Pageant Review

Southern Aristocracy Planter aristocracy dominated society and politics White farmers made up the majority of the population Landless whites- poor, supported slavery Mountain whites – opposed slavery and rich planters

Slavery Population increased due to natural reproduction Most slaves raised in stable two- parent homes Discouraged immigrants from migrating to the South Most Southern whites could not afford slaves ¼ of Southerners owned slaves

Upper South More common for forced separation of families and spouses

Cotton Kingdom Accounted for half the value of all US exports after 1840 South produced more than half the world’s supply of cotton 75% of British supply came from the South Quick profits drew planters to its economic enterprise

Abolitionists Southern- Silenced in the early 1830s Northern- Critics in North felt they were creating disorder in the US

American Colonization Society Dedicated to sending freed blacks to Africa 15,000 sent over the next three decades

Northerners Supported the black race, but disliked blacks as individuals Many were against the expansion of slavery, because they wanted to avoid blacks

Freed Blacks Prohibited from many trades and professions Segregated education Voting restrictions

Post 1830 South was were the minority compared to the rest of the world with their support of slavery

Southern Subsistence Farmers Too poor to have slaves Relied on corn as their main crop Defended slavery- possibility of upward mobility, and racism

Deep South South Carolina, Florida. Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana- near or over 50% of population was slaves More likely for slave families to be in tact than upper South

Election of 1840 Harrison wins Tyler on the ticket as a states’ rightist

John Tyler From Virginia Joined the Whig Party because he was anti-Jackson

Manifest Destiny View that God ordained the US to stretch across the continent Motivations- land, trade with Asia, fear of foreign intervention

Election of 1844 Polk- Democrat- felt victory was a mandate for Manifest Destiny Henry Clay- Whig- t old Southerners he was for annexing Texas, told Northerners he was against annexation

War with Mexico Polk hoped to fight a limited war Anti slavery forces opposed Polk’s expansionist policies US eventually paid $15 million, and received territory including New Mexico, Arizona and California

War with Mexico

US – Britain Disputes Oregon- resolved when the British thought the area wasn’t worth fighting for Maine- concluded with the Webster- Ashburton Treaty

Oregon Territory U.S. missionaries were instrumental in strengthening and saving American claims

California First European settlers were Spanish

Texas Coveted by British abolitionists Hoped to prove that cotton could be produced without slaves

Wilmot Proviso Slavery would be banned from all territory gained in the war with Mexico Twice passed the House, but never the Senate Slavery

California Gold Ended the power of Californios Help lead to statehood at an increased speed

John C. Calhoun Strong proponent of states rights and slavery Felt that local authorities should decide on slavery- not congress

Transcontinental Railroad Douglas wanted a northern route Viewed as a way to keep the west “connected” to the rest of the US

International Attempts to Expand Slavery Nicaragua- Southern adventurers attempted to take it by force Cuba- Ostend Manifesto- take it by force if a sale price couldn’t be negotiated

Compromise of 1850 California- free, New Mexico and Arizona- popular sovereignty No slave trade in Washington DC Tougher Fugitive Slave Law Daniel Webster’s March 7 th speech was a call for compromise and national unity Aided by Taylor’s death and Fillmore’s ascension to the presidency

Free Soilers Supported westward expansion Felt slavery would have a negative affect on working men’s wages Wanted free government homesteads for settlers

Popular Sovereignty Promoted by Stephen Douglas Fit in with democratic tradition of self-determination

Matthew Perry Opened Japan to the US

Kansas-Nebraska Douglas proposed popular sovereignty to determine slave status Lawrence recognized by the House of Representatives Lecompton recognized by Buchanan Dissolved into a civil war

1848 Presidential Election Zachary Taylor (Whig) defeat Lewis Cass (Dem) Taylor- national hero, slaveholder from Louisiana Cass- Michigan, pro-slavery leanings Slavery was not a main issue

Harriet Tubman Helped slaves escape to Canada

1850s Politics National leaders agreed to NOT discuss slavery

John Brown’s Raid Viewed as a martyr by some in the North Viewed as representing Northern Republicans by the South

1850s Nativists Anti-Catholic and anti-foreign attitudes Supported the Know-Nothing Party in 1856

Personal Liberty Laws Passed in the North stating people did not have to help return runaway slaves Response to Compromise of 1850 Struck down by the Supreme Court

1852 Election Franklin Pierce- Democrats- reunited after divisions of ’48 Winfield Scott- Whigs- divided on sectional lines Pierce wins- friendly with his Sec. of State- Jefferson Davis

Dred Scott Case Ruled that slaves were not protected by the Constitution Slavery could not be prohibited in territories by congress Owners could not have slaves taken without due process Supported by proslavery Southerners

Election of 1856 Buchanan (Pa)- nominated as a Democrat- proslavery Fremont (Ca)- nominated as a Republican- anti-slavery Fillmore (NY)- nominated Know- Nothing- anti- immigrant Victory for Buchanan Southerners threatened that a Republican victory would result in war

James Buchanan Had a pro slavery cabinet Felt Congress could not legislate slavery Believed the Constitution did not authorize him to use force to prevent Southern secession

Brooks-Sumner Fight Sumner (Mass) had verbally assailed Butler (SC) Brooks attacked Sumner for revenge Revealed the passionate divisions over slavery

Uncle Tom’s Cabin Brutal account of families separated by slavery Resulted in many Northerners not enforcing the Fugitive Slave Law Widely read in Europe- made common person against slavery

Panic of 1857 Affected by the end of the Crimean War Partially a result of over speculation and falling farm prices Led to a call for a higher tariff Revived the sectional controversy of tariff levels

Lincoln-Douglas Debates Douglas’s Freeport Doctrine- slavery would stay down if people voted it down Lincoln- believed congress had the right to regulate slavery

1860 Election Lincoln- Republican- party widens their platform- doesn’t campaign in South Democrats- split- Northern- nominate Douglas Southern-nominate Breckinridge Union Party- nominates Bell- attempting to prevent secession

Secession South Carolina first- Dec. 20, 1860 Followed by Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas