SS8H6 The students will analyze the impact of the Civil War and Reconstruction on Georgia. A. Explain the

importance of key issues and events that led to the Civil War, include slavery, states rights, nullification, Missouri

Compromise, Compromise of 1850, and the Georgia Platform.

Causes of the Civil War

Did the founding fathers leave the issue of slavery for future generations to settle? How was it addressed in the Constitution?

What lead to this conflict between the North and South?

National Archives, www.archives.gov“The Charters of Freedom”

Important quotes from the Constitution to analyze:

Article I, Section 2

“Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons.”

Section. 9.“The Migration or Importation of such Persons as any of the States now existing shall think proper to admit, shall not be prohibited by the Congress prior to the Year one thousand eight hundred and eight, but a Tax or duty may be imposed on such Importation, not exceeding ten dollars for each Person.”

What do those quotes mean?Section 2 quote: By having more

representatives what does your state gain?

Section 9: When was the import of slaves to stop?

As the country expands the regional difference intensify, and begin to manifest politically, economically, socially and culturally

Major factors include:States’ RightsSlaveryTariffsEconomic baseEducationCulture

Regional differences start to show

Cotton fields vs. Factories

Differences North SouthStates’ Rights Believed in Strong Federal(National)

GovernmentBelieved states had the right to rule themselves and could overrule federal laws

Slavery Most were free states Favored slavery and the spread of it into western territories

Tariffs Favored high tariffs on imports from other countries to keep their northern product cheaper in order to outsell foreign goods

Favored low tariffs because they traded so much with other countries

Economic Base Factories, mining, banks, railroads, farms that produced food crop

Agricultural farming of cash crops such as tobacco, cotton, and rice, these crops were exported overseas and to northern factories

Education Private schools, church schools, some public schools opened to boys and girls, Private Universities

Some state chartered Universities such as UGA, some private tutors for the upper class, little or no formal education systems

Culture Many large cities with social gatherings such as opera, lectures, theaters and museums

The only large cities were Richmond, Charleston, Savannah, and AugustaSocials events centered around farm events, hunting outing and seasonal parties

As these issue present themselves politically, Congress steps in to try to pacify each side

Three major Compromises are passedMissouri Compromise of 1820The Compromise of 1850The Kansas Nebraska Act

The Government tries to keep the Peace

In 1819 the U.S. had 22 states, 11 were free and 11 were slave states

Missouri applied for statehood as a slave state

After a great deal of debate Congress decided1. Maine would be admitted as a free state2. Missouri as a slave state3. Prohibited slavery above the 36° 30’ latitude

line

Missouri Compromise (1820)

Missouri 1845Morse's North American atlas, 1845: Morse's cerographic maps

Since California now had enough population to apply for statehood (gold rush of 1849 increased the population) as a free state

New debates in Congress because by now there were 15 free and 15 slave states in the U.S.

To keep the balance in the Senate, Congress finally decided to compromise:CA came in as a Free StateSlave trade ended in the District of Columbia but

residents could keep their slavesFugitive Slave Act passed requiring runaway slaves to

be returned to ownersTexas could not annex New Mexico (keeping it free of

slavery)

Compromise of 1850

Gold in California attracts fortune hunters from all over.

These two new territories are created “Popular Sovereignty” is passed to let their

voters decide on the issue of slavery when they apply for statehood

This angered Northerners because this law changed the Missouri Compromise boundary of 36°30’

Republican Party is created in opposition of this act and moves across the north

Violence sweeps the territory as both sides of the issue fight for their dominance

Kansas-Nebraska Act

An enslaved man that moved with his master to the free state of Illinois and the Wisconsin Territory sued the man who held him in servitude on the grounds that he had achieved his freedom by residing in free territory

The Supreme Court decision in this case is one more thing to upsets the delicate balance of the regional differences

Dred Scott Decision 1857

Frank Leslie's Illustrated Newspaper, (1857 June 27), front page.

Chief Justice Roger Taney wrote the Court’s majority opinion:

1. Slaves /African Americans, could not sue in federal court because they were not recognized as U.S. citizens according to the Constitution. (What amendment finally changes this?)

2. The National government did not have the right to exclude slavery from the territories, enslaved people were considered property and the Constitution protects the movement of property. Therefore, the due process clause of the Fifth Amendment protected property rights. So, a slaveholder had the right to own slaves anywhere in the country or its territories.(This negates the 36°30’ line)

Georgia Debates Secession

• After Lincoln’s election in 1860 and South Carolina seceded, Georgia’s General Assembly debates the issue of secession

• Alexander Stephens, a longtime Georgia politician cautions against any hasty decisions and tries to encourage compromise

DEBATE OVER SECESSIONLincoln’s victory in the 1860 presidential

election caused southern states to hold conventions on whether or not they should secede from the Union in order to protect the legalization of slavery in their states.

South Carolina became the 1st state to secede from the Union, while Georgia became the 5th state to secede.

WHAT MESSAGE IS THIS PRIMARY SOURCE POLITICAL CARTOON TYRING TO CONVEY?

ROLE OF ALEXANDER STEPHENS

Alexander Stephens was a U.S. Representative from Georgia who was PRO-slavery, but he was against Secession. When Georgia held a convention to decide on secession Alexander Stephens argued against it by saying the South should remain loyal to the Union. He believed that if the South seceded then a Civil War would break out and if the South lost then they would lose their states’ rights, especially the right to keep slavery legal.

ROLE OF ALEXANDER STEPHENS

Despite Alexander Stephens and his words of caution, Georgia decided to secede anyway. Those states in the south that seceded created the Confederate States of America, a separate country. Alexander Stephens was persuaded to become the vice-president of the C.S.A., most likely to appeal to southerners that were just like him – wanted to keep slavery, but really didn’t want to leave the union. This would help keep the southern states united.

Causes that have been brewing for many years which further divide the country:SectionalismSlaveryStates’ RightsNullificationTariffsMissouri CompromiseCompromise of 1850Fugitive Slave LawPopular Sovereignty

Fundamental Cause:

Dred Scott DecisionJohn Brown Raid on Harpers FerryElection of Lincoln in 1860South Carolina secedes from the UnionShots fired upon Ft. Sumter

Immediate Causes of the War Include:

John Brown’s Raid at Harpers’ Ferry arsenal

Frank Leslie's illustrated newspaper, v. 8, no. 207 (1859 Nov. 19), p. 383. John Brown, now under sentence of death for treason and murder, at Charlestown, Va.

From a photograph taken one year agoby Martin M. Lawrence, 381 Broadway, N.Y

Guns which fired over 1200 shots into Ft. Sumter

Regional differences multiply as the United States expands in the early 1800’s

These fundamental issues escalate and require political compromises to keep the peace in the government

By 1860 it doesn’t take much to send tempers over the edge and war begins

Review:

War begins…Harpers Weekly, Civil War Scene