The Crisis

1
The Crisis
2
Transition

• Tensions continued to build within the US
  concerning States Rights.
• As Americans continued to move out west, past the
  Miss. River, Eastern issues followed them, i.e.
  states rights, slavery, womens rights, etc.
  And with the acquisition of new land following
  the Mexican War, all of this became a major
  issue.
• David Wilmot, a Democrat from Penn., was for the
  expansion into the new territories. But was
  against Eastern ways going westward, i.e., jobs,
  slaves, resources.

3
Wilmot Proviso

• David Wilmot proposed this on Aug. 8, 1846.
• It wanted to forbid slavery in the newly acquired
  lands from the Mexican War.
• Defeated by Southern Senators, mainly John C.
  Calhoun of SC. He led the Southern Resistance
  struck the Proviso down in 1846 1847.
• This was never a law, but it made the issue of
  slavery a topic of political public debate.

4

• John Calhoun introduced the Calhoun Resolution on
  Feb. 19, 1847.
• This stated that Congress had no right to prevent
  the American people from taking slaves into the
  new territories. That in doing so, it would be a
  direct infringement of their 5th Amendment
  rights, which ensures that the government would
  not deprive any person of life, liberty or
  property, without due process of the law.
• Slaves were considered property in both the
  South in the North.

5
Popular Sovereignty

• This was basically a States Rights proposal.
• Proposed by Sen. Lewis Cass of Mich.
• It would allow settlers in a disputed territory
  to decide the issue of slavery, womens rights,
  etc. for themselves. By opening the area up for
  settlement to non-slave owning farmers settlers
  1st, then let them decide for themselves these
  issues.
• This took the pressure off of Wilmot Calhoun
  Provisos. Thereby, hopefully, preserving the
  Union.

6

• This debate led to the formation of the Free-Soil
  Party. They really did not care about slavery,
  but did not want blacks moving from the East into
  these new areas.
• This Party grew from
• the Barn-Burners-Martin Van Buren Democrats
• Conscience Whigs the Whigs that did not support
  Zachary Taylor, a slave owner.
• Liberty Party Abolitionist political party from
  1840
• This caused a split within the Democratic Party,
  allowing Zachary Taylor to win the Presidential
  Election of 1848.

7

• The discovery of Gold in California opened up the
  west to massive migration and settlement, that
  previously had not taken place.
• Since the end of the Mexican War, the west had
  been pretty much left alone due to the harsh
  conditions the Indians. But now GOLD FEVER
  was sweeping the nation.
• The 49ers became famous for their willingness
  to do whatever it takes to get their fortune.
• Thousands thousands of easterners migrated to
  California.

8

• This would increase the power of women, if only
  in the West.
• They were more rare than Gold!! Barley 8 of the
  entire population of California was female not
  much more than that elsewhere in the west.
• All in all, women had more legal rights the
  right to vote in some areas than their Eastern
  counterparts.
• This would cause an increase in womans rights
  activity in the East, which would lead to
  increased Abolitionist activity.

9
Compromise of 1850

• Henry Clay presented 8 resolutions that were
  supposed to deal with all of the disputed issues
  of the day.
• Admit California as a Free State
• Remaining SW Territories organized without slave
  restrictions
• Deny Texas the claim on the New Mexico territory
• Pay Texas pre-annexation debt.
• Keep slavery in Washington, D.C.
• Abolish the slave trade within Washington, D.C.
• Adopt a tough Fugitive Slave Act
• Congress could not interfere with interstate
  slave trade.

10

• This was proposed in Jan. 1850 debated on
  through Feb., March April and reported to the
  Senate in early May.
• The main concern was Clays suggestion with the
  Mexican cessions, i.e. SW territories.
• It was opposed by Pres. Taylor, but he died of
  food poisoning on July 9, 1850.
• Millard Fillmore became Pres. supported the
  Compromise.
• Signed the final version on Sept. 20, 1850, but
  only 5 resolutions, not 8.

11
Kansas-Nebraska Act-1854

• Sponsored by Stephen Douglas
• Would allow settlers in the new territories north
  of the Missouri border to decide on the issue of
  slavery. (Popular Sovereignty)
• this would cause an outbreak of violence in the
  Kansas between the Pro Anti-slave
• Would give rise to the new Republican party.
• This violence would continue to escalate from
  this point on.

12
Pottawatomie Massacre

• May 1856 pro-slave supporters attacked
  Lawrence, Kansas destroyed the newspaper,
  burned the Gov. house demolished the Free-State
  Hotel with cannons. No fatalities!
• May 24-25, 1856 - John Brown, an abolitionist,
  with a long history of insanity, led his 4 sons
  3 other men to the pro-slave settlement at
  Pottawatomie Creek. Once there, they attacked,
  dragged the men from their homes chopped them
  up in front of their families.
• This would lead to guerrilla attacks until the
  fall in which over 200 people, mostly innocent,
  to be killed.
• Brown would become a fugitive for the next 3
  years.

