The Civil War Notes
Eli Whitney’s Cotton Gin
Invented in 1793.
Pulled cotton fibers through wire teeth on a spinning cylinder.
Quickly and easily removed seeds from cotton fibers.
Operated by hand crank, horse, or water power.
Emerging Problem
How should new states be admitted to the US?
As free or slave states?
How to keep the balance between free and slave states?
Missouri Compromise (1820)
Missouri wanted admission as a slave state.
Compromise:
Admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state.
Maintained balance between slave and free states (12 free, 12 slave).
Outlawed slavery above the 36º 30' latitude line in the Louisiana Territory.
Fugitive Slave Act of 1850
Slaves must be returned to their owners, even if found in free states.
The federal government is responsible for finding, returning, and putting on trial escaped enslaved people.
“Fugitive” - A person who runs away from legal authority.
Kansas-Nebraska Act - 1854
Kansas and Nebraska territories applied for statehood.
Senator Stephen Douglas (IL) proposed:
Require “popular sovereignty” in new states.
Settlers of each state should vote to decide if slavery is practiced.
Not the federal government drawing an arbitrary line and mandating the status of slavery.
Repeal the Missouri Compromise, which had said no slave states north of 36º 30' latitude line.
Flawed Popular Sovereignty in Kansas
1500 residents of Kansas.
> 6000 people voted in various state elections.
“Border ruffians”:
Armed supporters of slavery who came from Missouri to vote.
The aftermath of the vote: 2 rival state constitutions and governments:
One pro-slavery; one anti-slavery.
Complete chaos!
“Bleeding Kansas”
May 1856:
Pro-slavery supporters (“ruffians”) attacked Lawrence, KS, which was known as an anti-slavery town.
Killed more than 150 people and burned the town.
John Brown’s role in “Bleeding Kansas”
May 1856:
In response to the pro-slavery attack on Lawrence, KS.
John Brown led an anti-slavery attack in Pottawatomie Creek, KS.
Led by John Brown (with his sons).
Brutally killed 5 pro-slavery supporters.
Raised his national profile.
Created incredible fear in the South.
John Brown’s last act of resistance: Harpers Ferry, VA October 1859 (3 yrs after Bleeding Kansas)
Goal: Start an uprising of enslaved people against slaveholders.
Conducted by John Brown, his sons, and some freed slaves.
Took slave owners as hostages (including George Washington’s great nephew).
Seized federal “arsenal” (storage site for weapons).
Terrified townspeople summoned federal troops (including Robert E Lee) who defeated Brown and his accomplices.
John Brown was arrested, tried, and executed.
Violence in the US Capitol
May 1856
Senator Charles Sumner (MA) - leading abolitionist.
Gave 115-page speech, entitled “The Crime Against Kansas”.
Boldly criticized southern slave owners, particularly from South Carolina.
A House Member from SC attacked Sen. Sumner on the Senate Floor by beating him with his cane repeatedly.
Sen. Sumner was nearly killed.
Dred Scott v. Sanford (1857)
FACTS:
Dred Scott was enslaved in Missouri (slave state).
1830s - Slave owner moved with Scott to Illinois (free) and Wisconsin Territory (free).
Returned to Missouri.
1846 - Scott sued slave owner, claiming he should be free since he lived in areas where slavery illegal.
1857 - Reached Supreme Court
ISSUE: Could an enslaved person be freed by living in a state where slavery was illegal?
HOLDING: Dred Scott was still enslaved.
REASONING: Chief Justice Roger Taney:
Scott had no right to bring lawsuit
Enslaved person was not a citizen with rights under Constitution
“Neither the class of persons who had been imported as slaves, nor their descendants, whether they had become free or not, were …intended to be included in the general words used in [the Constitution].”
5th Amendment = prohibits government from taking “property” without due process. Enslaved humans were the “property” of the slave owners. Thus, Congress has no power to ban slavery.
Popular Sovereignty is illegal. Not even voters can ban slavery because that would be taking “property.” In sum, the Constitution protects slavery.
David Walker (1796-1830)
Free Black abolitionist in Boston
Wrote in the first African Am newspaper, Freeman’s Journal
Wrote his “Appeal to the Colored Citizens of the World” in 1829
Audience?
Enslaved people in the South
His approach?
Spread his message by hiding/sewing copies of the Appeal into used clothing delivered to the South by sympathetic sailors.
Advocated for a violent uprising against slave-owners
Found dead in his home in 1830
William Lloyd Garrison (1805-1879)
White abolitionist
1831 - Founded newspaper, The Liberator
1831-1865 (1,820 issues published - until 13th Amendment passed)
Audience?
White society
Started New England Anti-Slavery Society (Boston)
Demanded immediate emancipation
His approach?
Writing/ publishing his abolitionist newspaper
Non-violent actions
Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811-1896)
White abolitionist
1851 - Wrote best-selling book, Uncle Tom’s Cabin
Highlighted the evils of slavery, building significant sympathy for enslaved people, and angered the slaveholding South.
Popular among millions of white Americans (particularly in North)
After being accused of exaggerating the horrors of slavery, Stowe published a nonfiction list of her sources, entitled The Key to Uncle Tom’s Cabin
Solomon Northup (1807-1864)
Free Black man living in New York
1841 - Traveled to Washington DC to perform violin in circus
Drugged, kidnapped, and sold into slavery in Louisiana, enduring horribly violent conditions.
Northup was rescued in 1853 with help from colleagues and friends.
