THE COMING OF THE CIVIL WAR Chapter 14 section 4 THE COMING OF THE CIVIL WAR

NATION DIVIDES Election of 1860: Lincoln (Republican) vs. Douglas (Northern Democrats vs. Breckinridge (Southern Democrats and Vice President) Constitutional Union Party: John Bell (TN) wanted to heal the split between the North and the South Lincoln won all free states and 40% of the popular vote; Breckinridge won all slave states except four South was upset Lincoln won  they did not like him, felt that Congress and President were against them and slavery South Carolina seceded from Union, then 6 more states followed  But not all southern states favored the split Feb. 1861: leaders from the 7 states met to form Confederate States of America By March 1861, when Lincoln officially took office, Confederacy had a constitution and a new president (Jefferson Davis).

Civil war begins Lincoln tried to reassure South but they did not believe him  they took over forts, post offices, and federal buildings within the southern borders Fort Sumter: located on an island near Charleston, SC  The forts commander would not surrender, so they decided to try and starve the troops out  Lincoln decided to send food to troops, instead of troops and guns, to try and prevent violence  Confederacy attacked the fort anyway and made the US troops surrender Fort Sumter marked the BEGINNING of the CIVIL WAR!

VOCABULARY AND PEOPLE CIVIL WAR A war opposing groups of citizens of the same country