Lecture 20 - The Road to War I

The Fugitive Slave Act was a law passed in 1850 that required Northerners to assist in capturing and returning escaped slaves to the South.

Popular sovereignty was a principle that allowed residents of territories to decide for themselves whether to allow slavery or not.

The Compromise of 1850 was a series of agreements designed to ease tensions between the North and South over the issue of slavery.

Secession is the act of formally withdrawing from a union or organization. In the context of the United States in the 1850s, secession referred to the idea of Southern states leaving the Union over the issue of slavery.

The Omnibus Bill was a package of measures aimed at resolving the conflict over slavery in the territories. It included provisions for the admission of California as a free state, the division of the remaining territories, the abolition of the slave trade in Washington, and the strengthening of the Fugitive Slave Act.

The Missouri Compromise was a law passed in 1820 that aimed to maintain a balance between free and slave states by admitting Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state.

The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 allowed residents of Kansas and Nebraska to decide whether to allow slavery through popular sovereignty. This led to violence and conflict between pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers in the territories.

The Dred Scott decision was a Supreme Court ruling that declared that enslaved people were not considered citizens and had no right to sue in federal court. It also ruled that Congress had no power to prohibit slavery in the territories.

The debate over whether slavery would be allowed in territories acquired from Mexico, particularly in Texas, which was expected to be a slave state.

The significant issue in the 1848 Presidential Election, where both major parties (Whigs and Democrats) attempted to avoid taking a clear stance on slavery to avoid alienating voters in the North and South.

A Whig presidential candidate in 1848 who was a slave-owner, a war hero, and deliberately avoided taking a clear position on slavery.

A Democratic presidential candidate in 1848 who was pressured by the northern wing of his party to take a stand on slavery in territories. He supported "Popular Sovereignty", allowing residents of territories to decide on the issue of slavery.

A political party formed by anti-slavery Democrats and Whigs who aimed to prevent the expansion of slavery into new territories. They nominated Martin Van Buren for president in 1848.

A plan proposed by President Zachary Taylor in 1850 to address the issue of slavery in new territories by prohibiting slavery in California and New Mexico.

A gathering of representatives from nine Southern states in June 1850 to discuss the issue of slavery in the wake of Taylor's plan. They opposed the plan, fearing it would weaken the institution of slavery.

A state of equal numbers of free and slave states in the United States in 1850.

Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel, published in 1852, which exposed the horrors of slavery and the Fugitive Slave Act, significantly influencing public opinion in the North.

The impact of Uncle Tom's Cabin was immense, both on public opinion and the political landscape. It sparked national debate and deepened the divide between North and South.

Franklin Pierce won the 1852 presidential election, solidifying the Democratic party's control. This victory fueled expansionist ambitions and tensions surrounding slavery.

The Kansas-Nebraska Act sought to organize Nebraska Territory, the last remaining part of the Louisiana Purchase, for settlement and development.

Senator Stephen Douglas, known as the 'Little Giant' for his political prowess, strongly advocated for expansionism. He believed that organizing Nebraska would boost the Democratic party and facilitate his vision for a transcontinental railroad.

Douglas's plan to build a transcontinental railroad through Nebraska required organizing the territory. However, this conflicted with the Missouri Compromise, which prohibited slavery north of 36°30’.

Douglas proposed the application of popular sovereignty, which allowed residents to decide whether slavery would be allowed in the territories, effectively undermining the Missouri Compromise.

The Kansas-Nebraska Act divided Nebraska Territory into two parts: Kansas and Nebraska. Despite assumptions that Kansas would be a slave state and Nebraska a free state due to their proximity to slave and free states respectively, the actual outcome depended on the composition of settlers.

The violence in 1856, led by pro-slavery forces, where they raided the free-state stronghold of Lawrence, Kansas.

John Brown was a fervent abolitionist who, in retaliation for the Sack of Lawrence, murdered five men associated with the pro-slavery Lecompton government in May 1856.

The question of whether Kansas would be a free state or a slave state was settled by the principle of popular sovereignty, which allowed residents of territories to determine their own laws, including slavery.

The "Bleeding Kansas" conflict arose due to the clash between pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers who vied for control of Kansas, each seeking to influence the outcome of its statehood vote.

Senator Charles Sumner criticized slavery and his fellow senators who supported it, particularly attacking Senator Andrew Butler of South Carolina in his speech "The Crime Against Kansas," which led to a violent response.

Representative Preston Brooks, a relative of Senator Butler, retaliated against Senator Sumner's speech by attacking him with a cane repeatedly, leaving him unable to return to the Senate for four years.

The "Bleeding Sumner" incident showed the growing radicalism and division in American politics, as violence and retaliation were becoming more frequent and acceptable means of settling political disputes.

Senator Charles Sumner's speech, which attacked both slavery and those who supported it, ignited the "Bleeding Sumner" and revealed the deep divisions and escalating tensions between the North and South.

The Missouri Compromise, a law that prohibited slavery in territories north of the 36°30' parallel, was repealed by the Kansas-Nebraska Act. This opened up the possibility of slavery in territories previously designated as free.

The Compromise of 1850 and the Kansas-Nebraska Act sparked intense debate and division regarding slavery. This led to greater political volatility and the dominance of slavery in American politics.

The Second American Party System, characterized by the dominance of Whigs and Democrats, crumbled due to sectional divisions over slavery. The Kansas-Nebraska Act particularly exacerbated these divisions.

The Whig Party, unable to maintain its unity in the wake of the Kansas-Nebraska Act, dissolved. Northern Whigs opposed the Act, while Southern Whigs supported it.

The Know-Nothing Party, a nativist political party, emerged in the early 1850s. Nativists favored native-born Americans and opposed immigration. They were particularly anti-immigrant and anti-Catholic, advocating for stricter naturalization laws.

Despite gaining significant political momentum, the Know-Nothing Party eventually faded away. Adding a pro-slavery plank to their platform alienated northern supporters and led to a loss of support.

The Republican Party, formed by those opposed to the Kansas-Nebraska Act, emerged as a new political force. Though divided on the issue of slavery, they all agreed on preventing its expansion.

The Republican Party, headquartered in the North, included those who opposed slavery's expansion, as well as those who sought complete abolition. They played a crucial role in shaping the political landscape during the period leading up to the Civil War.