Chapter 15, Section 2 The Crisis Deepens

Objectives: Summarize the main points of the Compromise of 1850. Describe the impact of the novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin. Explain how the Kansas-Nebraska Act reopened the issue of slavery in the territories. Describe the effect of the Kansas-Nebraska Act.

Key Terms Harriet Beecher Stowe – daughter of an abolitionist minister; author of Uncle Tom’s Cabin Uncle Tom’s Cabin – a novel published by Harriet Beecher Stowe in 1852, which portrayed slavery as brutal and immoral Fugitive Slave Act – an 1850 law to help slaveholders recapture runaway slaves Popular sovereignty – a system in which the residents vote to decide an issue Kansas-Nebraska Act – an 1854 law that established the territories of Kansas and Nebraska and gave their residents the right to decide whether to allow slavery John Brown – an extreme abolitionist; led the Pottawatomie Massacre, which led to civil war in Kansas.

Bell Ringer Look at the maps of the United States on page 464. How many new slave states were added between 1820 and 1854? How much more territory was open to slavery after 1854?

The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 allowed officials to arrest anyone accused of being a runaway slave. Suspects had no rights to a trial. Northern citizens were required to help capture accused runaways.

Slave catchers would seize fugitives even after many years had passed since their escape. An Indiana man was separated from his wife and children when a slave owner claimed he had escaped 19 years ago. A wealthy tailor was seized, but his friends in New York quickly raised money to free him. 6

Instead, it convinced more northerners that slavery was evil. The Fugitive Slave Act was the most controversial part of the Compromise of 1850. Senator Calhoun hoped that it would force northerners to admit that slaveholders had rights to their property. Instead, it convinced more northerners that slavery was evil. Northerners began to resist the law. 7

The Fugitive Slave Act Why did Southerners feel that the Fugitive Slave Act was justified? They considered slaves to be property What moral dilemma did the Fugitive Slave Act force Northerners to face? To obey the law and “support” slavery Break the law and oppose slavery

Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852) Stowe drew on some of her own experiences Her family helped runaway slaves Wrote about a man, Uncle Tom, who was abused by his cruel owner (Simon Legree) Why did white Southerners resent Uncle Tom’s Cabin? They believed the book falsely criticized the South and slavery

Stowe’s novel provoked strong reactions from people on both sides of the slavery issue. Many northerners were shocked and began to view slavery as a serious moral problem rather than a political issue. Many white southerners said it was propaganda, misleading information meant to further a cause.

The Kansas- Nebraska Act The debate over slavery continued with the Kansas and Nebraska territories. Southerners refused to admit the territories because they lay above the Missouri Compromise line. The Kansas- Nebraska Act Allowed the people in the territories to decide the slavery issue by popular sovereignty. In 1854, Senator Stephen Douglas helped pass the Kansas-Nebraska Act.

The act undid the Missouri Compromise.

North and South were divided over the Kansas-Nebraska Act. Southerners supported the act. They hoped the new territories would become slave states. Northerners were outraged. They felt Douglas had betrayed them into allowing more slave states. Nevertheless, the act was signed into law by President Franklin Pierce. 14

The Kansas-Nebraska Act What is popular sovereignty? System where the residents vote to decide an issue What groups of people supported the Kansas-Nebraska Act? What groups opposed it? Southerners supported it because it repealed the Missouri Compromise. People opposed to slavery also opposed the Act. How did the Kansas-Nebraska Act change decisions about slavery? Turned it over to the people (popular sovereignty)

Thousands of proslavery and antislavery settlers immediately poured into Kansas. Each side wanted to hold a majority in the vote on slavery. Kansas soon had two governments, one antislavery and one proslavery.

“Bleeding Kansas” How did proslavery forces ensure that Kansas would elect a proslavery legislature? They rushed to settle in the territory 5,000 people from Missouri came and voted in the election illegally Why did proslavery forces attack Lawrence, Kansas? Antislavery settlers boycotted the official government and made their own. Political authority was in dispute. What effects did John Brown’s actions at Pottawatomie have on the situation in Kansas? Civil war broke out

Violence broke out. Bands of fighters began roaming the territory, terrorizing those who did not support their views. The violence was so bad that it earned Kansas the name “Bleeding Kansas.”

Butler’s nephew beat Sumner unconscious in the Senate chamber. The violence in Kansas spread over into the United States Senate. Abolitionist Charles Sumner spoke out against proslavery Senator Andrew Butler. Butler’s nephew beat Sumner unconscious in the Senate chamber. By 1856, all attempts at compromise had failed.

Violence in Congress How did Northerners react to the beating of Senator Charles Sumner? They were shocked at the violence in the Senate In what ways did the beating of Senator Sumner represent what was happening in the nation? Great divide between the North and South; differences were leading to violence.