Chapter 13: The Coming of the Civil War

What did Free Soilers do with the constitutional convention held at LeCompton? What did Walker do with the proslavery constitution that was developed? What did Buchanan do with the LeCompton Constitution? Why did he do this?

Free-Soilers boycotted the election of delegates. Denounced constitution drawn up at Lecompton by proslavery delegates (antislavery ones refused to participate) after they refused to submit it to populace for a vote Buchanan asked Congress to admit Kansas to Union as a slave state under the

What was the Freeport Doctrine?

Freeport Doctrine: (Douglas) despite Dred Scott decision, people of a territory could exclude slavery by simply refusing to enact laws that were essential for holding blacks in bondage. Doctrine helped Douglas win the Senate seat but cost him southern support during 1860 presidential bid

Who authored Uncle Tom's Cabin? What was the book about? How did Southerners react? What major effects did the book have?

Harriet Beecher Stowe authored Uncle Tom's Cabin. The book told a story of slaves living on a plantation, and became an even more effective story when presented on the stage. Southerners declared that her information was distorted and false, even though she incorporated works from popular abolitionists in her novel. The book made sectional tensions skyrocket.

How come Lincoln was sure to win the election of 1860? Where did Lincoln find support?

Lincoln had many advantages over Douglass. He had moderate views and strong debating skills, political personality- many of humble origins, self educated, self made. Lincoln found support in the north.

What did Lincoln mean by his quote, "A house divided against itself cannot stand"?

Lincoln meant that he did believe the government could continue being half free and half permitting slavery as it would eventually come to blows and cause a big problem and would divide the country.

What state seceded first? What happened a week later?

Lincoln: 1.866 million votes; 180 electoral votes Douglas: 1.383 million votes; only Missouri and part of New Jersey Breckenridge: 848,000 votes; won most of South Bell: 593,000 votes; carried Virginia, Tennessee and Kentucky

What did Missourians do during the 1854 Congressional delegate election in Kansas? Why did they do this? What did the "border ruffians" do in 1855?

Many pro-slavery Missourians rushed to protect "their rights" in Kansas. In March, 1855, 5,000 pro-slavery "border ruffians" again descended on Kansas to elect territorial legislature.

What did the court declare about black citizenship? What did the decision say about the Missouri Compromise? Who was the Chief Justice at the time?

March 6, 1857 Supreme Court ruled: Blacks, free or slave, were not citizens and could not, therefore, sue in federal court Legally dubious ruling Court continued noting that since returned to Missouri, laws of Illinois did not matter and residency in Wisconsin unimportant since Missouri Compromise (which made area free territory) was unconstitutional Chief Justice Roger B. Taney

Despite the negative consequences of secession, why did Southerners want to secede? Were all Southerners in agreement?

North's economic growth seemed to threaten Southern independence. Secession seemed only way to obtain balanced economy which had proved so successful in North. Mere possibility of emancipation was a powerful force. Patriotic feelings of Southerners had been undermined by years of sectional conflict and criticism. Southerners tended to see all Northerners as "Yankee abolitionists"

Why was a Central American canal important? What agreement did Secretary Clayton and British minister to the U.S. Bulwer come to?

Now that the United States had expanded to the Pacific, people needed a quicker way to transport goods; they either had to sail around South America or trek through the country. A canal through Central America would make it much easier to transport goods from one side of the country to the other. British minister Bulwer and Secretary Clayton agreed to the demilitarization and Anglo-American control of any canal across the isthmus.

Describe John Brown's Raid. What happened? How was it put down? How did southerners and northerners respond?

October 1859: John Brown gathered 18 men, black and white, and attacked the federal arsenal at Harper's Ferry, Virginia. Planned to arm the slaves and form a black republic in the mountains of Virginia. No slaves rallied to his side after his capture of the arsenal and he was soon trapped by federal troops under the command of Robert E. Lee. After a 2 day siege in which 10 of Brown's men were killed, he was captured

What did antislavery forces in Kansas do in response to the LeCompton Constitution?

Ordered referendum on Lecompton Constitution in January 1858 Constitution rejected overwhelmingly (proslavery settlers boycotted vote) Buchanan persisted with admittance under Lecompton so Congress ordered another referendum with stipulation that if not approved then Kansas could not become state until had population of 90,000 Kansans rejected by margin of 6 to 1

Explain the Republican's platform. Specifically, what did they say about slavery?

Republicans flooded market with book by Hinton Rowan Helper that Southerners considered an appeal for social revolution. book tried to use statistics to show that slavery was ruining the Southern economy and corrupting its social structure

Describe Lincoln's background and personality.

