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Civil War: Setting the Stage
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Free Soil Party
As the United States is deciding to elect a new president in 1848 a feud emerged in the NYC democratic party dividing them in 2 groups Barnburners + Hunkers. This began over states rights issues but became an argument over expansion of slavery. Though they were not originally abolitionists the Hunkers were against slavery in new territories. They decided that the only way to achieve anti-slavery action was to combine forces creating the Free Soil Party a key force in the anti-slavery movement. -
The Seneca Falls convention
As women's rights movements emerged in the North allowing conventions to take place discussing women's political participation the divide between North and South only grows deeper. Southerners associated women's rights advocates with slave rights advocates making them feel threatened therefore they became harsher on women's participation in their governments. This divide over slavery would only grow and women's rights conventions like Seneca falls only fuel the fire. (Varon 205) -
Treaty of Guadlupe Hidalgo
The treaty that ended the Mexican-American war gave 1.2 million miles of territory to the US including states like NM and CA for $15 mil. This invalidated the Whigs "No territory" stance in the upcoming election causing them to nominate a new candidate Zachary Taylor. The repercussions of the treaty along with the expansion of US land created political tension over slavery in the 1848 election. The election won by Taylor and the Whig party who had desire to admit CA as a free-state. (Varon 200) -
The Georgia Platform
This act claims that although Southerners do not complete agree with the Compromise of 1850 they would follow it to keep peace as long as the North also abided by it. However this was only under that condition that no action can be taken by congress against slavery in DC and failure to recognize new territory as a slave state would lead to secession. This shows how union of the states is conditional for Southerners which foreshadows their secession that leads to Civil War. (McPherson 87) -
Compromise of 1850
As an attempt to dim tension between the North and the South the Compromise of 1850 was proposed. This act lets CA become admitted as a free state under the condition that new Fugitive Slave law would be created. This sets up a US Marshall system responsible for capturing fugitive slaves and bringing them to be sentenced by a tribunal. Yet these tribunals soon became corrupt when slaves were falsely accused for a bigger paycheck. This led to tension between slave owners and abolitionists. -
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Harriet Beecher Stowe and her Husband were abolitionists who worked with fugitive slaves on the Underground Railroad. In 1852 she used their stories to create a fiction book, Uncle Toms Cabin, which proposed a cutting critique at slavery as a whole. This book offers a more personal perspective of the life of a slave giving those with no direct connection to them. This book becomes a best seller which angers Slave Owners fearing for the future of slave freedom. People are punished for owning it -
Kansas Nebraska Act of 1854
The Kansas Nebraska Act was a piece of legislation that allowed the fate of slavery in KS to be up to popular sovereignty. This led many strongly opinionated people on both sides to move to KS in hopes of getting it on their side. They set up two capitals and forms of government which led to a mini civil war full of raiding and attacks. It also led to violence in congress between Andre Butler and Preston Brookes normalizing political violence in the US which sets the stage for the Civil War. -
Pottawatomie Massacre
Extreme Abolitionist John Brown went with supporters to Pottawatomie in attempt to "fight fire with fire" and brutally murdered 5 pro-slavery people. The violence was returned to them as pro slavery forces burned the Browns Homestead as more fighting broke out. Many newspapers call this conflict a "Civil war in Kansas." which shows how extreme violence in the name of slavery is becoming more and more normalized further progressing us towards war.( McPherson 153) -
Dred Scott Decison
Dred Scott an enslaved man argued for his freedom in the Supreme Court due to his constant moving and residence in many free states. Yet he is shut down when they say that he has no legal standing not since he is a slave but because he is black and therefore not a real citizen . This argument sets Black Americans back on rights they have fought for years to get + declared Missouri compromise unconstitutional. This fuels the slave power conspiracy +serves as a tipping point for many Northerners. -
Election of 1860
After around a decade of violence over slavery the election of 1860 takes place. There were 4 candidates running and the hot button issue was slavery which was very divided among northern and southerners. Lincoln ended up winning with Northern 180 electoral votes which made southerners fearful of the new power Anti-Slavery forces had in government. This led to the succession of 7 Southern states creating the Confederacy setting up the start of the civil war. -
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