Secession and Outbreak of War Notes

Section Objectives:
- Analyze why Southern states seceded from the Union.
- Assess the events that led to the outbreak of war.

The 1850s: Slavery brought the United States near the breaking point.
Fundamental disagreement: Proslavery vs. abolitionist factions, turning violent.
Cultural and political divergence: The nation was evolving in different directions.
Landmark events for the South:
- Kansas-Nebraska Act
- Dred Scott case
Presidential election of 1860: Turned the tide against the South.

James Buchanan's presidency (elected 1856): Viewed as a failure by many.
Abraham Lincoln's rise:
- Emerged as the Republican Party's prominent leader.
- Easily won the Republican nomination.
Democratic Party's struggle: Difficulty in explaining their position on slavery.
Growing anti-slavery sentiment: Posed a risk of alienating voters if the Democrats took an extreme pro-slavery position.
Democratic Party split:
- Northern Democrats: Nominated Illinois Senator Stephen Douglas.
- Southern Democrats: Nominated John Breckinridge.
Lincoln's victory:
- Decisively won the vote in the Northern part of the United States.
- Won the election with 180 electoral votes due to the North's larger population and the split in the Democratic Party.
- Breckinridge: 72 electoral votes.
- Douglas: 12 electoral votes.

South's fear: Lincoln's election terrified the South.
- Feared he would abolish slavery throughout The United States, dismantling the system of free or slave states.
Economic concerns: The South feared the elimination of slavery would destroy their economy.
- Reduced profitability: Paying or replacing slaves would drastically reduce profits for Southern farmers and plantation owners.
South Carolina's secession: First state to secede on 12/20/1860.
Followed by 5 states: Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, and Louisiana.
Additional secessions in Spring 1861: Another five states seceded.
Division of the nation:
- United States of America
- Confederate States of America
Issue of slavery: The secession was primarily based on slavery.
Additional issues: Other issues widened the gulf between the North and South.
Southern states' claim: Individual sovereignty gave them the right to secede.
- Claimed they were as free to leave the Union as they were to join it.
Northern outrage: News of secession led to outrage in the North.
- Belief that states could not secede without formal government ratification.
Southern division: Close decisions delayed secession in some states due to popular votes.
11 states seceded: Aimed to maintain slavery.

Secession as permanent: Southern states did not view secession as temporary.
Confederate actions:
- Printed and issued their own currency.
- Drafted their own constitution.
- Elected their own president: Jefferson Davis.

Shared beliefs: Lincoln believed America was united by its people's shared beliefs.
Statehood vs. American identity: Statehood and sovereignty were secondary to the shared American identity.
Secession's impact: Nearly a dozen states seceded within weeks of his election.
Secession not new: Different regions of the nation were highly independent and separated economically, politically, socially, and geographically.
Slavery as a divider: The issue of slavery widened existing fissures.

Lincoln's attempts: Worked with leaders to propose compromise and maintain unity.
John Crittenden's proposal: A congressman from Kentucky who proposed reinstating the Missouri Compromise.
Failure of the proposal: Met with resistance and failed in two congressional votes.
Republican resistance: Lincoln and the Republicans refused to shift their antislavery position.
Lincoln's stance: Adamant that slavery would not extend out of the South.
- Ensured Western territories and states would remain free states.

Unresolved slavery issue: The issue came down to the legality of secession and the fate of federal property within Confederate borders.
Fort Sumter: American forces in South Carolina moved into Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor in early 1861.
Early skirmishes: The fort was the site of early conflicts between US forces and Confederate soldiers.
Symbolic importance: Fort Sumter became a symbol of the struggle.

Jefferson Davis's demand: Demanded that the US surrender the fort for financial reparations.
Buchanan's refusal: Sternly rebuked Davis, affirming the fort's US property status.
Davis's response: Cut off the fort from supplies and reinforcements.
National attention: The nation watched, understanding that the outcome would determine war or peace.

Lincoln's assurance: Promised not to invade the South and ensured slavery would not expand.
News from Fort Sumter: The fort was nearing exhaustion of supplies, requiring reinforcement.
Lincoln's intention: Vowed to peacefully send reinforcements to the fort to avoid war.

Davis's action: Moved to take the fort by force.
Battle and surrender: Fort Sumter surrendered on 04/12/1861.
No casualties: Despite igniting the Civil War, there were no casualties on either side.

Justification for action: The battle and surrender of Fort Sumter provided President Lincoln with justification to engage his supporters in retaking the South.
Call for volunteers: Lincoln called for volunteers to provide militia support to US forces.
- Hoped for 75,000 volunteers but received nearly 200,000.
Northern response: Governors of northern states rallied their militias and provided resources for the Union army.
Further secession: Several slave states that remained in the Union seceded as well: Arkansas, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.

Sides defined: With the sides now clearly defined, the American Civil War had begun.