The Road to Secession: Dred Scott, John Brown, and the Election of 1860

Flashcards about the Dred Scott decision, the Lincoln-Douglas debates, John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry, and the election of 1860.

What was the impact of the Dred Scott decision on the expansion of slavery?

It suggested that slavery could spread unfettered into territories, undermining popular sovereignty.

How did the Dred Scott decision contribute to the Panic of 1857?

It created economic uncertainty by raising concerns that slave labor would dominate the Western Territories, impacting opportunities for free laborers.

What did the Republican Party promise in response to the Dred Scott decision?

To pack the Supreme Court if they won control of the federal government.

What was the main topic of the Lincoln-Douglas debates in 1858?

Slavery.

What was Abraham Lincoln's stance on slavery during the 1858 senate campaign?

He embraced the free soil ideology and objected to slavery on economic grounds, as it threatened the livelihoods of the white working class.

What was John Brown's goal in raiding Harpers Ferry?

To seize the federal arsenal, arm enslaved people, and start a slave insurrection.

What was the immediate outcome of John Brown's raid?

It failed to incite a slave uprising, and Brown and his men were captured by US Marines led by Robert E. Lee.

How did the South react to John Brown's raid?

They were horrified and viewed it as evidence that Northern abolitionists were violent zealots aiming to incite slave uprisings.

What was the impact of the Dred Scott decision and John Brown's raid on the 1860 election?

These events increased tensions between the North and South, and served as the backdrop for the consequential election.

What was unique about the 1860 presidential election?

It was the first time a presidential election served as a direct referendum on slavery.

What was Abraham Lincoln's stance on slavery during the 1860 election?

He wanted to prevent the expansion of slavery into new territories but was not advocating for civil rights for African Americans.

How did the South perceive Lincoln's position on slavery?

They made no distinction between Lincoln, and radical abolitionists, leading to his name being absent from the ballot in 10 Southern states.

What event immediately followed Lincoln's election in November 1860?

A series of wildfires burned in Northern Texas, blamed on abolitionists and increasing tensions and paranoia in the South.

What occurred between Lincoln's election and his inauguration?

Seven states in the Deep South seceded and formed the Confederate States of America.