13
A Killing in Congress

• May 20, 1856 Sen. Charles Sumner of Mass. Made
  several derogatory insulting comments towards
  the South, pro-slave advocates the elder
  statesman, Sen. Andrew Pickens Butler of SC.
• Sumner was known to be a loud mouth dug his own
  political grave. Butlers cousin, Congressman
  Preston Brooks became irate at the insults
  towards his cousin disrespecting the elderly.
• May 22, 1856 Brooks approached Sumner at his
  Senate desk beat him to death with his walking
  cane. (he only stopped when his cane broke)
• This created a martyr for the Anti-slavery
  movement.

14
Pres. Election of 1856

• The 1st regional/sectional election.
• James Buchanan would win by carrying the Southern
  vote.
• Fewer fewer Republican votes in the South
  Buchanan used the Southern Alliance to get
  elected.
• The only unmarried Pres.
• Many felt he coward to the slave states .
• Tensions between the regions began to escalate.

15
Dredd Scott vs. Sandiford

• March 6, 1857
• Dredd Scott was a slave who, after the death of
  his master, tried to buy his freedom. But was
  denied.
• He filed suit stating that since he had lived in
  the Ill. Wisc. Territories, he was free.
• A local jury agreed with him, but the State
  Supreme Court ruled against.
• The US Supreme Court ruled that since Dredd Scott
  was a slave, he had no legal citizenship
  therefore could not file suit.

16
Douglas Lincoln Debates

• Aug. 21 Oct. 15, 1858
• Would prove to increase the separation between
  North South.
• Douglas Pro- South (many felt he was the best
  bet to preserve the Union)
• Lincoln Pro North
• This would force many in the government to back
  one or the other, thus creating a rift in
  legislature.
• Lincoln would win, but barley.

17
John Browns Raid

• Oct. 16, 1859
• John Brown resurfaced in the east with about 20
  men (15 white, 5 black), most were escaped
  slaves.
• Brown led the attack on Harpers Ferry, VA. (now
  West Va.) a Federal Arsenal/Armory, took several
  hostages set up a defensive in the fire engine
  house.
• Brown wanted to arm as many slaves as possible,
  establish a Black stronghold in the mountains
  support a slave uprising in the South.

18

• Watson Brown, another one of Browns sons, waving
  a white flag, went out to talk with the local
  officials. A militiaman shot Watson, thus
  starting a firefight.
• Watson lay mortally wounded outside the fire
  house. He begged his father to shot him end
  his suffering. John replied, if you must die,
  die like a man! Watson died a few moments later
  in agony.
• Lt. Col. Robert E. Lee led the US Cavalry,
  followed by Lt. J.E.B. Stuart with a force of US
  Marines, to Harpers Ferry to put down the raid.

19

• Oct. 18, 1859 Lt. Stuart his Marines broke
  down the barricade ambushed Brown his
  supporters.
• A Marine found John Brown kneeling, ready to
  fire. The Marine stabbed Brown with his sword
  with such force, the sword broke. He then used
  the handle to beat Brown unconscious.
• Brown was arrested, stood trial while laying on
  his side on a cot in the courtroom. Convicted of
  treason conspiracy to incite an insurrection on
  Oct. 31, 1859.
• John Brown was hung on Dec. 2, 1859. Another
  martyr for the Anti-slave cause, few
  abolitionists agreed with Brown.

20
Pres. Election of 1860

• Abraham Lincoln wins because the Democratic Party
  is split North South.
• Nov. 1860 it is clear Lincoln won, carrying all
  the free states. Douglas carries free slaves
  states, but now the slaves states are worried.
• Lincoln must now change his attitude towards
  slaves blacks in general, to keep his
  abolitionist supporters.

21
Secession

• The building tension finally erupted.
• Dec. 20, 1860 South Carolina unanimously voted
  to secede from the Union due to the hostility
  towards slavery, the Republican party ITS
  President. That the country could not continue
  on as half slave half free, and slavery was on
  its way to extinction.
• Jan. 19, 1861 Georgia secedes from the US.
• Feb. 7, 1861 a provisional government
  constitution was established by the 7 seceding
  states forming the Confederate States of America.
  

22

• Feb. 9, 1861 Jefferson Davis is elected
  President of the CSA. Alexander Stephens of
  Georgia is elected Vice Pres.
• They were inaugurated on Feb. 18, 1861.
• Crittendens Compromise proposed to guarantee
  slavery in the areas where it already existed
  allow slavery in the territories south of 36
  degrees, 30 minutes, basically south of Tenn.
• This would be the last attempt at compromise
  had it passed the Senate, it would have been the
  13th Amendment guaranteeing slavery instead of
  ending it (1865)