Harpers Ferry, 1860 election and secession

When did Virginia seceded and what by?

17th April 1861 by convention 88-55

Why was Virginia industrially crucial?

Confederate capital and crucial in food production, railways and military arms

When did Arkansas, North Carolina and Tennessee respectively secede?

6th may, 20th may and 8th June

North Carolina voted to secede … and Tennessee by … …?

Unanimously and popular referendum

Which lower north states remained in the union after april 1861?

Delaware, Maryland, missouri and kentucky

What was the Cornerstone speech and who was it written by (Vice-president of confederacy)?

A speech outlining the reasons for secession that outlined slavery as the cornerstone of the confederate states and Alexander Stevens

What were the South hoping for when they seceded? **Jefferson David quote**

‘Enter with the hope that the confederacy may not be obstructed by hostile opposition to the enjoyment of that separate and independent existence’

When was South Carolinas convention to secede and what was the vote?

20th December 1860 and 169-0

What did South Carolina call their vote to secede?

‘Ordinance dissolving the union’

Within … months of Lincoln’s election, the confederate states had … themselves, drafted a … and set up a capital in …, Alabama.

3, organised, constitution and Montgomery

What was the average vote in favour of secession?

80%

When did Mississippi, florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas secede respectively? (All in 1861)

9th Jan, 10th Jan, 11th Jan, 19th Jan, 26th Jan, 1st feb

What did southern who didn’t want secession demand Lincoln to do? **Cooperationists vs independence**

Enforce the fugitive slave law, repeal personal liberty laws, guarantee against interference with slavery in Dc and protection of slavery in territories

Evidence that cooperationists had created a strong case in each state except South Carolina and Texas?

They polled at least 40% of the vote in those 5 states

What were the rights and liberties created by the confederates?

the right to own slaves, the liberty to take property into the territories and the freedom from coercive powers of a centralised government

Quote from Alabama about the election of Lincoln?

‘Shows the north intends to free the negros and force amalgamation between them and the children of the poor men of the south, Freedom is not possible without slavery’

Alexander stevens quote from Cornerstone speech?

‘We left the union to save ourselves from revolution’

How did Lincoln consider secession? QUOTE

‘The essence of anarchy’

What was the Crittenden compromise? (December 18th 1860)

An attempt to permantly enshrine slavery in the constitution and therefore maintain union on southern terms

What was the vote on the Crittenden Compromise in the senate committee and when did it take place?

25-23 against the amendment and 16th January 1861

How many republican representatives passed a bill in the house which was faithful obedience of the FSA and repeal of personal liberty laws

Half

What did the Republican Party platform say in 1860 election?

High protective tariffs, northern transcontinental railway, dropped nativist issues, payed more attention to local economic matters and modernised capitalism

Who initially won the first 2 ballots of the republican presidential candidate?

William H Seward

Where did Republicans meet in order to decide on a candidate for election?

In Chicago at a venue that could host 10,000 people

How many votes did Lincoln win in 1860 election?

1,866,000 and 40%

In how many southern states was Lincoln not on the ballot? (**54% of free state vote - every state but New Jersey** )

9

How many votes did Breckinridge gain (**45% of southern votes - 11/15 slave states**) and how many votes did Douglas obtain (**mainly from the north yet only won 2 states**)

843,000 and 1,383,000

What party did both Douglas and Breckenridge represent?

Democrats

What party did John Bell represent (composed mainly of whigs and exwhigs with large support in the south)?

Constitutional unionist party

How many votes did John Bell win (**39% of southern votes - 3/15**)?

593,000

What was the democratic split between Douglas and breckenridge? **Leading to Republican success**

Popular sovereignty and against Lecompton constitution vs southern rights and slavery split

Why did the democrats nominate 2 candidates? **(April 1860 - Charleston)**

110 southern democrats walked out of the Charleston convention as northerners blocked a proposal to protect the rights of slavery and the lower south created their own convention nominating vice presiden John Breckenridge

At which democratic convention was Douglas nominated because of a lack of southerners?

The Baltimore convention

What were the disadvantages of William Seward that led to him not being selected for nomination to Republican president?

He held a militant abolitionist policy and had many enemies consequently, and had a record of hostility towards nativism so wouldn’t get ex-american party vote

Policy of Constituional unionists? QUOTE

‘The constitution of the country, the union of the states and the enforcement of the laws of the United States’

Who did John Brown lead to Harper’s ferry?

Led 5 blacks and 13 whites to Harper’s ferry

Who supported John Brown’s expedition?

William Lloyd Garrison

What happened to John Brown after Harper’s ferry (immediately)?

He was executed against the state of Virginia

What were the immediate consequences of the raid on Harper’s Ferry?

200 medical students in Philadelphia returned to south to protest, thousands of slaves were tortured for information and southern legislature increased armouries and drilled state militia

What rumours spread across the south after Harper’s ferry?

Lincoln privately sympathised with Brown and tens of thousands of abolitionists were planning a raid on Dallas Texas

What happened to congress as a result of Harper’s ferry? (E.g. pacific railroad and higher tarrifs on imports vs Cuba and protection for slave masters)

It was totally split along sectional lines and Democrats rejected all republican initiative and vice versa

How did Lincoln respond to the raid at Harper’s Ferry?

He agreed with the motives but condemned the actions

How did Frederick Douglass describe John Brown? **Quote**

‘Mine was a taper light, his like a burning sun’ and ‘I could live for the slave, John Brown could die for them’

When was John Browns massacre on Pottawatomie where he and 5 of his sons killed 5 proslavers with broadswords?

24th May 1856

What was the massacre of Pottawatomie in response to?

The sacking of the Lawrence town

When did John Brown plan to, with 18 men, leave their base in Maryland and raid the federal arsenal at Harper’s Ferry?

16th October 1859

What did Brown plan to do after seizing weapons from Harper’s Ferry?

Retreat to the Appalachians to start a slave revolt

How many casualties were killed in harper’s ferry raid?

10 of browns army and 7 others

When was John Brown executed and why did he refuse to use a plea of insanity?

2nd December 1859 and he wanted to die a martyrs death to help the anti-slavery cause

Why were dozen of slaves lynched in southern states in the winter of 1859-60?

Suspicion of slave insurrection and local vigilance committees rounded suspected slaves