American Life 4/28

Political Climate in the 1850s

• The political landscape of the 1850s largely favored the South due to pro-Southern presidents and Supreme Court justices.
• This created a sense of constitutionalism that protected slavery.

Cultural Shift

• Despite political wins, the South was losing the cultural war.
• Outside the Deep South and Upper South, tolerance for slavery was diminishing across the rest of the country.
• The North's population, economy, and cultural influence far outweighed that of the South, marking a major turning point in American history.

John Brown's Raid at Harpers Ferry (October 1859)

• Objective: John Brown and his supporters aimed to seize the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia.
• Plan: Distribute captured arms to abolitionists and anti-slavery activists in Northern Virginia and Western Maryland.
• Goal: Incite a large-scale rebellion against pro-slavery elements, ultimately ending slavery in the South through violence.
• Frederick Douglass's Assessment:
  • Douglass believed the plan was unrealistic and warned Brown of its impracticality.
• Supporters and Funding:
  • Brown received financial and logistical support from abolitionists in Massachusetts, Upstate New York, and other areas.
  • These supporters were aware of Brown's violent history in Kansas and his commitment to abolitionism, even if it meant bloodshed.
• Brown's Justification for Violence:
  • Brown believed that any means necessary were justified to end slavery, even if it resulted in significant loss of life.
  • He expressed a willingness to sacrifice even a million lives to eradicate slavery.
• The Raid:
  • Brown and his men successfully captured the arsenal in the early morning hours before authorities were alerted.
• Failed Uprising:
  • The local authorities quickly responded, laying siege to Brown and his men, preventing them from distributing the captured arms.
  • The element of surprise was lost when Brown's men allowed a train to pass through, resulting in the spread of alarm to the authorities.

Consequences and Reactions

• Southern Fear and Paranoia:
  • News of John Brown's raid spread rapidly, leading Southerners to view the North, including the Republican Party and even moderate figures like Lincoln and Douglas, as sympathetic to Brown's violent abolitionism.
  • Southerners feared that Northerners were willing to use violence to end slavery, even if it meant widespread death and destruction.
• Martyrdom and Incitement:
  • John Brown's actions were interpreted as a calculated attempt to trigger a civil war, bringing the issue of abolitionism to a boiling point.
• Sacrifice and Trial:
  • Brown was captured, tried, and executed for his role in the raid.
  • During his trial, he openly took responsibility for his actions, using it as a platform to advocate for abolitionism.
  • His sacrifice was intended to keep the issue of abolitionism at the forefront of public consciousness, especially leading into the election of 1860.

Election of 1860

• Republican Victory: Abraham Lincoln won the election with only 39.9% of the popular vote because the democratic vote was split.
  • Lincoln swept the North due to the divided Democrat vote.
  • This marked the possibility for a national party to run against slavery and win a national election.
• Democratic Division: The raid at Harpers Ferry influenced the outcome of the election because The Democrats were unable to agree on a candidate which led to a split in the party.
  • Stephen Douglas, a Northern Democrat, was nominated but displeased Southerners.
  • Southern Democrats nominated John Breckenridge, a Deep South candidate, who advocated for the expansion of slavery.
• Threats Against Lincoln: Following Lincoln's election, there were threats of violence and assassination attempts against him before he assumed office.
  • Federal and state investigators and private police forces were utilized to protect Lincoln from November 1860 to March 1861.

Formation of the Confederacy

• By February 1861, seven Deep Southern states (South Carolina, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, and Georgia) seceded from the Union.
• These states formed the Confederate States of America (CSA) and elected Jefferson Davis as their president.

Secession Arguments and Constitutional Interpretations

• Southern Perspective: Southerners argued for the right to secede based on the belief that the Constitution was a temporary agreement between sovereign states.
• Union Perspective: The Union argued that secession was illegal and unconstitutional, as it would lead to the destruction of the Union.
• Founding Principles: The Union asserted that the founders intended the Constitution to create a permanent relationship between states, with states relinquishing some authority for the collective good.
• Natural Rights: Southerners viewed themselves as modern-day patriots fighting for their rights, tracing their roots back to the American Revolution.

Fort Sumter and the Start of the War

• Lincoln's Strategy: Recognizing the need for a unified front, Lincoln aimed to justify the use of force against the South in the eyes of the North and the world.
• Fort Sumter: Lincoln's administration planned a routine resupply mission to Fort Sumter, a federal position in South Carolina.
• Confederate Response: Confederate forces bombarded Fort Sumter, forcing Union forces to evacuate after giving fair warning that they were going to attack.
  • This action provided the Union with justification to use military force against the Confederacy.

Initial Union Response

• Call to Arms: Following the attack on Fort Sumter, Lincoln called for 75,000 men to serve for 90 days to suppress the insurrection.
• Further Secessions: Virginia, Tennessee, Arkansas, and North Carolina seceded, bringing the total number of Confederate states to 11.
• Border States: Missouri, Kentucky, Maryland, and Delaware did not secede.
  • Missouri and Kentucky were divided, with pockets of Confederate support but ultimately remained in the Union.
  • Maryland was placed under martial law to prevent its secession, as it would have left Washington, D.C., isolated within Confederate territory.

Comparative Advantages: Union vs. Confederacy

• Union Advantages: The Union possessed significant advantages in population, industry, wealth, and resources.
  • The Union had a larger population, more free males, a greater number of industrial workers, and more factories for producing textiles, firearms, and other essential goods.
  • The Union also had a more extensive railroad network, greater iron and coal production, and a larger agricultural output.
• Confederate Disadvantages: The Confederacy primarily relied on cotton production, but this proved insufficient to sustain their economy and war effort.
  • The Confederacy lacked industrial capacity and had limited access to manufactured goods and resources.
• Dependency on Cotton: The South hoped that European powers, particularly Britain, would support them due to their reliance on Southern cotton; it did not happen.
• Strategic Advantages: The Confederacy had the advantage of fighting a defensive war, aiming to prolong the conflict until the Union lost the will to fight.

Population Statistics

• Union's share out of the total population: 71\%.
• Union's share out of the free males: 81\%.
• Union's share out of the national wealth: 75\%.
• Union's share out of the industrial workers: 92\%.
• Union's share out of the factory production: 97\%.
• Confederacy's share out of the cotton production: 96\%.
• Union's livestock, farm acreage, wheat, corn share: greater proportion out of grain, food, hogs and cows.