Sectionalism

A Nation Divides

Sectionalism

• The Country divides over:– Economy Differences– Expansion out West– Slavery Issues

3/5 Compromise

• 1787• Counting slaves in population for voting in the

South– Gets Constitution ratified

Northwest Ordinance

• 1787• Early law outlawed slavery in new territories

out West

Missouri Compromise

• 1819• Henry Clay: Keeps balance in Union with

compromise– Missouri: Slave state– Maine: Free state

Wilmot Proviso

• 1846• David Wilmot [PA]: New bill BANS slavery in

lands won in the Mexican War [Southwest & West]– It does NOT get passed

Compromise of 1850

• Henry Clay: Creates another compromise– California: Free state– New Mexico & Utah: Popular Sovereignty

• Border Dispute: Texas & New Mexico settled• Congress Power: NO POWER over slave trade

between states

Compromise of 1850

• Washington D.C.: Slave trade BANNED• Fugitive Slave Law: Required ALL citizens to

help catch runaway slaves.– 6months or $1,000 fine– Special Courts were created– North HATED this new law

Kansas-Nebraska Act

• 1854• Popular Sovereignty: People vote to decide

on slavery for the states• Border Ruffians: Moved across state lines to

influence the voting

Kansas-Nebraska Act

• Kansas: Pro slave government– DEATH PENALTY for helping runaway slaves– 2-yr Prison term for speaking out against slavery

• Bleeding Kansas: John Brown leads abolitionists in guerilla warfare. Killed 200 people

END

Slavery

• Slavery: Dividing the nation– Slaveholders [SOUTH]– Abolitionists [NORTH]– Moderates

Slaveholders

• Their way of life was being threatened– Economy would be crushed– Wanted slavery in ALL STATES– Wanted North to help catch runaway slaves

Abolitionists

• Felt the South was like a “foreign country”– Wanted slavery stopped EVERYWHERE– Slavery was a moral wrong

Moderates

• Wanted Missouri Compromise to go across the entire nation– Wanted Popular Sovereignty to decide slave

issues in new territories

Uncle Tom’s Cabin

• Harriet Beecher Stowe: Writes novel about slavery

• Showed the “Evils of Slavery”• Showed brutality of slave life in the South– South HATED the book– North LIKED it

Uncle Tom’s Cabin

• Tom refuses to tell Simon Legree where two slaves have gone, so he orders his overseers to kill Tom. As Tom is dying, he forgives the overseers who savagely beat him. Humbled by the character of the man they have killed, both men become Christians. Shortly before Tom's death, George Shelby arrives to buy Tom’s freedom but finds he is too late.

Dred Scott Case

• 1857• Dred Scott: Slave from Missouri– Moved to Wisconsin with owner. Owner died and

Scott sued for freedom

• U.S. Supreme Court: Ruled that he had NO RIGHTS as a slave, therefore could not sue for his freedom, he was NOT a citizen– North was outraged

Government

• Free Soil Party: 1848• Created: Northern Democrats & Whigs who

opposed slavery.– “Free Soil, Free Speech, Free Labor & Free Men!”– STOP the spread of slavery, not abolish it

Government

• Republican Party: 1854• Created: Free Soil, Democrats & Whigs who

wanted to STOP the spread of slavery into the West– John Fremont: Presidential candidate lost to

James Buchanan

Government

• President James Buchanan: Won election in 1856– Compromise Candidate– “Northern man, with Southern principles”

Government

• Abraham Lincoln: 1858• Lincoln challenged Stephen Douglas for

Senate seat in Illinois– Lincoln didn’t win, but people liked him– Great public speaker– Just Folks

Government

• Lincoln v Douglas Debates: These two men had many debates

• Douglas: Believed in Popular Sovereignty• Lincoln: Thought slavery was a “moral, social

& political wrong”– All citizens had the right to “Life, Liberty & Pursuit

of Happiness”– NOT an abolitionist, did not want slavery to

spread

For Quiz

• Henry Clay Fugitive Slave Law• Harriet Tubman Uncle Tom’s Cabin• John Brown Popular Sovereignty• Stephen Douglas Free Soil Party• Dred Scott Bleeding Kansas• Border Ruffians Missouri Compromise• Abolitionists William Lloyd Garrison• Compromise of 1850

Questions• What issue was dividing the U.S.– What are the three sides to this issue

• How did the government try to solve this problem?– List them:

• What happened in Kansas?• Who was the “Great Compromiser?”• Who was the “Northern man with Southern

principles?”• Who wrote the “big book” that started the Civil War?• Who was the famous conductor on the Underground

RR?• How did the government “fail” to stop slavery from

spreading?

END