THE AMERICAN PEOPLE CREATING A NATION AND A

THE AMERICAN PEOPLE CREATING A NATION AND A SOCIETY NASH JEFFREY HOWE FREDERICK DAVIS WINKLER MIRES PESTANA 7 th Edition Chapter 14: The Union in Peril Pearson Education, Inc, publishing as Longman © 2006

SLAVERY IN THE TERRITORIES l Westward movement turned out to be not only dangerous for the people Americans encountered but for the safety of the American union itself – – North and South had mainly contained their differences over slavery through compromise that raised the level of emotional conflict Party loyalties served as an antidote to sectional allegiance until the late 1840 s

FREE SOIL OR CONSTITUTIONAL PROTECTION? l Wilmot Proviso: declared neither slavery nor involuntary servitude was to exist in any territory gained from Mexico in the Mexican-American War – l “Free Soil” wanted to prevent the spread of slavery based on the precedents of the Northwest Ordinance and the Missouri Compromise – l Resulted in purely sectional debate Some supporters had moral reasons; many were concerned about competition with cheap slave labor; and others worried about the growing political power of the South Opponents, led by John C. Calhoun, argued that Congress had no right to exclude slavery from the territories and, in fact, had a duty to protect it – This position saw the Wilmot Proviso, Missouri Compromise and other acts restricting slavery as unconstitutional

POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY AND THE ELECTION OF 1848 l Many Americans looked for a way to keep slavery out of politics – – l In 1848, the Democrats nominated Lewis Cass, who mainly avoided the issue of slavery, while the Whigs nominated General Zachary Taylor, who was billed as a “no party” man – – – l James Buchanan recommended simply extending the Missouri Compromise line to the Pacific Lewis Cass suggested “popular sovereignty” which would allow territorial legislatures to make the final decision Calhoun tried to create a unified southern party without much luck. Some northern Democrats left the party and supported Martin Van Buren New England Conscience Whigs also explored a third party alternative Taylor won handily

THE COMPROMISE OF 1850 l Four issues confronted Taylor at his inauguration: 1. 2. 3. 4. l Rush of gold miners gave California enough people to apply for statehood but their entry as a free state would upset the balance. Unresolved status of Mexican cession in the Southwest and dispute over Texas-New Mexico boundary Existence of slavery and slave market in Washington, D. C. Southern resentment of lax federal enforcement of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1793 Issues were resolved in the Compromise of 1850, which was passed not as the omnibus bill originally proposed by Henry Clay, but as a series of resolutions – – California entered the Union as a free state Territorial governments were organized in New Mexico and Utah to apply the principle of popular sovereignty The slave trade, but not slavery, was abolished in the District of Columbia A new Fugitive Slave Act of 1850

CONSEQUENCES OF COMPROMISE l l l Political alignment along sectional lines grew stronger Previously unheard, Americans were now discussing ideals of higher law than the Constitution, secession and disunion Many Northerners were angered by the fugitive slave law – – l Abolitionists stepped up work on the Underground Railroad and several states passed “personal liberty laws” that prohibited elected officials and organizations from participation in slave hunting Abolitionists escalated their rhetoric, fueling emotions over slavery Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe thrilled northerners and angered southerners – – Became one of the all-time bestsellers in American history, selling more than 300, 000 copies in the first year Was eventually published in 20 languages

POLITICAL DISINTEGRATION l Political developments were already weakening the ability of political parties to withstand the passions slavery aroused

WEAKENED PARTY POLITICS IN THE EARLY 1850 S l Between 1850 and 1854 the moral and economic differences between the parties were blurred, thereby undermining party loyalty – – l Rewriting of state constitutions undercut patronage and undermined the importance of parties in citizens’ lives Increasingly political battles were fought over social rather than economic issues and locally rather than at the national level 1852 election the Whigs nominated General Winfield Scott and the Democrats nominated Franklin Pierce who won easily

THE KANSAS-NEBRASKA ACT l The Whig party disintegrated after southern Whigs chose to support Stephen Douglas’ Nebraska bill organizing the Nebraska Territory (which included Kansas) – – l l l Douglas was interested in the continuing development of the West and needed the territory organized for a transcontinental railroad that began in Chicago Also wanted to recapture the party leadership and possibly the presidency and he needed southern support for that Southerners opposed the organization of the territory unless slavery was permitted Douglas suggested the application of popular sovereignty to the issue as the entire territory fell north of the Missouri Compromise line but such a proposal cancelled the Missouri Compromise Northern Democrats, Whigs and abolitionists attacked Douglas, who defended his bill and ended up destroying the Whig party, planting divisions within the Democrats and creating the Know. Nothings and the Republicans

