NOTES: Causes of the Civil War

1) Missouri Compromise 1820

a) LA purchase land north of 36’30 = free

b) South of line = slave

c) All new land will be free

2) Wilmot Proviso 1846-1861

a) Bill that would have made slavery illegal in territory won during the Mexican War

b) BUT, never approved… still don’t know what to do with territories

3) Compromise of 1850

a) California = freeb) Territories of NM & UT would decide for themselves (vote)

whether slavery would be legal (popular sovereignty) c) Fugitive Slave Act = ordered all citizens to assist in the

return of run away slaves.

WE GET TO CHOOSE!!!

4) Uncle Tom’s Cabin - 1852

a) Harriet Beecher Stowe

b) Book that showed the evils of slavery, and showed slaves as real people

5) Kansas – Nebraska Act 1854

a) Overturns Missouri Compromise (gave north too much power)

b) KS & NE use popular sovereignty

WE GET TO CHOOSE!!!

WE GET TO CHOOSE TOO!!!

Murder!!! Help – neighbors, help, O my poor wife and children

1. What term is used when the “slave question” was to be decided by the people’s

vote?

2. What is a freesoiler?

3. A platform is a document describing the ideals of a political party. Judging by the

cartoon, what was an important element of the democratic platform?

4. Who do you think this cartoonist sympathizes with and why?

HINT: Who are they for and who are they making fun of?

6) Bleeding Kansas -1856a) Border

ruffians cross into territory to influence elections

b) John Brown retaliated by executing slave owners Preston Brooks (southern democrat) attacking Charles Sumner (northern

republican) in the US Senate -- Sumner had given a fiery speech to the U.S. Senate which included insulting remarks concerning a member of Brooks' family; in retaliation, Brooks hit Sumner with his cane, which put him in a hospital for nearly five months

“Bleeding Kansas”“Bleeding Kansas”

Border “Ruffians”

(pro-slavery

Missourians)

Border “Ruffians”

(pro-slavery

Missourians)

7) Dred Scott Decision - 1857

a) Scott vs. Sandford

b) Slave sued for his freedom Supreme Court rules slaves are NOT citizens, slaves are property!!!

8) John Brown’s Raid 1859a) Attacked a

federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry, VA

b) Plan to give weapons to slaves

c) Brown captured & sentenced to be hanged

John Brown: Madman or Martyr?

John Brown: Madman or Martyr?

MADMAN MARTYR

9) Election of 1860

a) Lincoln offered moderate views on slavery (just did not want it to spread)

b) Captured the presidency w/o a single electoral vote in the south – a sectional victory

1860

Election

Results

1860

Election

Results

1860 Election: A Nation Coming Apart?!

1860 Election: A Nation Coming Apart?!

10) Confederate States of

America - 1861

a) Outraged by electionb) Secessionists – wanted the south to

secede, argued that since the states had voluntarily joined the US, they could choose to leave it

c) South Carolina was the first

Jefferson Davis was

their president

Jefferson Davis

“Stars & Bars” –

Confederate Flag

Why do you think the border states would not secede?

11) Ft. Sumter - 1861

a) Federal fort (owned by Union) in Charleston, SC (Confederate territory)

b) Confederates ordered fort to surrender … Union refused battle

c) By firing on federal (union) property, the Confederates had committed an act of open rebellion Lincoln had to respond