He wrote his memoir, which was used by the abolitionist cause
In 2013, turned into an Oscar-winning film Twelve Years a Slave.
His memoir was published 1 year after Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Northup’s account gave credibility to Stowe’s fictional story.
Frederick Douglass (1818-1895)
Prominent abolitionist, activist, author, public speaker
Born into slavery in Maryland
Sold away from mother immediately - lived on distant plantation
Slave-owner’s wife started to teach him the alphabet
Realized connection between freedom and literacy
Taught himself to read and write after this
Escaped slavery at age 20
Able to write his own papers
Subscribed to The Liberator, published by William Lloyd Garrison
1841 - Invited to speak at Anti-Slavery Society
1845 - Published his autobiography, “Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave”
Traveled the country and world speaking about abolition
1858 - Became friends with John Brown
During Civil War, advisor to Pres Lincoln
Felt strongly Black men should be allowed to serve in War - Recruited men
After War, served in government positions in Washington, D. C.
Active in Women’s Suffrage Movement
Harriet Tubman (1820-1913)
Most famous “conductor” of Underground Railroad
Underground Railroad - escorted journey from South to North by hiding in ‘stations” in sympathetic people’s homes, barns, fields.
Escorted >300 enslaved people to freedom over 19 journeys
Used clever strategies to evade capture
During Civil War, worked for Union Army as a cook, nurse, and spy
Sojourner Truth (1797-1883)
Prominent abolitionists and women’s rights activist
Born into slavery, but escaped in 1826
After a religious vision, she changed her name from Isabella to “Sojourner Truth”
Charismatic public speaker and religious preacher
Never learned to read or write - dictated her books and speeches
Fought for abolition and women’s “suffrage”
Delivered her famous “Ain’t I A Woman” speech at abolitionist conference
The Grimké Sisters: Sarah (1792-1873) and Angelina (1805-1879)
Prominent abolitionists and women’s rights activists
Daughters of wealthy southern plantation owners in South Carolina
Taught enslaved people on their plantation to read
Became Quakers
WL Garrison published their letters in The Liberator; invited them to join the American Anti-Slavery Society (very unusual to include women)
Lincoln Becomes President; Secession and War!
Lincoln-Douglas Debates 1858 - Illinois Senate Race
“Incumbent” - Sen. Stephen Douglas (Democrat)
Challenger - Abraham Lincoln (Republican)
7 debates, Aug-Oct 1858
Timeline of Election of 1860 - Lincoln Becomes President….. and Southern States Secede
Nov 6, 1860 Abraham Lincoln elected
Dec 20, 1860 South Carolina secedes from the Union
Jan-Feb, 1861 TX, LA, MS, AL, FL, GA secede from the Union
Feb 8, 1861 Confederate States of America created, President Jefferson Davis
March, 1861 President Lincoln inaugurated
Lincoln’s “Inauguration” Address
“In your hands, my dissatisfied fellow countrymen, and not in mine, is the momentous issue of civil war. The Government will not assail you. You can have no conflict, without being yourselves the aggressors.” - Abraham Lincoln, First Inaugural Address
War Begins - at Fort Sumter
1 day after Lincoln is “inaugurated”
Confederate forces demand the surrender of US Fort Sumter
Located on an island in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina
CSA President Jefferson Davis orders attack April 12, 1861
Shots are fired, but no deaths
Fort Sumter taken by Confederate troops
As a result of losing Ft. Sumter to the Confederates, Lincoln called for 75,000 volunteers to defend Union
Then 4 more southern states seceded!
Military leaders on each side:
Union Generals (Northern states):
Ulysses S. Grant
“Total War” strategy - destroy enemy’s army, plus their people and land
Anaconda Plan
William T. Sherman
Burned Atlanta, then “March to the Sea”
Confederate Generals (Southern states):
Robert E. Lee
Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson
Advantages and Strategies going into the War
Union:
Advantages:
Larger population
More ships, Navy
Banking system
Railroad system
Moral certitude
Goal:
Restore Union
Strategy to attain goal:
“Total War”
Anaconda Plan:
blockade southern ports;
control Mississippi River;
Capture capital, Richmond, VA
Confederacy:
Advantages:
Skilled military leaders
Protecting homes/ lifestyle/ economy
Home turf advantage
Passion
Goal
Gain independence
Strategy to attain goal:
Defensive strategy
Hold territory until North grows tired;
make war not worth the cost;
ally with Britain and France
Emancipation Proclamation
Lincoln’s original purpose of war:
Preserve Union
Abolitionists (Frederick Douglass) pressured Lincoln to make war about ending slavery. Why would that be a good strategy?
Moral wrong
Recruit freed African American men to the Union army
Britain and France less willing to support South if war over slavery
It was the cause of most of the divisions between states
Legal Authority to end slavery?
Constitution: President’s power to take property from an enemy in wartime.
Took effect Jan 1, 1863
Freed all slaves in states that seceded
3. 5 million enslaved declared
Did not affect northern states or border states (Kentucky, Missouri, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware)
Was a challenge to enforce
Civil War Constitutional Amendments:
13th Amendment: (1865)
Ended slavery for all enslaved people in US
“Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.”
14th Amendment: (1868)
Guarantees citizenship for “all persons born or naturalized in the US, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof… ”
(reversed Dred Scott Supreme Court decision)
The government cannot “deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law. ”
The government cannot “deny any person…the equal protection of the laws. ”
15th Amendment: (1870)
Right to vote cannot be denied based on race.
Second Inaugural Address - March 4, 1865
“With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.” -- Abraham Lincoln, March 4, 1865