Post on 29-Jan-2018
What Caused the Civil War?
Cause # 1
Our Founding Fathers
They could have condemned slavery at the Constitutional Convention in 1787
The South wouldn’t have agreed with that solution though
Instead, you get the 3/5 Compromise which protects slavery
Okay, this is the signing of the Declaration, not the Constitution – GOOD CATCH!
Cause # 2 Missouri Compromise of 1820
Cause # 2
Missouri Compromiseof 1820
Supposed to settle issue of slavery in new western territories
Compromise favored the Anti-Slave folks (Abolitionists)
It was not strictly followed
TariffsCause # 3
+ =
These taxes on imports were causing s e c tio na lism as early as Andrew Jackson’s Administration (1820s – 1830s)
Southern states felt as though they were footing the bill to protect Northern industry
Cause # 4 Geography shapes the Economy
The South’s longer growing seasons led to a mostly farming society
The North’s poor soil and climate led to more factories
The different economies led to different cultures and values
Cause # 5The Compromise of 1850
California (acquired in the Mexican American War) wants to come into the Union as a FREE state.
It would put the Southern SLAVE states in the minority in the Senate
Henry Clay presents a plan with 4 parts
• CA comes in Free• Slave Trade is abolished in DC• Congress would not pass any
new laws regarding slavery in the newly acquired territory
• New Fugitive Slave Act passed
The Act required ALL citizens to help catch runaway slaves – Northern Abolitionists refused to cooperate with the law’s enforcement
Cause # 5The Compromise of 1850
Cause # 6 Uncle Tom’s CabinHarriet Beecher Stowe’s book, Uncle To m ’s Ca bin, was about the evils of slavery
It was published in 1852 and sold over 300,000 copies in the first year alone
Slaveholders denied the book’s legitimacy, but much of the material was taken from postings throughout the South
The Kansas Nebraska ActCause # 7
It violated the Missouri Compromise
Act was passed in 1854
popular sovereignty did not work due to “border
ruffians”
Dred Scott v Sandford 1857Cause # 8
This Supreme Court case ruled that slaves were property protected from the Federal Government
It made the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional
This meant that slavery should be allowed in the western territories
Can you believe that the Supreme Court even said he had no right to bring a lawsuit
before them?
In October 1859, abolitionist John Brown, led a raid on a Federal Arsenal in Harper’s Ferry, Virginia. He hoped to start a slave uprising by arming slaves.
John Brown at Harper’s FerryCause # 9
Harper’s Ferry, Virginia
John BrownJohn Brown
John BrownIt didn’t go as expected!
After Lincoln is elected president in 1860, the idea of States’ Rights grows among the southern states.
States’ RightsCause # 10
Led by South Carolina, southern states feel they have a Constitutional right to leave the Union since they feel the new president will not protect their “property” rights.
Fort Sumter, South CarolinaCause # 11
Fort Sumter was a federal fort in the Charleson Harbor
The State of South Carolina demanded the Fort’s surrender
The Commander of the Fort refused so a 33-hour bombardment began on April 12, 1861
The Fort was finally surrendered, but at least no lives were lost
Lincoln calls for Union troopsCause # 12
Lincoln views the bombardment of Fort Sumter as an act of rebellion
Lincoln calls up 75,000 Union Troops to crush the rebellion
The call-up leads four more states to secede from the Union
Revolutionary SpiritCause # 13
Southern States felt they were fighting against an oppressive government
The South was fighting for INDEPENDENCEINDEPENDENCE
They viewed their cause as similar to the American Revolution and guess who represented the 13
Colonies?