The Road to Secession: Key Events and Concepts

The 1850s: The Road to Secession

The Mexican Cession

  • The Mexican Cession refers to the territory acquired by the United States from Mexico as a result of treaties negotiated between the two nations following the Mexican-American War.

  • Key Provision: An explicit and fundamental condition for the acquisition was that neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall ever exist in any part of said territory.

  • Wilmot Proviso (1846): Introduced by Congressman David Wilmot (D-PA), aimed to prevent the expansion of slavery into the territories acquired from Mexico. It exemplified the Northerners’ desire to halt the spread of slavery.

Free Soil Party (1848-1854)

  • Slogan: "Free Soil! Free Speech! Free Labor! Free Men!"

  • Composition:

    • Anti-slavery northern Democrats and Whigs.

    • Members of the Liberty Party.

  • Main Opposition: Opposition to the extension of slavery into newly acquired territories.

The Presidential Elections of the 1850s

  • 1850: Millard Fillmore succeeds Lewis Cass.

  • 1848: Martin Van Buren runs.

  • 1852: Gen. Winfield Scott (Whig) and Franklin Pierce (Democrat).

  • 1856: Candidates include James Buchanan (Democrat), John C. Frémont (Republican), and Millard Fillmore (Whig).

  • Theme: The elections highlight the struggle to avoid the contentious issue of slavery, showcasing a desperate attempt at national harmony despite increasing sectional tensions.

Problems of Sectional Balance in 1850

  • Territory Allocations:

    • Oregon Territory (1848): Established as a free state.

    • California (1850): Admitted as a free state under the compromise.

    • New Mexico and Utah Territories (1850): Governed by the principle of popular sovereignty, allowing territories to decide the slavery question for themselves.

  • Sectional Division: 16 free states versus 15 slave states, illustrating a precarious balance of power between North and South.

The Road to Secession (1848-1860)

  • Key Factors: Explore events that escalated tensions leading to secession, including the Compromise of 1850, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Kansas-Nebraska Act, Bleeding Kansas, Dred Scott Decision, and actions of John Brown.

Compromise of 1850

  • Key Elements:

    • Admission of California as a free state.

    • New Mexico and Utah organized under popular sovereignty.

    • Abolishment of the slave trade in Washington D.C.

    • Introduction of the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850.

  • Significant Difference: The compromise was chiefly based on self-interest rather than national unity, culminating in an Omnibus Bill proposal that failed to pass.

The Fugitive Slave Act (1850)

  • Controversy: Deemed the most contentious aspect of the Compromise of 1850.

  • Obligated citizens to assist in the capture of runaway slaves and denied accused individuals the right to testify.

  • Special commissioners were financially incentivized to rule against alleged fugitives, receiving $5 for a ruling in favor of freedom and $10 for ruling to return them to slavery.

  • This act prompted Northern states to establish Personal Liberty Laws as a countermeasure and provided Southern states justification for secession.

Harriet Beecher Stowe and Uncle Tom’s Cabin

  • Described as a catalyst for the Civil War by Abraham Lincoln.

  • Published in 1852, this novel blended sentimentality with political messaging, depicting the harsh realities of slavery and human suffering.

  • It deepened sectional rifts and diminished Southern sympathy in foreign nations, particularly in England.

  • Counter-Narrative: "Aunt Phyllis’s Cabin" defended slavery, portraying it as a benevolent and beneficial institution for enslaved individuals.

  • Sales: Uncle Tom's Cabin sold 300,000 copies in its first year, reflecting its immense impact.

Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854)

  • This act effectively nullified the Missouri Compromise by allowing the application of popular sovereignty in the Kansas and Nebraska territories.

  • The term "Slave Power" was used to describe perceived disproportionate influence of slaveholding interests in Congress, leading to conflict.

  • It marked the birth of the Republican Party, uniting Northern Whigs, Northern Democrats, Free-Soilers, and Know-Nothings against the expansion of slavery.

“Bleeding Kansas” (1854-1856)

  • A violent conflict arose as both pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions sought to establish dominance in the newly formed territories.

  • Events: Missouri Border Ruffians infiltrated Kansas, leading to guerilla warfare characterized by mass violence and chaos, leaving approximately 200 dead.

