Sectionalism & Seething Anger

Sectionalism & Seething Anger

Americans in 1848 stood poised Americans in 1848 stood poised between two worldsbetween two worlds By mid-century each section By mid-century each section thought of itself as possessing a thought of itself as possessing a distinct and superior way of lifedistinct and superior way of life

1848 Wilmot Proviso• On August 8, 1846, On August 8, 1846,

Congressman David Congressman David Wilmot from Wilmot from Pennsylvania attached Pennsylvania attached a proviso to a bill that a proviso to a bill that slavery be excluded slavery be excluded from any territory from any territory acquired from Mexicoacquired from Mexico

• An Illinois Whig by the An Illinois Whig by the name of Abraham name of Abraham Lincoln claimed to Lincoln claimed to have voted for it have voted for it ““at at least forty timesleast forty times””

Following the Gold Rush

JEFFERSON DAVISJEFFERSON DAVIS

Compromise of 1850FIVE PARTSFIVE PARTS

1)1) California admitted as a California admitted as a free statefree state

2)2) Utah & New Mexico Utah & New Mexico admitted with no mention admitted with no mention of slaveryof slavery

3)3) Settle TexasSettle Texas’’ boundary boundary claims for $10 millionclaims for $10 million

4)4) Suppress slavery in Suppress slavery in Washington D.C.Washington D.C.

5)5) Enact a more stringent Enact a more stringent fugitive slave lawfugitive slave law

Uncle Tom’s Cabin

““So youSo you’’re the little lady who re the little lady who started this Civil War?started this Civil War?””

~ Abraham Lincoln to ~ Abraham Lincoln to Harriet Beecher StoweHarriet Beecher Stowe

“Know Nothing” Party• Laboring and middle-Laboring and middle-

class native-born class native-born Americans sought a Americans sought a third party to attack third party to attack immigrants AND fight immigrants AND fight slaveryslavery

• Profiting from a Profiting from a growing belief that growing belief that both the Whigs and both the Whigs and Democrats were Democrats were corrupt, Know-corrupt, Know-Nothings swept the Nothings swept the field in Massachusettsfield in Massachusetts

1854 Kansas-Nebraska Act• Douglas presented a Douglas presented a

bill to Congress on bill to Congress on January 4, 1854, for the January 4, 1854, for the organizing of Nebraska organizing of Nebraska which left settlers free which left settlers free to decide the slavery to decide the slavery question themselvesquestion themselves

• The repeal kicked up The repeal kicked up ““a hell of a storma hell of a storm”” when President when President Franklin Pierce signed Franklin Pierce signed the Kansas-Nebraska the Kansas-Nebraska Bill on May 30, 1854Bill on May 30, 1854

“Bleeding Kansas”

Dred Scott vs. Sandford• Supreme Court Supreme Court

decided the case on decided the case on March 6, 1857, having March 6, 1857, having argued a full yearargued a full year

• Scott lived for five Scott lived for five years on free soil years on free soil prior to the death of prior to the death of his masterhis master

• The court ruled 7-to-2 The court ruled 7-to-2 against himagainst him

• As the South As the South celebrated, the North celebrated, the North fumedfumed

Democratic Split• DemocratsDemocrats’’ dissention dissention

had now become an had now become an open split, with open split, with Douglas on one side Douglas on one side and President and President Buchanan on the otherBuchanan on the other

• With Democrats in With Democrats in disarray, John Brown disarray, John Brown launched his reckless launched his reckless foray into northern foray into northern Virginia in October Virginia in October 1859…he was hung on 1859…he was hung on December 2December 2

Election of 1860

Confederate States of America