EXPANSIONIST “YOUNG AMERICA” IN THE LARGER WORLD l l Americans hailed republican revolutions in 1848 in Austria. Hungary, France, and Germany as evidence of the expansion of republicanism “Young America” was the label assumed by patriots who wanted to spread Americanism abroad – – l Southerners were especially interested in adding new cotton lands in Latin America The Gadsden Purchase acquired a swath of northern Mexico to permit a railroad When land could not be acquired legally, then some Americans pursued illegal means – – William Walker in Nicaragua Efforts to buy or take Cuba leading to the Ostend Manifesto which argued that Cuba belonged “naturally” to the U. S. and if Spain refused to sell it, U. S. should consider taking it

NATIVISM, KNOW-NOTHINGS, AND REPUBLICANS l Increasing immigration worried Americans who saw the newcomers as unfamiliar and threatening and who worried about the spread of Catholicism, especially after several notable conversions – l Many Protestants charged the Catholics (who were predominantly Democrats) with corrupting American politics Mostly former Whigs founded the American Party in 1854 to oppose the new immigrants – – – Wanted a longer period of naturalization and pledged never to vote for Irish Catholics If asked about their affiliation with the group, members were told to respond, “I Know Nothing” Appealed to middle and lower classes

NATIVISM, KNOW-NOTHINGS, AND REPUBLICANS l While the Know-Nothing Party was concerned with the threat to democracy posed by Catholicism, others were concerned over the threat posed by the “slave power” – – l Conscience Whigs and disaffected Democrats formed the Republican Party Consisted of four elements: moral fervor; opposition to the extension of slavery but no desire to interfere with it where it was; desire to cleanse America of intemperance, impiety, parochial schooling and other forms of immorality; and desire for federal government to promote economic development and the dignity of free labor 1856 the Know-Nothings nominated Millard Fillmore, the Republicans chose John C. Frémont, and the Democrats nominated James Buchanan who won with only 45 percent of the popular vote – After the election the Know-Nothings died out

KANSAS AND THE TWO CULTURES l In 1854 the conflict over the extension of slavery came to a head with the passage of Stephen Douglas’s Kansas-Nebraska Act

COMPETING FOR KANSAS l l After the bill passed, the Massachusetts Emigrant Aid Society was founded to recruit free-soil settlers for Kansas Southerners countered by encouraging Missourians to form societies and foster immigration themselves in order to affect the vote on permitting slavery in the territory, skewing the results Most permanent residents of Kansas wanted no blacks (free or slaves) in the state In March 1855, a second election was held to select a territorial legislature and the previous pattern of border crossings, intimidation and illegal voting was repeated resulting in a proslavery legislature based in Lecompton – – – Free-Soilers created a free-soil government in Topeka that banned blacks from the state Pierce did nothing while Congress sent an investigating committee. Kansas came to be seen by both sides as a holy battleground

“BLEEDING KANSAS” l After an attack by proslavery forces on Lawrence, Kansas, John Brown and his sons attacked Pottawatomie Creek and hacked five proslavery men to death – l Preston Brooks caned Senator Charles Sumner after Sumner’s tirade insulted Brooks’ uncle a proslavery senator Series of civil disturbances rocked Kansas throughout the summer and widened the gap between North and South

NORTHERN VIEWS AND VISIONS l North saw itself as a prosperous land of bustling commerce and expanding, independent agriculture – – l l “Free labor system” offered equality of opportunity and upward mobility Northern values included respect for the rights of the people, tempered by the rule of law; individual enterprise, balanced by a concern for one’s neighbors; and a fierce morality rooted in Protestantism Supported government action to promote free labor, industrial growth, immigration, foreign trade and the extension of railroads and free farm homesteads Worst sin was the loss of freedom

THE SOUTHERN PERSPECTIVE l Southerners admired the English gentry and saw themselves as courteous, refined, hospitable and chivalrous – – l l Racial distinctions and paternalistic relationships were crucial to maintaining order and white supremacy Southerners educated the few for character Southerners believed that self-government was best preserved in local political units such as the states Saw Northerners as either stingy, hypocritical, moralizing Puritans or grubby, slum-dwelling Catholic immigrants

POLARIZATION AND THE ROAD TO WAR l l Struggle over Kansas solidified the image of the Republicans as a northern party and seriously weakened the Democrats Further events split the Democrats into northern and southern parties

