1. The Deepening Crisis Over Slavery 10.3

2. The Rochester Convention African American leaders gathered for a national convention in Rochester, NY in 1853 Here they declared that they were not prepared to submit quietly to a government more concerned about the interests of slave owners than people seeking freedom They also expressed worry over the growing competition for work with European immigrants Frederick Douglas spoke on the need for increased training in skilled trades for African Americans as well

3. Uncle Tom’s Cabin Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote a book called Uncle Tom’s Cabin, or Life among the Lowly which was published in 1852 It depicted slavery’s cruelty, inhumanity and destructive impact on families It was widely read and affected many Northerner’s opinion on slavery

4. Uncle Tom’s Cabin Southerners attacked the book claiming that it falsely depicted slavery and their way of life They pointed out that Stowe had never actually lived in the South Nonetheless, this book contributed significantly to the growing opposition to slavery

5. The Kansas-Nebraska Act The Kansas-Nebraska Act was a law that allowed the new states of Kansas and Nebraska to choose for themselves whether or not slavery would exist there This area was previously closed to settlement and slavery through the Missouri Compromise. This act repealed that provision. Violence erupted in Kansas between proslavery and anti- slavery forces

6. The Kansas-Nebraska Act “Border Ruffians” from Missouri went into Kansas to attack anti-slavery settlers and vote illegally Anti-slavery groups were encouraged to pack “Beecher’s bibles” a slang term for firearms More than 200 people were killed in this conflict leading the press to label the area “Bleeding Kansas”

7. The Dred Scott Decision Dred Scott was a slave that had been taken with his master to the free state of Illinois Scott argued in court that since he had been taken to a state where slavery was illegal he should become a free man Scott’s case was appealed all the way to the Supreme Court

8. The Dred Scott Decision The case brought up two significant questions for the court 1.Could a black man sue in federal court? 2.Was Scott free because he has been taken to a free state? The court answered no to both questions with two judges dissenting (disagreeing) with the court’s opinion They wrote that blacks were not citizens and therefore couldn’t sue and freeing Scott would deprive his owner of his right to property This opinion led to increased controversy over the issue of slavery

9. Assignment 1. Describe the impact of Uncle Tom’s Cabin on Northerners. 2. How did people in the South react to this book? 3. What was the Kansas-Nebraska Act? Why was it controversial? 4. Explain what happened in “Bleeding Kansas”. 5. Describe Dred Scott’s argument in for the Supreme Court? How did the Court rule on this issue? What was the reaction to this decision?