Events and Trends Leading to Civil War: Perceptions and Realities

Reminders:

  • Slave states = Have only the Senate to protect slavery from change—with the additional support of the Presidents in 1852 and 1856
  • Democrat and Whig Parties both contained PRO and ANTI slavery advocates (Unlike the Republican Party, they were both national parties, not sectional ones.)

 

Symbols:

  • > = push by ANTI-Slavery; < = push by PRO-Slavery (with the colors for what became the Blue and the Gray forces of the Civil War, but in the beginning these were not sections and not parties, but only factions)
  • F shown as either F> (future possibility for ANTI-slavery) or <F  (future possibility for PRO-slavery)
  • P with either P> (perceived threat to ANTI-slavery) or <F  (perceived threat to PRO-slavery)

 

ANTI Slavery

PRO Slavery

Date

 

Event or Trend

Perceptions and Realities¾View from the North and South and from PRO Slavery and ANTI Slavery Factions (Notice they are not the same thing.)

-

-

1832

-

Election: Andrew Jackson, Democrat

 

< 

1836-05

Texas Independence

 

-

-

1836

-

Election: Martin Van Buren, Democrat

?

?

1840s

“Manifest destiny”

What is it?

 

 

Where are the targets:

 

-

-

1840

-

Election: William Henry Harrison, Whig, dies; John Tyler

> 

< 

1844-12

-

Election: James K. Polk, Democrat

 

< 

1845-02 28

Texas, a state

Tyler as lame duck

 

-

-

1845-03 04

-

Polk inaugural

-

-

1846-05

Mexican War starts

 

-

-

1846-06

Oregon dispute resolved

 

> 

 

1846-08

Wilmot Proviso

 

 

<F

1848-02

Mexican War ends

US paid: $15M + $3M in claims by US citizens.

 

US got: AZ, CA, NV, and UT from Mexico.

US got: US-Mexico border at Rio Grande.

 

<F = If _____________________________________________

 

and If______________________________________________

-

-

1848-12

-

Election: Zachary Taylor, Whig died; Millard Fillmore

 

 

1849

California

 

 

 

1850-02 to 09

Compromise of 1850

Major player:

 

 

Legislation in this package:

> 

 

 

 

§                      

> 

 

 

 

§                      

 

< 

 

 

§                      

 

< 

 

 

§                      

P>

 

1852

Uncle Tom’s Cabin

Author?

 

 

Why matter?

-

-

1852-12

-

Election: Franklin Pierce, Democrat

 

<F

1853

Gadsden Purchase

US paid: $10M.

US gets:

 

<P

1854-01 – 05

Kansas-Nebraska Act

Major player:

 

 

Why?

 

Legislation:

 

 

 

1854-01

Revolt of factions starts

 

 

Revolt results

Northern Democrats

 

 

Players:

 

 

Foundation of Republican Party = 

 

__________________________________________________  +

 

__________________________________________________  +

 

__________________________________________________  +

 

> 

 

1854-04

Funding Free Soilers to Kansas

What’s the New England Emigrant Aid Co.?

 

< 

1854-10

Ostend Manifesto

 

 

> 

< 

1855-1856

“Bleeding Kansas”

What are the unintended consequences of the principle of popular sovereignty?

 

 

Multiple attacks from both directions:

  • Northerners and Southerners into Kansas
  • 1st weak and 2nd PRO Slavery territorial governor
  • PRO Slavery legislature - fraud/violence by about 5K Missourians
  • ANTI Slavery center at Lawrence, Kansas; counter constitution
  • PRO Slavery attack on Lawrence—burned hotel, attacked homes, burned newspapers
  • ANTI Slavery attack by John Brown’s  group¾killed 5 PRO Slavery people, mutilated bodies displayed

> 

 

1856

Events in Senate chamber

 

 

-

-

1856-12

 

Election: James Buchanan , Democrat

 

< 

1857-03

Dred Scott case

Ruling by Supreme Court (Roger Taney Court):

 

 

 

< 

1857-10 -12

Fraud in another Kansas election

What does Douglas do?

 

 

(Kansas not admitted until 1861, after secession)

 

 

1858

7 Lincoln-Douglas debates

Senate contest in Illinois:

 

 

 

P>

 

1859

Raid at Harpers Ferry, VA

Who?

 

 

Why?

P>

 

1860-12

Election

Election: Abraham Lincoln , Republican

 

< 

1860-11 12

Secession crisis

Secession - South Carolina 1st

 

< 

1861-02

Another election

Who is elected?

 

What’s their Constitution?

 

+6 more secede

 

 

< 

1861-04

Fort Sumter

What happened?

 

 

Where?

 

 

How does it appear?

 

 

 

Post Fort Sumter:  11 total (VA, AR, TN, NC)

 

Western Virginia—Refused to secede; was separate state in 1863.

 


 

Copyright C. J. Bibus, Ed.D. 2003-2010

 

WCJC Department:

History – Dr. Bibus

Contact Information:

281.239.1577 or mailto:cjb_classes@yahoo.com

Last Updated:

2010

WCJC Home:

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