October 21, 2015

 Congress attempts to keep a balance of power between slave and free states  Missouri Compromise  Henry Clay proposed this plan.  Missouri was admitted to the Union as a slave state and Maine was admitted as a free state in  The 36/30 latitude line divided up the western territories. All lands north of the line would be admitted to Union as free and all states south of line would be slave.

Compromise of 1850 Henry Clay proposed this plan and Stephen Douglas carried it out. 1) CA was admitted as a free state. 2) Popular sovereignty would determine slavery in UT and NM territories. 3) Settled border dispute between NM and TX. 4) Ban slave trade in DC. 5) Fugitive Slave Act should be strictly enforced.

 Kansas and Nebraska became two new territories  Popular sovereignty would decide on slavery in KS and NE  Southerners support (it counters MO Compromise and allowed two northern territories to have slavery) and Northerners are outraged (Congress is allowing slavery to grow, most northerners were OK with slavery if it only continued in the southern states and didn’t spread to the new west states)

 Dred Scott Decision  Scott was a slave who tried to sue for his freedom because he traveled to a free state  His case reached the Supreme Court  Chief Justice Taney ruled on the case:  MO Compromise was unconstitutional because you can’t deny any citizen right to property and Congress cannot outlaw slavery. Popular sovereignty is unconstitutional.  The Constitution protects slavery  Northerners are shocked - this meant slavery would never die and should be allowed in every single state. Southerners rejoiced!

 Everyone is responsible for catching and returning runaway slaves  People caught breaking law would be fined 1,000 or jailed  Northerners are outraged because it makes them feel like they are part of the slave system and Southerners are satisfied with this.

 John Brown was a northern white abolitionist who hoped to start a slave revolt by breaking into Harper’s Ferry and arming slaves to attack their masters  Harper’s Ferry was a federal arsenal in VA  Brown was not successful, Union troops intercepted him and raiders  Both North and South thought what he did was out of line

 Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote this book. She was a northern white abolitionist. Her novel was a Best Seller and made into a play and movie.  She DID NOT support slavery  Her book details the cruelty of slavery and made it a moral issue  Lincoln credited this lady with helping to start the war because her book became so popular and controversial. It made people realize that slavery was not just a political issue but a serious American problem that should be outlawed.

1856 Election  James Buchanan won presidency, he’s a Democrat, pro-slavery  The north and south was satisfied 1860 Election  Abraham Lincoln won; he’s a Republican, anti-slavery  Sectionalism is the loyalty to one’s state or section/region over the nation.  The north was dominated by the Republican Party and was anti-slavery  The south was dominated by the Democrat Party and was pro slavery and wanted slavery to be allowed in the west  Effect – Growing sectionalism

 The main topic of the presidential debates was slavery  Lincoln said slavery was immoral and should eventually come to an end. He didn’t believe in perfect equality yet.  In his House Divided Speech- the nation will not continue being half free and half slave  Douglas didn’t agree with slavery but he thought it was each person’s own decision and that the neither President nor Congress had the right to make decisions on slavery. It should be determined by popular sovereignty in every state.

 The issue of slavery is not settled by  There is still large support for both sides from the people and in governme nt.