through the town, and his men were unable to and his men were unable to stop the train from leaving and stop the train from leaving and spreading an alarm about the spreading an alarm about the raid.raid.U.S. Marines, led by Colonel U.S. Marines, led by Colonel Robert E. Lee, were sent to Robert E. Lee, were sent to stop Brown’s Raiders.stop Brown’s Raiders.Brown took 9 hostages and Brown took 9 hostages and took refuge in the local took refuge in the local firehouse.firehouse.


"...on arriving here on the night "...on arriving here on the night of the 17th instant, I learned of the 17th instant, I learned that a party of insurgents, that a party of insurgents, about 11pm on the 16th, had about 11pm on the 16th, had seized the watchmen stationed seized the watchmen stationed at the armory, arsenal, rifle at the armory, arsenal, rifle factory, and bridge across the factory, and bridge across the Potomac, and taken Potomac, and taken possession of those points.” possession of those points.” ~Col. R. E. Lee~Col. R. E. LeeMarines stormed the firehouse Marines stormed the firehouse and killed a number of Brown’s and killed a number of Brown’s followers and wounded Brown.followers and wounded Brown.

Trial of John BrownTrial of John Brown

Brown was brought to trial on Brown was brought to trial on charges of “treason towards charges of “treason towards the commonwealth of Virginia,” the commonwealth of Virginia,” and was sentenced to hang.and was sentenced to hang.

Just before his hanging on Just before his hanging on December 2, 1859, Brown December 2, 1859, Brown uttered a prophetic uttered a prophetic forewarning of the coming Civil forewarning of the coming Civil War: "I, John Brown, am now War: "I, John Brown, am now quite certain that the crimes of quite certain that the crimes of this guilty land will never be this guilty land will never be purged away but with blood." purged away but with blood."

Election of 1860Election of 1860

With Buchanan frustrating the nation with his With Buchanan frustrating the nation with his inability to commit to either the abolition or the inability to commit to either the abolition or the support of slavery, the nation sought new support of slavery, the nation sought new political parties.political parties.

The Democratic party split between Northern The Democratic party split between Northern Democrats, led by Stephen Douglas, and Democrats, led by Stephen Douglas, and Southern Democrats, led by John Breckinridge. Southern Democrats, led by John Breckinridge.

This split destroyed the power the Democrats This split destroyed the power the Democrats held in Congress, and doomed them in the held in Congress, and doomed them in the upcoming election.upcoming election.


With the Democratic split, With the Democratic split, the Republican party, led the Republican party, led by Abraham Lincoln now by Abraham Lincoln now had a lead in the polls.had a lead in the polls.The last split came with The last split came with the end of the “Whigs,” a the end of the “Whigs,” a party that originated with party that originated with the Revolution. the Revolution. Several of their members Several of their members joined the Republicans, joined the Republicans, while others backed the while others backed the Constitutional Union Constitutional Union Party, led by John Bell.Party, led by John Bell.


Lincoln won the Lincoln won the election, despite the election, despite the fact he did not hold fact he did not hold the majority vote.the majority vote.

His election was the His election was the final upset the South final upset the South would stand for. would stand for. Immediately, talks of Immediately, talks of secession began secession began throughout the south.throughout the south.

SecessionSecession

December 20, 1860: December 20, 1860: South Carolina is the South Carolina is the first to declare first to declare secession from the secession from the Union.Union.

6 other states, 6 other states, Mississippi, Florida, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas, Louisiana, and Texas, were soon to follow. were soon to follow.

The War BeginsThe War Begins

Fort Sumter in Fort Sumter in Charleston, SC guarded Charleston, SC guarded the entrance to the city’s the entrance to the city’s harbor.harbor.They rebels felt it posed a They rebels felt it posed a threat, and demanded the threat, and demanded the fort’s surrender.fort’s surrender.Major Robert Anderson Major Robert Anderson refused and asked refused and asked Lincoln for supplies in Lincoln for supplies in preparation for a possible preparation for a possible siege.siege.

Battle for SumterBattle for Sumter

On April 12, 1861, On April 12, 1861, Confederate forces Confederate forces open fire on the fort.open fire on the fort.For 34 hours the fort For 34 hours the fort was bombarded from was bombarded from all directions.all directions.Without his needed Without his needed supplies, Maj. supplies, Maj. Anderson was forced Anderson was forced to surrender the fort to surrender the fort on the 13on the 13thth..

Fort Sumter AftermathFort Sumter Aftermath

With the loss of the fort, Lincoln saw this as the With the loss of the fort, Lincoln saw this as the beginning of a war.beginning of a war.Shortly after Sumter fell, four more states Shortly after Sumter fell, four more states seceded from the Union. Virginia, North seceded from the Union. Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Arkansas.Carolina, Tennessee, and Arkansas.

The Union Forever!The Union Forever!

War was declared, War was declared, and the nation looked and the nation looked to their President to to their President to see what the see what the government response government response would be.would be.Lincoln answered the Lincoln answered the rebels with a call for rebels with a call for 100,000 volunteers to 100,000 volunteers to end the rebellion and end the rebellion and restore the Union.restore the Union.

Documents

A Storm Upon the Land The end of peace in America