Causes of the American Civil War

Sectionalism

• Devotion to one’s region or section rather than the nation as a whole.

Band-Aids

• Fixes the problem (Temporarily) -Compromises are reached

-3/5 Compromise-Missouri Compromise

- Gag Rule in Congress 1836-46-Compromise of 1850-Kansas-Nebraska Act

1803

• Louisiana Purchase- Will this new land be free or slave?

1820Missouri

Compromise-Should Missouri be a slave state or a free state? Would tip the balance between free and slave states in Congress. -Allow Missouri to enter as a slave state and Maine enter as a free state. -Prevents slavery from going north of 36-30 Line

1832• Nullification Crisis

-South Carolina is angry with the Tariff of Abomination-S.C. threatens to leave and Jackson threatens to use force to maintain order.

• John C. Calhoun, Henry Clay (the Great Pacificator)

Compromise of 1850

– California a free state? – Yes…but…Popular Sovereignty in land ceded by Mexico

Fugitive Slave Act

• Henry Clay + Stephen Douglas

Fugitive Slave Act

• Fugitive Slave Act of 1850: Any runaway slave that is caught in the North must be returned to the South. It is also illegal to assist runaway slaves.

• Many Northerners refuse to obey the law. • Northern states pass Personal Liberty Laws

– This angers southerners

Jerry Rescue: Syracuse, NY

• William Henry AKA “Jerry” was a runaway slave that lived in Syracuse.

• Arrested on October 1, 1851. • Escapes to Canada with help from Underground Railroad

Anthony Burns

• Runaway slave at the age of 19. Escaped from Richmond to Boston in 1853.

• May 24, 1854 he was discovered and arrested.• President Pierce wants the Fugitive Slave Act

strictly enforced. • Many New England abolitionists are outraged

and attempt to storm the court house and free Burns.

Symbol of Resistance

Harriet Beecher Stowe• American Abolitionist and Author.• Most famous for Uncle Tom’s Cabin

(1852)Reveals the atrocities of slavery.

• “So this is the little lady who started this great war.”

Abraham Lincoln

1854

• Kansas-Nebraska Act• Repeals the Missouri Compromise, slavery

open to any territory if that state approves (popular sovereignty).

• Leads to a lot of problems…-Bleeding Kansas-John Brown

Popular Sovereignty

• Compromise of 1850: Allow the people in the soon to be state determine if it should allow slavery or not.

• The “Free-Staters” and the “Border Ruffians” are going to want Kansas for their own side. So…. Anti-slavery activists and pro-slavery activists are going to rush into Kansas and try to throw the vote in their favor.

Bleeding Kansas

BLEEDING KANSAS• John Brown arrives in Kansas to fight slavery.• “Wakarusa War” begins on November 21,

1855… only one person dies, so its relatively bloodless.

Problems In Congress

• Brooks V. SumnerBrooks = Southern Democrat from South Carolina.Sumner = Northerner Republican from Massachusetts.

Brooks V. Sumner

• "Mr. Sumner, I have read your speech twice over carefully. It is a libel on South Carolina, and Mr. Butler, who is a relative of mine.“ Preston Brooks

• "We consider the act good in conception, better in execution, and best of all in consequences. These vulgar abolitionists in the Senate must be lashed into submission.“Richmond Enquirer

Dred Scott• Slave owned by U.S. Army

Major John Emerson. • Emerson is constantly being

moved around, including to Northern states.

• Northern states are free. • Emerson dies, his wife

inherits Scott. Scott sues for his freedom.

Dred Scott Decision

• 1857: Case decided.• Chief Justice Roger B. Taney in charge of the

case. (he is a slave owner from a wealthy tobacco plantation family.)

• Slaves are not people, their property.• Slaves have no rights which a white man is

bound to respect. • Missouri Compromise Unconstitutional

John Brown

Brown in Action

• 1859: Pottawatomie Massacre. Brown and his following descend upon pro-slavery settlers in Kansas, killing 5.

Harper’s Ferry

• 1859: Harper’s Ferry, VA (Present day WV)• Brown and a small group of anti-slavery

supporters raid the US Armory. They plan on seizing the armory and giving the weapons to slaves to lead an uprising.

• Brown will be tried for treason and executed. He will be seen as a martyr for the north.

1860Lincoln is elected, defeats Stephen

Douglas. South Carolina secedes from the

Union.

18616 additional states secede and form the

Confederate States of America. Attack on Fort Sumter: April 12-13, 1861.

CIVIL WAR!!!

Abraham Lincoln

• What a failure!!!1831 - Lost his job1832 - Defeated in run for Illinois State Legislature1833 - Failed in business1834 - Elected to Illinois State Legislature (success)1835 - Sweetheart died 1836 - Had nervous breakdown 1838 - Defeated in run for Illinois House Speaker 1843 - Defeated in run for nomination for U.S. Congress 1846 - Elected to Congress (success)1848 - Lost re-nomination1849 - Rejected for land officer position 1854 - Defeated in run for U.S. Senate 1856 - Defeated in run for nomination for Vice President1858 - Again defeated in run for U.S. Senate 1860 - Elected President (success)

Most known for…

• Being rather tall 6’4”• Way too honest… “Honest Abe”• Killing Vampires with his spare time… (JK)• A little stint as President where he preserved

the Union.

The Battle Lines Are Drawn