Republicans nominated Abraham Lincoln. Spotless reputation for integrity Compassionate toward slave owner yet stern toward institution

Who was the most prominent Young American spokesman? Briefly describe his personality. What were the foundations of his politics?

The most prominent speaker of the Young America movement was Stephen A. Douglas. Douglas was able to see the needs of the nation in the broadest perspective. After serving two terms on congress, he was elected senator.

What was the bigger question brought upon by the Dred Scott case? What was the ruling? What was northern reaction?

The real issue was the question of Congress's authority to ban slavery from the territories. In 1857,the Supreme Court ruled that blacks were not citizens, so Scott could not sue in federal court. Further, the Court ruled that the Missouri Compromise (which had banned slavery from Wisconsin Territory) was unconstitutional because it violated the slave-owners'' Fifth Amendment guarantee of due process. The decision also seemed to challenge the concept of popular sovereignty, undercut the foundation of the Republican Party, and potentially make slavery a national institution.

What was the real reason Senator Douglas wanted to organize the Nebraska area?

The real reason behind the Kansas-Nebraska Act, was that Douglas saw the area as monumental for railroad development.

What happened to Anthony Burns? What does this show about the growing tensions between the North and the South

Anthony Burns was arrested as a fugitive slave. It further separated the North and the South and contributed to more sectionalism.

What were the fears of blacks residing in the North? What did they do in response? How did white northerners respond? What effect did this have on sectional tensions?

Blacks in the north became increasingly worried because of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, which imposed fines for hiding or rescuing freed slaves. In response, many blacks fled to Canada. Northerners refused to stand aside when slaves were being taken away, and abolitionists intensified their propaganda.

What two major politicians were in conflict over Kansas? What affect did it have on the Democratic Party? What did Congress do with the LeCompton Bill?

Buchanan and Douglas. Resulted in split within Democrats and defeat of Lecompton bill.

Who was appointed governor of Kansas?

Buchanan appointed Mississippian Robert J. Walker as governor of Kansas

How was the Democratic party split in 1860?

Buchanan appointed Mississippian Robert J. Walker as governor of Kansas Denounced constitution drawn up at Lecompton by proslavery delegates (antislavery ones refused to participate) after they refused to submit it to populace for a vote. Buchanan asked Congress to admit Kansas to Union as a slave state under the Lecompton constitution Stephen Douglas opposed because if he hadn't he would be: -Ignoring popular sovereignty -Committing political suicide

Who was Charles Sumner? Who did he attack in Congress and why? What eventually happened to Sumner for these attacks? How did the South react? The North?

Charles Sumner, an abolitionist senator from Massachusetts, relentlessly demeaned slavery and southerners alike. His combative insistence on the admission of Kansas as a free state and his personal attack on a southern senator resulted in his being assaulted by the senator's nephew, South Carolina's congressman, Preston Brooks. Northerners viewed the incident as an illustration of the brutalizing effects of slavery on southern whites.

Who was chosen as provisional president of the Confederacy?

Confederacy wrote a constitution, chose Jefferson Davis as President and seized federal properties within it bounds

What was the Crittenden Compromise?

Crittenden offered a compromise that would have recognized slavery in the South but Lincoln refused

Why did Douglas want the issue of slavery to be decided?

Douglas wanted the issue of slavery solved so that the country could focus on more important matters.

How did Douglas try to portray Lincoln? How did Lincoln try to portray Douglas?

Douglass tried to make Lincoln look like an abolitionist. Lincoln portrayed Douglas to be proslavery and a defender of the Dred Scott decision.

Who was Dred Scott? How did he justify his freedom? What was the bigger question brought upon by the Dred Scott case?

Dred Scott was Dr. John Emerson's slave who accompanied him on his journies. 1846: after Emerson's death, Scott and his wife (whom he had married in Wisconsin) sued in Missouri Courts for their freedom claiming that since they had lived in free territory, they were free

What was happening with the economy in 1857? Who did the northerners blame? What did southerners think?

During Panic of 1857 Northerners blamed depression on reduction of tariff by southern dominated Congress.South read its relative immunity from the depression as proof of the superiority of its system

Why was the Whig party crumbling?

The Whig party was crumbling because the Democrats won an easy victory at the Democratic convention.

What did Douglas agree to in the attempt to appease Southerners? What did this do to the Missouri Compromise? How would the issue of slavery be determined in the area? How did Northerners react?

In order to appease the Southerners, Douglas agreed to divide the Kansas and Nebraska territories, and then allow them to vote on whether or not to become a slave or free territory through popular sovereignty. This action was in direct violation of the Missouri Compromise, which claimed that one free state would be admitted for every slave state admitted to the Union. Northerners were outraged.

