Bell RingerDirections: Answer each of

these in a complete sentence! (re-stating the question)

Objectives1) Describe the role the Fugitive Slave Act played in the increasing tensions

between the North and the South.

2) Tell the story/background of Bleeding Kansas.

3) List and provide details for the 5 major political parties in the 1850’s.

Resistance to SlaveryFugitive Slave Act – Northern states were now required to cooperate

(there was a fugitive slave law before this, but the north did not follow it)

Opposition grew out of the Fugitive Slave Act

Resistance (done legally)9 states passed personal liberty laws- Forbade imprisonment- Guaranteed a jury trial

- Lawyers would drag out the trials to make it expensive for slave holders

- Enraged southerners- “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” sparked

more resistance

Resistance (done illegally)- The Underground

Railroad- Harriet Tubman led many

slaves north (about 300) and none were caught

- Tubman had a $40,000 bounty on her head

- Some slaves feared they would be caught in the US and went to Canada

Slavery in the TerritoriesThe Missouri Compromise established that there would be no slavery north of the 36*30’ line. Stephen Douglas introduced a bill to Congress that would repeal that

portion of the law.Kansas-Nebraska Act

called for 2 states to be formed out of the Nebraska territory and for slavery to be decided by popular sovereignty (in those new states)

Violence in KansasSettlers headed to Kansas by the hundreds. Emigrant aid societies supplied weapons, seeds, tools, etc to help

new settlers. These groups were anti-slavery. Many from Missouri voted illegally in the elections in Kansas, which swayed the vote to be pro-slavery.

John Brown & Bleeding Kansas

John BrownAn abolitionist from Kansas believed that God called on him to fight slavery. On May 24th, he

and his followers pulled 5 men from their beds in a pro-slavery settlement (Pottawatomie Creek), chopped off their hands and stabbed them with swords.

“The Pottawatomie Massacre”

Bleeding KansasWhen word spread about John Brown and the massacre, dozens of incidents broke out.

John Brown fled Kansas, but not before some 200 people were killed. The Kansas Territory became known as “Bleeding Kansas”

Politics in the 1850’sPolitical Party Political Platform Achievements

Whig(formed 1834)

• For modernization• Increase power of Congress• Economic protectionism

• Had 2 presidents -William Henry Harrison -Zachary Taylor

Free Soil(formed 1848)

• Anti-slavery• Against extending slavery

into the territories• Formed from Whig party

when they fell

• 10% of popular vote in 1848 election

• Clear message = no slavery in the territories

Know-Nothing(a.k.a. American Party)

(formed 1854)

• Limit immigration• Limit public offices to

native born people• Public teachers could only

be Protestant

• Did well in the 1854 election

• Party fell due to a split on slavery issue

Politics in the 1850’sPolitical Party Political Platform Achievements

Democrats(formed 1840)

(was the D-R Party)

• States rights• Strict interpretation of the

Constitution• Pro-slavery (after 1850)

• This was the party of Jefferson

• Strongest party after 1800• Many anti-slavery

democrats left the party after 1850

Republicans(formed 1854)

• NO slavery in the territories• Later on… Emancipation of

slaves!

• Enjoyed wide-ranging support in the North

• Elected Abe Lincoln in 1860!

Election of 1854Republicans = John Fremont, Know Nothings = Millard Fillmore, Democrats = James Buchanan

With 3 political parties, this election was very hard fought/close race.Democrats (Buchanan) won with 45% of the popular vote.Party politics was characterized by desertion and turmoil.