Causes of the Civil War
by Emily Rogers and Christian Mardaga
Compromise of 1850
Set of laws created by Henry Clay that dealt with slavery. The Compromise admitted California as a free state, redefined the western Texas Border, abolished slavery in Washington DC, and amended the Fugitive Slave Act. This compromise was an attempt to keep the tensions between the North and South from escalating. However, it was unsuccessful and caused a rise in abolitionism in the formerly apathetic north. Northerners were outraged that it was their tax dollars being used to execute the Fugitive Slave Act, and they were confronted by the reality of slavery as they witnessed free blacks living in their communities being kidnapped and taken to the south.
Bleeding Kansas 1854
The Kansas Nebraska act was proposed by Stephen A. Douglas. It nullified the Missouri Compromise of 1850 stating that the settlers of a territory should decide whether the state is slave or free. This was made because the Nebraska Territory would make more slave than free states. Douglas did not want more northern abolitionist states to outnumber southern states, so he created the act. People for and against slavery rushed to Kansas to vote for their side. Violence broke out between the two groups, with abolitionist John Brown leading the abolitionists, and Border Ruffians lead the fight for a slave state. Some of the major battles are The Battle of Osawatomie and the raid of Harper's Ferry.
Cane Fight 1856
In 1856, Abolitionist Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts delivered a speech titled "The Crime Against Kansas" which lasted two days. The speech attacked the senator from South Carolina, Andrew Butler, and his cousin, House Representative Preston Brooks, took personal offense to it and decided to teach Sumner a lesson. He entered the senate chamber and told Sumner "You've libeled my state and slandered my white-haired old relative, Senator Butler, and I've come to punish you for it." He then proceeded to repeatedly hit Sumner over the head with a cane that allegedly had a gold tip. The north was furious, especially after the south's support of Brooks was made clear. The north spread over a million copies of the speech, while the south sent canes to Brooks showing support. This increased tensions between the north and south leading up to the civil war.
Dred Scott Court Case 1857
Dred Scott was a slave who had lived with his owner in a free states before moving to the slave state of Missouri. He tried to sue for his emancipation but the court came out with the extremely controversial verdict that, not only could he not have his freedom, but that "no black, free or slave, could claim U.S. citizenship, and therefore blacks were unable to petition the court for their freedom." This incensed the abolitionists and increased the sectionalism that divided the North and South. This divide would lead to the Civil War 3 years later.
John Brown 1859
John Brown was an abolitionist, who fought during bleeding Kansas for the state to be anti-slavery. He fought in major battles such as the raid on Harper’s ferry on October 17, 1859. John Brown wanted to raid the arsenal at Harper’s Ferry, so that he may distribute weapons to both freedom fighters and slaves and cause a slave rebellion. However, he was unsuccessful. After the local militia had held off Brown and trapped him in the engine house, Colonel Robert E. Lee along with several U.S. Marines killed his men and took Brown to trial where he was then executed. This further divided the north and south by making Brown a martyr in the North and a villainous terrorist in the south.
The New Republican party
In 1854, after the Whigs refused to discuss bleeding Kansas, a new party led by Abraham Lincoln emerged called the New Republican party. In the election of 1860 the democratic nominees were Stephen Douglas, John Breckenridge, and John Bell. The Republicans only elected one candidate, Abraham Lincoln. Because the south was divided on the decision of which candidate would represent the south, Abraham Lincoln won 40% of the vote, more than any democratic candidate. As a result Alabama, Florida,Georgia,Louisiana,Mississippi, South Carolina, and Texas all seceded from the union forming the confederate states of America.
Work Cited
"Bleeding Kansas." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2015.
"Canefight! Preston Brooks and Charles Sumner." Ushistory.org. Independence Hall Association, n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2015.
"Compromise of 1850." PBS. PBS, n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2015.
"Dred Scott Case." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2015.
"John Brown's Raid." Ushistory.org. Independence Hall Association, n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2015.
"Kansas-Nebraska Act." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2015.
"The Election of 1860." Ushistory.org. Independence Hall Association, n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2015.