Chapter 16.4 The Nation Splits in Two Mr. Davis

Background In 1860 thousands and thousands of people traveled to Chicago to discover who from the Republican party would run president, William Seward or Abraham Lincoln.

Lincoln was nominated on the third day of the convention. It was at this time however that a delegate stated: “Gentlemen, we are on the brink of a great civil war.”

Election of 1860 The Northern and Southern Democrats split during their nominations. Northerners nominated: Stephen Douglas Southerners nominated: John Breckinridge

Douglas believed that Lincoln would win the election. He also believed that the Democrats must try and save the Union Lincoln won the election, carrying many states in the North.

The Union is Broken Many southerners believed that the South no longer had a voice in the national government. It was believed that Congress and the President were now set against their interest- especially slavery.

South Carolina’s governor wrote that if Lincoln won the election, they would leave the union. This was only the beginning.

There was a bill proposed that was the last chance to save the union. It was an unamendable amendment to the constitution that would allow slavery in the south forever. This bill received very little support and Republicans were done negotiating.

The first state to secede (leave the union) was South Carolina on December 20, 1860. Later in 1861, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas all left the union.

The new seven states that had seceded created a new nation called the Confederate States of America.

Southerners believed that they had every right to leave the union based on their rights as citizens Jefferson Davis was nominated as the first president.

Lincoln Speaks to the New Nation Lincoln took office on March 4, 1861 and was faced with a national crisis. In his Inaugural Address, Lincoln assured Americans of both the North and South that he had two main goals, maintaining the Union and avoid any type of war.

Lincoln believed that leaving the Union was unconstitutional and he would not compromise with the South. He also stated that there would be no war with the South unless the South took action.

The Civil War The South had already started taking over federal forts throughout the South. This was a major issue because the Confederate states were now a “foreign power”.

Lincoln was then forced into making a decision, send troops into the South, or should he let them take over the forts? Lincoln was very nervous about sending troops because the other eight slave states may leave the Union as well.

Confederate guns fired at the Union at Fort Sumter on April 13, when Lincoln tried to send food down to Florida.

It has been said that people near Fort Sumter gathered on the roof tops and saw what they described as “fireworks”. Little did they know that these fireworks were the beginning of the Civil War.