  • Notable Incidents:

    • Sacking of Lawrence: An attack on anti-slavery settlers’ stronghold.

    • Pottawatomie Massacre led by John Brown, further escalating tensions.

  • Resultant Constitutions: Congress received conflicting proposals for statehood from both factions fiercely battling for legitimacy.

“The Crime Against Kansas” Speech

  • Senator Charles Sumner's speech directed at Senator Andrew Butler, characterizing slavery in derogatory terms.

  • Reaction: Instant backlash leading to violence; Butler's cousin, Congressman Preston Brooks, physically assaulted Sumner in retaliation.

Dred Scott v. Sanford (1857)

  • Supreme Court ruling that determined:

    • Black Americans were not recognized as citizens and thus had no legal standing to sue.

    • Declared the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional, asserting that the 5th Amendment protects property rights, including slaves.

    • Stated Congress lacked authority to regulate slavery in the territories, nullifying popular sovereignty.

  • Northern Response: This ruling intensified fears concerning the Slave Power conspiracy, undermining free soil principles and nullifying personal liberty laws.

The Lincoln-Douglas Debates (1858)

  • Notable Quote: “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” - Abraham Lincoln

  • Aimed at addressing the pressing issue of slavery, Lincoln posited that the nation could not persist half slave and half free.

  • Outcomes: The debates split the Democratic Party.

    • Freeport Doctrine: Asserted by Stephen Douglas, allowing spaces to determine slavery's legality, appeasing Northern Democrats while enraging Southern counterparts.

John Brown: Madman or Martyr?

  • John Brown’s raid at Harper’s Ferry in 1859 intended to instigate an armed slave revolt. His statement, "the crimes of this guilty land will never be purged away but with blood," highlights his justification for violent resistance.

  • His execution in December 1859 marked a definitive moment; it signified the undeniable shift towards inevitable violence between Northern and Southern states.

1860 Presidential Election

  • Main Candidates:

    • Abraham Lincoln (Republican)

    • John Bell (Constitutional Union)

    • Stephen A. Douglas (Northern Democrat)

    • John C. Breckinridge (Southern Democrat)

Road to Secession: Causes of Friction Between North and South

  • Students are prompted to identify and explain the key conflict contributing to the sectional divide leading the nation toward secession in 1860.

Pro Se Court Discussions

  • Deliberations focused on which section, North or South, bore greater responsibility in driving the nation towards the Civil War.

Election Results of 1860

  • Electoral Votes:

    • Abraham Lincoln: 180 electoral votes, 1,865,593 popular votes (39.8%).

    • Stephen A. Douglas: 12 electoral votes, 1,382,713 popular votes (29.5%).

    • John C. Breckinridge: 72 electoral votes, 848,356 popular votes (18.1%).

    • John Bell: 39 electoral votes, 592,906 popular votes (12.6%).

  • Significance of Results: Lincoln’s election catalyzed the secession crisis.

Secession Timeline

  • December 20, 1860: South Carolina becomes the first state to secede.

  • Subsequent states that seceded include:

    • Mississippi: January 9, 1861

    • Alabama: January 11, 1861

    • Georgia: January 19, 1861

    • Louisiana: January 26, 1861

    • Texas: February 1, 1861

  • Border slave states, such as Missouri, Kentucky, Maryland, and Delaware, chose not to secede immediately but faced tremendous pressures.

Americans Story of Us: Division

  • Discussion on the defining historical developments of the era, exploring the effects of these developments on the nation.

  • Examination of key historical figures that influenced the sectional crisis, weighing their impact on the build-up to Civil War.

Wrap-Up Discussion

  • Was the Civil War inevitable? Reflect on the numerous factors leading to the conflict and their indications on the likelihood of civil strife in America’s future.

Conflicting Ideologies

  • Free Soil: Belief that slavery threatened free labor and was a form of aristocracy.

  • Slave Power Conspiracy: Viewed as antithetical to democracy; pro-slavery perspectives were often depicted in opposition to the values upheld by the Free Soil movement.

  • Nat Turner’s Rebellion: An important rebellion that exemplified the violent struggle against slavery and the reactions it provoked.