Conflict Leads to Crisis:The Causes of the U.S. Civil War

Conflict Between the North and South

• After the Revolutionary War, conflicts (problems) arose between the northern and southern states.

• 3 main issues that the states disagreed on were:– States’ rights– Slavery– Economic differences

States’ Rights

• States’ rights is the belief that each state should make its own decisions on issues. (slavery was the main issue)

Slavery: A Major Issue

• During this time, new states were being created on the land that was part of the Louisiana Territory.

• The North wanted these new states to be “free states” – no slavery allowed.

• The South wanted these new states to be “slave states” – slavery allowed.

Slavery: A Major Issue

• The slavery issue divided the North and the South more than any other.

• Many southern whites were afraid that their plantations would go out of business if slavery ended.

• By 1860, all of the northern states had outlawed slavery.

Two Different Economies

- economy - the use of resources, money, and goods to meet people’s wants and needs.

- The North and the South had very different economies. This led to conflict between these two areas of the country!

The Northern Economy

• It was industrialized – this means the North had many factories and produced goods.

• The North had many railroads so it could transport the goods made in its factories.

The Southern Economy

• It was based on agriculture (farming).

• The huge plantations and farms relied on slaves to do the work.

• The South had some factories and railroads, but not nearly as many as the North.

The Fight For Freedom:Nat Turner’s Revolt

• Nat Turner was a Virginia slave who led a revolt against plantation owners in Virginia.

• Turner and a group of slaves began killing plantation owners in Virginia!

• Turner and his group were caught and hanged for their actions!

The Fight for Freedom:John Brown’s Raid

• John Brown was a white man who was against slavery.

• He led a raid on the United States Armory (Arsenal) at Harpers Ferry, Virginia. (Now West Virginia)

The Fight for Freedom:John Brown’s Raid

• He was trying to take the guns and ammunitions stored at the armory so he could arm (give weapons to) the slaves and lead a slave rebellion.

• John Brown’s raid was unsuccessful and he was captured and hanged!

The Fight for Freedom:Abolition

• Abolition – to do away with something.

• Abolitionists were people who wanted to do away with slavery.

• Abolitionists helped slaves runaway from their “masters” and get to places where slavery was against the law.

Harriet Tubman and the “Underground Railroad”

• Harriet Tubman, an escaped slave, helped hundreds of slaves escape the South.

• The Underground Railroad was a secret route that enslaved African Americans took to gain their freedom.

Harriet Tubman and the “Underground Railroad”

• Stations – homes of people who hid runaway slaves.

• Conductors – people who were guides to the runaway slaves on their journey to freedom.

Harriet Tubman and the “Underground Railroad”

• This was dangerous work.

• The most famous conductor of the Underground Railroad was Harriet Tubman.

Things Get Worse Between the North and the South

• Abraham Lincoln was elected president in 1860.

• Lincoln wanted to keep slavery from spreading into the new states.

• Many southerners felt strongly that it was up to each state to decide about slavery.

Things Get Worse Between the North and the South

• Because of slavery, states’ rights, and the economic differences between the North and the South, they were unable to resolve their conflicts (problems).

• Seven southern states decide to secede (leave) the U.S. after Lincoln is elected as president.

The Confederate States of America

• These 7 states formed the Confederate States of America. (C.S.A.)

• Jefferson Davis was elected president of the new country. (C.S.A.)

Virginia Decides to Secede

• Virginia seceded from the Union in April 1861.

• Later that month, the Confederate Army took control of Fort Sumter (A Union fort) in South Carolina.

The Road to War!

• President Lincoln asked for volunteers from the Union (the North) to retake Fort Sumter.

• This was the beginning of the U.S. Civil War.