UNIT 5 A NATION DIVIDED 8 4 4
- Slides: 8
UNIT 5: A NATION DIVIDED 8 -4. 4 Evaluate the arguments of unionists, cooperationists, and secessionists on the issues of states’ rights and slavery and the ways that these arguments contributed to South Carolina’s secession. Think about it… Why would a state ever want to leave the union of our country? Secede (verb): To withdrawn membership, to go your own way, to break ties
ARGUMENTS ON SECESSION 1. Unionists favored the idea of remaining part of the Union (although they did not agree with the actions of the federal government, they believed the Constitution would protect South Carolina’s way of life) 2. Cooperationists were South Carolinians who favored seceding from the Union as a last resort and only if it was done with the support of all the southern states DID YOU KNOW. . . 3. Secessionists (also called radicals or fire-eaters) believed that breaking apart from the Union was the only answer for South Carolina (they had been ready since 1852) Fire-eaters! Members of the South Carolina secession convention in 1860 voted unanimously (they ALL voted YES!) to secede from the Union.
ANALYZE THE POLITICAL CARTOON
IN THE END… 4. The events of the 1850 s and the election of Lincoln convinced most South Carolinians to support the position of the fire-eaters (secessionists) 5. The leaders of South Carolina carried out their threat to secede when Lincoln was elected the sixteenth president of the United States. Why do you think southern states, like SC, were afraid of Lincoln’s election as president?
ANALYZE THE POLITICAL CARTOON
“Peace out!” MEETING ON SECESSION “We’re out of here!” 6. The convention for secession met in Charleston, where they adopted an Ordinance of Secession 7. The Ordinance of Secession was a political statement that the federal government should not interfere with the decision making and freedoms of the individual states DID YOU KNOW. . . The convention for secession was supposed to be held in Columbia, but there was a rumored small pox outbreak in the city. Because the sickness was highly contagious, they moved the meeting to Charleston.
“We must protect slavery!” 8. South Carolinians believed that Lincoln, since he was a Republican, would oppose slavery in the territories and soon make slavery illegal. 9. Without waiting for Lincoln to be inaugurated (sworn in as president), South Carolina and six other southern states seceded from the Union to protect the institution of slavery upon A BOLD MOVE “…but I never said that. ” Did you know… Lincoln was actually a “free soiler”, meaning he opposed slavery’s expansion, but did not care to end slavery in states where it already existed.
8 -4. 4 - DIFFERING VIEWS ON SECESSION What different point of views existed about the idea of secession?
