Southern Secession

Ch 6C: The 1850s – U.S. Society Divided

1. Cultural & Economic Differences

• North– Industry– Roads, canals, bridges– Favored tariffs

• South– Agriculture/plantation– Slavery– Against tariffs

Henry Clay

2. Regional Loyalties

North:

- Strong feelings of

Nationalism

South:

- Regionalism

- believed they had

the right to secede

3. Southerners’ Belief in Easy Victory

• Believed peaceful secession was possible

• Believed world would support them because of the need of cotton – “Cotton is King!”

4. Lack of National Leadership

• Presidents of 1850’s (Fillmore, Pierce, Buchanan) were weak.

• Abraham Lincoln - ?

James Buchanan

Millard Fillmore Franklin Pierce

Abraham Lincoln

5. Slavery as a Moral Issue

• North – slavery was a moral issue.

• South – While most southerners DID NOT own slaves, they supported slavery because of the economy.

6. Events Related to the Issue of Slavery

• Publication of Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852)

• John Brown’s raids (1856)

• Dred Scott Decision (1857)

Harriet Beecher Stowe

John Brown

Dred Scott

7. Efforts at Compromise(last-ditch-effort to resolve the secession crisis of 1860)

• Crittenden Proposal – Federal protection of slavery in any U.S. territory notth of the 36 30 N line.

• Lincoln rejects.

8. FIRING at FORT SUMTER

• Located in Charlestown Harbor, S.C.

• Lincoln sent food and ammunition to the fort.

• S.C. fires on the Fort and takes it over.

• The Civil War begins (1860).