1. Secession
Section 4
Chapter 15

2. Focus Questions
How did Americans react to John Brown’s raid on Harper’s Ferry?
What factors led to Lincoln’s victory in the presidential election of 1860?
Why did some southern states decide to leave the union?

3. The Raid on Harper’s Ferry
After the Pottawatomie Massacre, John Brown was a wanted man
He preached of action and went back to New England
He wanted to start a rebellion and give the slaves in the surrounding area weapons from the federal arsenal

4. The Raid on Harper’s Ferry
On the night of October 16, 1859 John Brown’s Raid began
Brown and his men snuck into Harper’s Ferry, Virginia (which is on the Potomac River)
Brown took control of the arsenal and he hoped slaves would join in (they did not)

5. The Raid on Harper’s Ferry
Instead white southerners armed themselves and attacked Brown
On October 17 Federal Troops arrived led by Robert E. Lee
They surrounded Brown’s men and either captured or killed all of them

6. Judging John Brown
Brown was charged and convicted of treason, murder, and conspiracy to stir up a slave rebellion
Upon being convicted of this crime, John Brown gave a memorable speech (pg 468)

7. Judging John Brown
Many people in the north mourned the death of John Brown
Most in the south felt threatened by these actions (felt that “John Brown the Second” could happen at any time

8. The Election of 1860
Democrats were divided on who to nominate for President in 1860
The party divided over the election and in the north Democrats chose Stephen Douglas and in the south they chose John C. Breckinridge (who was the current vice president)

9. The Election of 1860
Many former Whigs formed a new party known as the Constitutional Union Party and they selected John Bell as their presidential candidate
The Republicans met in Chicago and chose Abraham Lincoln as their candidate because he had moderate (not extreme) views on ending slavery– just wanted to stop the spread of it not end it in existing states

10. The Election of 1860
The four man race was really a race between the two from the north and the two from the south
The ultimate goal was to prevent a majority for Lincoln and send it to the House of Representatives for a vote

11. The Election of 1860 That failed and Abraham Lincoln won
Lincoln won only 40% of the popular vote but won 180 electoral votes

12. The Election of 1860
Southerners were angry at the fact that Lincoln did not win one southern state, yet he was going to be the next President of the United States
This continued to show how southerners had been losing their political power at a national level

13. Breaking with the Union
Lincoln insisted that he would not change slavery in the southern states
Southerners were still in fear
Four days after Lincoln’s election, South Carolina called for a special convention to consider secession, formally withdrawing from the union
Delegates in South Carolina unanimously voted to secede from the Union
Southerners felt that since they had voluntarily joined the U.S. when it was formed that they could voluntarily leave it also

14. Breaking with the Union
President Buchanan and President elect Lincoln rejected the idea and felt no state can just “leave the Union”
Senator John J. Crittenden (Kentucky) proposed a series of constitutional amendments to satisfy the South

15. Breaking with the Union
The plan included extending the Missouri Compromise line to the Pacific Ocean and giving money to slave holders who had lost slaves
President-elect Abraham Lincoln did not agree with the plan
Lincoln wrote letters to Republicans in Senate and urged them to reject this plan and everyone of them voted against the plan

16. The Confederate States of America
By February 1, 1861, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas had seceded from the Union
Sam Houston was removed from office as the Governor of Texas because he opposed secession
On February 4, delegates met in Montgomery, Alabama to establish the Confederate States of America
The Constitution was passed on February 8 and it resemble the U.S. Constitution except for the fact that it allowed slavery

17. The Confederate States of America
Jefferson Davis (Mississippi) was elected president of the Confederate States of America
Alexander H. Stephens became vice president
Davis was against secession but his loyalty to the south was stronger than his hopes for peace

18. The Confederate States of America
Davis had hoped to be general of the Mississippi army and was surprised when he was chosen president
Davis’s loyalty to his friends sometimes clouded his judgment and that would challenge him as he became president

19. Focus Questions
How did Americans react to John Brown’s raid on Harper’s Ferry?
What factors led to Lincoln’s victory in the presidential election of 1860?
Why did some southern states decide to leave the union?