THE ROAD TO CIVIL WAR:

SECTIONALISM

Libertyville HS

Election of 1848 Polk stepped down (one

term) Whigs recruit Zachary

TaylorWar heroNot interested in politics

Democrats split over slavery issuePro slavery Ds = Cass

Anti slavery Ds form Free Soil Party, nominate Martin Van Buren

Taylor: 163 ECV / 1,360,999

Cass: 127 ECV / 1,220,544

Van Buren: --- ECV / 291,263

Zachary Taylor Born in VA, moved to KY Career army officer – no

political experience Fought in War of 1812,

Blackhawk War, Second Seminole War, Mexican American War

Slave owner who was opposed to spread of slavery into territories

Nickname: “Old Rough and Ready”

Sectional Differences: Mexican Cession

Settlement raised question: allow slavery in Mexican Cession?

Four proposalsPolk: extend MO compromise

line (36° 30’) to PacificRep. David Wilmot (PA):

Wilmot Proviso = no slavery in Cession

Calhoun: Right to property + 5th Am. protected slavery everywhere

Stephen Douglas (IL) & Cass: “popular sovereignty – states have right to choose through elections

Sectional Differences: Mexican Cession

Complicating issuesTexas Debt ($10 million –

Feds pay)TX / NM border dispute Slavery in Washington, DC

(northerners offended)Underground railroad

(southerners offended)Failure of North to enforce

fugitive slave laws Trigger to crisis: CA

request for admission to union as free state, 1849

Great Debate of 1850 Senator Seward

Admit CA as free stateAdmit NM as free stateReflected President

Taylor’s wishes Southern reaction

Secession!“Fire eaters” = southern

extremistsBegan urging

secession, in TN

Clay takes Senate floor as VP FillmorePresides and Calhoun looks on

Great Compromise of 1850

Clay, Douglas worked together for its passage

ProposalAdmit CA as free stateAllow UT, NM to decide

slavery issue via popular sovereignty (state vote)

TX dropped claim for territory in exchange for debt relief

Slave trade (but not slavery) abolished in DC

Fugitive Slave Act strengthened

Compromise of 1850 View of Southerners

Opposed b/c of CA admission as free state

Opposed b/c of TX land lossOpposed abolition of slave

auctions in DC

View of NorthernersOpposed b/c no Wilmot ProvisoOpposed b/c Fugitive Slave Law

might result in regular citizens having to take part in slave patrols

Northern Democrats (“free soilers”) and Southern Whigs (border states) supported Compromise

Compromise of 1850 Major development:

during debate, President Taylor died

Millard Fillmore became president

Fillmore a strong supporter of compromise bill

Compromise passed in five separate parts

Effect of Compromise Slave issue resolved to Pacific Ocean Hardened sectional differences between North, South Whig Party disintegrated over slavery question (gave

too much away to Southerners – 1852 election) Rise of Republican Party (abolitionists, anti-slavery

Whigs) Avoided Civil War for ten years Laid seeds for disunion

Fugitive Slave LawKansas-Nebraska Law of 1854

Election of 1852 Whigs pass over

President Millard Fillmore and nominate General Winfield Scott

Democrats = Franklin Pierce, an unknown compromise candidate

Pierce: 254 ECV / 1,601,274Scott: 42 ECV / 1,386,580Hale --- ECV / 155,825

Franklin Pierce Northerner (NH), with

sympathy for southerners

Considered one of the worst presidents, everOstend ManifestoSupported Fugitive Slave

LawSupported Kansas-

Nebraska Act

Ostend Manifesto Southerners wished to annex

CubaStrengthen slave based

economySecret effort to purchase Cuba

from Spain for $120 millionIf Spain wouldn’t sell, diplomats

threatened to take Cuba by force Secret leaked, Northerners

freaked Effect

Northerners, feeling threatened by Fugitive Slave Law and “Bleeding Kansas”, pressured Pierce to reject doc

Pierce was also forced to oppose due to international outcry from European monarchies

"Cuba is as necessary to the North Americanrepublic as any of its present members, and that it belongs naturally to that great family of states of which the Union is the Providential Nursery."

~Ostend Manifesto, 1854

Fugitive Slave Law Constitution required return of

fugitive slaves North rarely enforced earlier

law Fugitive Slave Law of 1850

Made it a $1000 fine for any official who failed to arrest a runaway slave

Helping runaway slave = 6 months prison and $1000 fine

Slave owners seeking slaves only needed sworn statement to allow arrest of suspected runaway slave

Slaves had no right to trial or right to testify in court

Effect of whipping

Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 Senator Douglas wanted

to extend popular sovereignty concept

Repealed Missouri Compromise and created Kansas and Nebraska territories

Opened up huge area to popular sovereignty

Republican Party formed to oppose K-N Act

1854 newspaper map showing free states (red), slave states (gray)

And popular sovereignty areas (green)

Effect of K-N Act: “Bleeding Kansas”

1854-1859 clashes between “free-staters” and “Border ruffians” (pro-slavery) throughout Kansas Territory

With PS at stake, anti and pro slavery organizations sent 000s of settlers to contest vote

Pro slavery Missourians stole election, making Kansas pro slave territory

Fifty six people were killed in clashes; many more were injured (John Brown)

“Bleeding Kansas” Fight

Election of 1856 Pierce thrown aside in

favor of James Buchanan (PA) – D

John Fremont – GOPAnti-slavery partySlogan: "Free speech,

free press, free soil, free men, Frémont and victory!"

Fillmore – “Know Nothing” PartyIgnored slavery issueFocused on anti-

immigration policies

Buchanan: 174 ECV / 1,838,169Fremont: 114 ECV / 1,341,264Fillmore: 8 ECV / 874,534

James Buchanan Northerner (PA), with

sympathies for southerners Vowed to serve one term Pushed for admission of

Kansas as slave territory (despite evidence of corrupt election)

Lincoln’s election in 1860 and secession of statesBuchanan said secession illegalHe also said fighting secession

illegalSo he did nothing

Considered one of the worst presidents ever