what caused the civil war? SLAVERY

john brown:

• before 1859 him and his brother were killing pro-slavery ppl

• 1850’s abolitionists are physically fighting policial ppl

• in 1859 he raided a federal arsenal to stockpile weapons and cause a nationwide slave revolt.

• kansas jaycock: trying to prevent slavery

bleeding kansas: deep divide

antebellum era (1820-1860): sectionalism and the road to civil war

• pre civil war south

• deep divide between north and south

• sectionalism: a strong sense of loyalty to a state or region instead of the whole country. big divide between the north and the cotton kingdom

• intense regionalism

• the south got more insulated and the north got more dependent on the cotton industry

• “white trash” was a reference to poor whites in the south before the civil war. it was because most of them had hook worm lol

causes of sectionalism:

• disputes over states rights. the final say was a lot more unclear. people saying the cause of civil war was because of this is a lost cause narrative. (today the states rights argument isn’t as strong)

• issue of slavery in the western territories

disputes over states rights:

• federalism (shared powers)

• they were very unconnected and the thought of leaving was real debates

nat turners revolt - virginia (1831): instilled fear in owners who thought northern abolitionists were inspiring slaves to revolt.

nullification crisis (1832):

• congress places tariff on imported manufactured goods (protective tarrif)

• manufactureres were in the north

• southerners throught tariff was unfair. price of goods raised throughout country. hurt the south the most

• south carolina threatened to leave the usa because they depended on imported goods

• jackson sent troops and lowered the tariffs, and passed indian removal act

• southerners lost trust in federal government

slavery in the western territories:

• many northerners opposed the westward expansion of slavery

• growing abolitionist movement

lincoln:

• first politition to reasonably clearly and explain the constitution and why it doens’t support slavery

• didn’t say he wanted slavery to be completely gone in existing southern states

49ers:

• in 1848 carpenter james marshal discovered gold near sacramento river

• by 49 over 80k 49ers flocked to california

• need for strong gov to control chaors

• ca sought statehood as a free state (even though they were under the lattitude line). in return they passed the fugitive slave act

fugitive slave act:

• passed to please the south after ca became a free state

• slave catchers into northern cities

• federal gov required to assist. hire federal marshals

controlling slaves:

• owners published guides on how to control slaves without hurting their “property”

• slave owners only were 1% of souths population

• put cast ion bells on a slave as an example

harriet beecher stowe:

• “you’re the little lady who started this war“ - lincolin

• wrote uncle tom’s cabin (1852): a fiction narrative about the harsh reality of little girl growing up in slavery. it brought heightened awareness.

jayhawkers vs pro-slavery (border ruffians):

• border ruffians were missouri pro-slavery

• jayhawkers were free soilers

• both of them would slaughter entire villages

• both of them were trying to get a majority vote to kansas

kansas-nebraska act (1854) (steven douglas enacted this):

• allowed territories of kansas and nebraska to vote on whether to allow slavery (angered northernmers). popular sovereignty would decide.

• bleeding kansas: first bloody battles of the civil war

• john brown was involved

legal insurrection:

• dred-scott decision (1857): court rules slaves are legally defined as property and therefore can not bring suit in federal court. only citizens can

• it’s the reason why we needed the 14th amendment. every slave is now a citizen and they were guarenteed protections for all under law

• the scotts were emancipated 3 months after the ruling.

• scott inherited a slave family but he wanted to emancipate them. so he sues the south saying that because they lived in the north for 7 years, they should be considered citizens. it failed and was called the dred-scott decision.