Road to Civil War: 1850s Tensions

• By 1850, the U.S. was politically tense, with both pro- and anti-slavery advocates ready to ignite conflict.

Southern Stance

• Southern slave owners held political power, aiming to maintain slavery's legality and balance the number of free and slave states.
• Secession was the South's planned response if these goals were not met.

Northern Stance

• Moderate abolitionists, like Harriet Beecher Stowe, used writing to expose slavery's horrors.
• Militant abolitionists, like John Brown, were willing to use political means or violence to fight slavery.
• Abolitionists believed their cause was morally right and were prepared for war to end slavery.

Attempts at Compromise

• Moderate politicians sought to prevent war by appeasing Southern slave owners.
• The Missouri Compromise of 1820, led by Henry Clay, temporarily balanced free and slave states.

Territorial Expansion

• Victory in the war with Mexico in 1848 created tension regarding slavery's expansion into newly acquired territories.
• The question was raised whether new states would be slave or free, and whether inhabitants could decide.
• California's petition to join the Union as a free state threatened the balance.

Compromise of 1850

• California was admitted as a free state.
• Citizens in other states would vote on the slavery issue.
• The Fugitive Slave Act was passed, requiring citizens to assist in capturing runaway slaves and denying fugitives a jury trial.
• The federal government was given more responsibilities to enforce slavery laws.

Impact of the Fugitive Slave Act

• The act enabled slave owners to hire catchers to return escaped slaves to bondage.
• It led to violations of human rights, causing many formerly enslaved and free Black people to flee to Canada and Europe.
• Abolitionists were further motivated, leading to increased activity in the Underground Railroad.
• Although the Compromise of 1850 temporarily preserved national unity, it deepened divisions over slavery.

Harriet Beecher Stowe

• Harriet Elizabeth Beecher Stowe (1811-1896) used her writing to combat slavery.
• The Fugitive Slave Act motivated Stowe and others to become more active in the anti-slavery movement.
• Stowe is the author of "Uncle Tom's Cabin", an influential work of abolitionist literature.
• Stowe toured the North and Europe, promoting her book and the abolitionist cause.

Uncle Tom's Cabin

• The book featured memorable characters such as Uncle Tom, Simon Legree, and Eva, to illustrate the inhumanity of slavery in a personal way for readers.
• Stowe's characters became archetypes in later stories and movies about slavery.
• "Uncle Tom's Cabin" had a powerful impact, swaying many moderates to become abolitionists.
• Stage adaptations of the story were particularly effective in evoking emotions from audiences.