Who ran for the Democrats in 1856? The Republicans? Who won? How close was the race?

In the 1856 presidential election the Republicans nominated Mexican War hero, John C. Frémont, and reiterated free soil in the West as their objective. James Buchanan, the Democratic candidate, won by portraying the Republicans as a sectional party that threatened the survival of the Union. Republicans labeled Buchanan a "doughface"—they believed he lacked the force of character to stand up against southern extremists.

Why was it difficult for Kansas to organize politically? How did this affect popular sovereignty?

It was difficult for Kansas to organize politically because there were thousands of people that flocked to Kansas to vote on the slavery issue. This caused violence between the two groups and did not allow popular sovereignty to take place.

What did John Brown and his companions do? What did it instigate? Why was the term 'bleeding Kansas given?

John Brown and his companions raided Pottawatomie Creek and killed 5 people. It started armed warfare by both sides. The term bleeding Kansas was given because of all the violence.

What decisions were passed after the 1855 election? What did the antislavery settlers do in response?

Legislature enacted slave code and laws prohibiting abolitionist agitation. Anti-slavery settlers refused to recognize this regime and held elections of their own. By January 1856, there were two governments in Kansas.

Despite their differences, what similarities came out between Lincoln and Douglas during their debates?

Lincoln did not, anymore than Douglas, favor equality of black and white races He opposed allowing blacks to vote, to sit on juries, to marry whites, even to become citizens Fence sitting position on question of abolition in DC Opposed repeal of Fugitive Slave Act

How successful were Southerners in getting slaves back under the Fugitive Slave Act?

Southerners were moderately successful in recapturing escaped slaves. Abolitionists began to get in the way of Southern ideals, and the law became increasingly difficult to enforce. Nearly 322 blacks were returned back to slavery under the act.

What was discussed in The Impending Crisis of the South?

The book written by Hinton Rowan Helper of North Carolina, which he self-published in New York, 1857. It was a strong attack on slavery as inefficient and a barrier to the economic advancement of whites. The book was widely distributed by Horace Greeley and other antislavery leaders, and infuriated Southern leaders.

What was the philosophy of the Young American movement? How did William Walker exercise this philosophy?

The "Young America" movement began to think of transmitting the dynamic, democratic U.S. spirit to other countries by aiding local revolutionaries, opening new markets and perhaps annexing foreign lands. In 1855 William Walker seized control of Nicaragua and elected himself president, which demonstrates how one exercised this philosophy.

Who was Dred Scott? Why did he think he had a claim to freedom?

The Dred Scott decision drove another wedge between North and South. Scott was a Missouri slave whose master had taken him into Illinois and Wisconsin Territory, then returned to Missouri. Scott sued for his freedom on the basis of his temporary residence on free soil.

What effect did the Dred Scott decision have on popular sovereignty? What was northern reaction to this decision?

The Dred Scott decision threatened popular sovereignty because if Congress cound not exclude slaves from a territory, how could a mere territorial legislature do so? Essentially made slavery inviolate until a territory was a state because only then could it formally abolish slavery Convinced Northerners the South was engaged in an aggressive attempt to extend slavery.

Describe the Know-Nothing Party. What were their major issues and stances?

The Know-Nothing Party was comprised of mostly nativists. Their major issues were public financing of schools, prohibition of alcohol, and increasing time that immigrants could become citizens.

What were the intentions of the New England Emigrant Aid Society?

The New England Emigrant Aid Society formed to help transport anti-slavery settlers to Kansas in order to prevent slavery from becoming legal in Kansas.

What was the Ostend Manifesto? Why were other countries outraged by it? What did the U.S. have to do in response?

The Ostend Manifesto was a confidential dispatch from the State Department suggesting if Spain refused to sell Cuba it was acceptable for U.S. to take it. Northerners and Europeans were outraged by "slave" plot and the government had to disavow the manifesto.

Describe the Republican Party. What were their major issues and stances?

The Republican party was made up of  Made up of Free Soilers, Conscience Whigs, and "Anti-Nebraska" Democrats. They wanted to keep slavery out of the territories.

How come John Brown was seen as a Northern hero?

Virginia authorities charged Brown with treason, conspiracy and murder and sentenced him to hang. Cool heads everywhere called for calm and denounced the attack while most Republican politicians repudiated Brown

What was the South doing in response to events like John Brown's Raid and Nat Turner's rebellion?

White southerners reacted to Harpers Ferry with equal irrationality, some with a rage similar to Brown's. Dozen of hapless Northerners in the southern states were arrested beaten or driven off. One, falsely accused of being an accomplice of Brown, was lynched.