THE DRED SCOTT CASE l l Dred and Harriet Scott sued for their freedom in 1846 claiming their master had taken them into free territory In 1857 the Supreme Court issued a 7 -2 decision with three parts: 1. 2. 3. l Blacks were inferior and therefore were not citizens and could not sue in federal court Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional because Congress had no power to ban slavery in the territories Taking the Scotts into a free state did not affect their status The implications of this decision concerned many people and increased sectional hostilities

CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS IN KANSAS l Summer 1857 yet another election in Kansas resulted in further irregularities that elected a proslavery slate of delegates to prepare a constitution—the proslavery Lecompton constitution – – – l Although clearly unrepresentative of the wishes of a majority of Kansans, the constitution was sent to Congress for approval Douglas opposed it and Congress sent it back to Kansas for another referendum Voters defeated it which left Kansas in an uncertain status Conflict irreparably split the Democratic Party

LINCOLN AND THE ILLINOIS DEBATES l l By 1858, Abraham Lincoln of Illinois was challenging William Seward for leadership of the Republican party The Lincoln-Douglas debates in Illinois provided people with a preview of the 1860 presidential election – – – Lincoln’s persuasive debates regarding slavery drew away a substantial chunk of the Democratic party While Lincoln’s vision of the extinction of slavery was ahead of his time, his views of blacks as inferior were very much of the time Lincoln clearly hated slavery while Douglas seemed indifferent

JOHN BROWN’S RAID l October 16, 1859: John Brown and 22 men attacked the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia, hoping to provoke a general slave uprising or at least provide arms to slaves – – l Federal troops overwhelmed him, killing half his men including two of his sons, and capturing Brown After a trial, Brown was hanged for treason Brown’s trial and death ignited powerful passions and widened the sectional gap

THE ELECTION OF 1860 l Democratic convention met in Charleston, South Carolina, where it failed to pick a candidate after 10 days – l l l At separate conventions Northern Democrats chose Stephen Douglas and Southern Democrats chose John C. Breckenridge The Constitutional Unionist Party, made up of former southern Whigs and border-state nativists, nominated John Bell The Republicans nominated “moderate” Abraham Lincoln and created a middle of the road platform that opposed only slavery’s extension and supported tariff protection, subsidized internal improvements, free labor and a homestead bill Lincoln was elected by sweeping the entire Northeast and Midwest although he had less than 40% of the popular vote overall

THE DIVIDED HOUSE FALLS

SECESSION AND UNCERTAINTY l On December 20, 1860, South Carolina seceded form the Union – l A week later a delegation met in Montgomery, Alabama, to create the Confederate States of America – l Jefferson Davis was elected President The federal government had three choices: 1. 2. 3. l By February 1, six other Deep South states had followed her lead Compromise: impossible due to the emotions of the time Let the southern states go in peace: which had a number of important opponents Compel the southern states to return which probably meant war Buchanan did nothing and the border states remained, for the moment, in the union

LINCOLN AND FORT SUMTER l l Lincoln opposed secession and compromise but did not want to force the states to return but he did intend to enforce the laws of the land Fort Sumter, a federal fort in the harbor at Charleston, South Carolina, was running low on supplies and had requested additional provisions – – – April 6, after a conciliatory inauguration speech on March 4, Lincoln informed the South Carolina governor that he intended to resupply Fort Sumter On April 10, Jefferson Davis informed the governor to demand the surrender of Fort Sumter When Robert Anderson refused to surrender, Southerner shelled Sumter on April 12 resulting in its capture on April 14 and the start of the Civil War

DISCOVERING U. S. HISTORY ONLINE Compromise of 1850 http: //www. loc. gov/exhibits/treasures/trm 043. html l Uncle Tom’s Cabin and American Culture http: //www. iath. virginia. edu/utc/sitemap. html l Bleeding Kansas http: //www. kancoll. org/galbks. htm l Africans in America, Judgment Day, 1831 -1865 http: //www. pbs. org/wgbh/aia/part 4/title. html l

DISCOVERING U. S. HISTORY ONLINE Secession Era Editorials Project http: //history. furman. edu/~benson/docs/index. ht m l The Dred Scott Case http: //www. library. wustl. edu/vlib/dredscott/ l John Brown’s Holy War http: //www. pbs. org/wgbh/amex/brown/ l Crisis at Fort Sumter http: //www. tulane. edu/~sumter/ l