Road to Disunion

Slavery

The cotton gin did not help to end slavery, it made it worse Planters needed slaves to plant cotton, harvest it, and operate the cotton gins The economy of the South depended on slave labor exporting cotton

Slavery Most Southerners did not own slaves (75%) Only the wealthy were able to afford slaves 3% owned 20 or more slaves 5% owned 1 slave 13% owned 2 – 9 slaves 4% owned 10 – 19 slaves

Slavery The North opposed slavery and believed that it should stop immediately The North also disliked slavery for economic reasons: They paid very little money to their workers but their products expensive. The North had to pay their workers making them spend more to make the same product.

Industries and Products North: Factories – Firearms, cloth, iron ships, boats, shoes South: Farming – Cotton, corn, wheat, and livestock

Industries and Products Northerners wanted to sell their goods to the south The south bought goods from Europe, because they were cheaper To help the North, President Andrew Jackson put a tariff (tax) on imported goods in The tariff would make European things more expensive, so southerners would have to buy from the North

Nullification Many people, wanted to nullify the federal tariff, saying it was not valid in their state. North: Agreed with tariff, It would help their economy, South would buy goods from them South: Disagreed with tariff, It would decrease goods bought from other countries, British might respond by buying cotton elsewhere

Nullification South Carolina passed an Ordinance of Nullification in 1832 Threatened to withdraw from the Union 1833: Congress lowers the tariff This showed how serious the South was about states’ rights. People still felt that states should have final authority.

States’ Rights SOUTH States had the right to govern themselves They knew what was best for their needs and situation Didn’t think other states could understand anything about Georgia

States’ Rights NORTH The United State’s should function as one Union Political decisions needed to be made to benefit the entire county All state’s should abide by the laws made by Congress

1.Did the cotton gin make slavery increase or decrease? 2.Were there more people that owned slaves or did not own slaves? 3.Why was slavery important to the South? 4. What type of jobs were there in the North? 5. Why did the North put a tariff on other countries goods? 6. What does nullify mean? 7. What are states’ rights?

Missouri Compromise 1820 As states are being added to the Union out west, they must decide if they will allow slavery or not Kentucky’s senator Henry Clay convinced congress that their needed to be a compromise Missouri (slave state) applies for to be a state

Missouri Compromise 1820 If Missouri is accepted, the number of slave and free states will not be even As part of the compromise, Missouri joins as a slave state, Maine joins as a free state. A limit is now put on where slavery can take place. This is done to limit new states that may want to be slave states. No slavery in Louisiana territory north of 36°30’ line of latitude

Missouri Compromise 1820

This leads to Americans being angry that Spain has land in the Americas. Spain got this land after the war with Mexico in Henry Clay makes Compromise of 1850: – California joins as a free state – New Mexico and Utah are created and no decision is made on slavery – Slave trade is abolished in Washington, D.C. even though slavery is still allowed there.

Missouri Compromise 1820 Compromise of 1850: – Fugitive Slave Act: Punish people who help runaway slaves Slaves must be returned to the South when found Even if Slaves make it to free territories they must be returned to the South – Georgia is against the compromise, they feel the south is losing rights

Missouri Compromise 1820 Georgia Platform: – Created by Legislature – States Georgia will remain in the Union after the Compromise of 1850 as long as the North follows the Fugitive Slave Act and would stop trying to ban slavery in new states – If the North did not meet their demands they would be forced to secede (leave) the Union

Kansas-Nebraska Act 1854: congress passing an Act allowing new states of Kansas and Nebraska to vote if they want to allow slavery (popular sovereignty) North is angry because this area should be free based on the Missouri Compromise. To make sure that this area is free, Northerners start moving to the area. Bleeding Kansas: Fighting breaks out over issue of slavery in Kansas and last several years, 200 people died

Kansas- Nebraska Act

Dred Scott: – Missouri Slave, sues for his freedom because he lived in Illinois and Wisconsin with his master. Both were free states. – Supreme Court denies his freedom. They state he is property and does not have rights. – Chief Justice Roger Taney adds that the Missouri Compromise is unconstitutional because it limits people’s rights to own property (slaves)

Election of 1860 Slavery is a huge issue in the election Democratic party: For slavery split into three groups. – North nominates Stephen Douglas (proposed popular sovereignty in the territories) – South disliked Stephen Douglas, Nominates John Breckinridge as candidate – Third group nominates John Bell

Election of 1860 Republicans views: Nominate Abraham Lincoln Against slavery Supported Protective Tariff Proposed plan to give free western land to settlers Called for construction of transcontinental railroad with one end in the North *None of these would benefit the South

Election of 1860 Since the Democratic party cannot agree, Abraham Lincoln easily wins the election. Abraham Lincoln becomes President November 6, 1860 Lincoln wanted to keep the Union together South Carolina seceded from the Union, as they said they would because of Lincoln

Election of 1860 When South Carolina broke away, Georgia’s Governor Joseph Brown wants to break away also, Alexander Stephens disagrees and says Lincoln is not the enemy and warned that breaking away would destroy the economy Secession Convention is held: voted 166 to 130 in favor of secession. January 1861 Georgia leaves the Union.