Causes of the Civil WarCauses of the Civil War

Background InformationBackground Information

White settlers began White settlers began moving west in the moving west in the hopes of acquiring hopes of acquiring land, wealth, and land, wealth, and religious freedom.religious freedom.

The movement of The movement of the settlers into the settlers into these western these western territories created a territories created a sufficient population sufficient population to warrant admission to warrant admission into the Union as a into the Union as a state.state.

Nation DividedNation Divided

The Nation is already divided on the The Nation is already divided on the issue of slavery. issue of slavery.

The southern states said slavery was The southern states said slavery was good for the slaves and the Nation.good for the slaves and the Nation.

Northerners against slavery, called Northerners against slavery, called abolitionists, pushed for laws that abolitionists, pushed for laws that would end slavery.would end slavery.

The ProblemThe Problem

The South felt overpowered by the The South felt overpowered by the North, both politically and North, both politically and economically.economically.

The South wanted to control the The South wanted to control the newly acquired western territories newly acquired western territories and make them slave territories.and make them slave territories.

Should the new territories allow Should the new territories allow slavery, or should they be declared slavery, or should they be declared free? Or maybe the inhabitants should free? Or maybe the inhabitants should be allowed to choose for themselves? be allowed to choose for themselves?

Keeping the PeaceKeeping the Peace

In the past, various laws had been In the past, various laws had been passed to maintain the balance passed to maintain the balance between free and slave state.between free and slave state.

Northwest Ordinance of 1787Northwest Ordinance of 1787

The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 had declared that the land north of had declared that the land north of the Ohio River and east of the the Ohio River and east of the Mississippi should be free. Kentucky Mississippi should be free. Kentucky and the territory south of the Ohio and the territory south of the Ohio became slave states.became slave states.

30 years later…30 years later…

A conflict arose over the admission of A conflict arose over the admission of Missouri as a state.Missouri as a state.

Missouri extended far north of any Missouri extended far north of any slave state. But most of its citizens slave state. But most of its citizens wanted slavery.wanted slavery.

Missouri Compromise of 1820Missouri Compromise of 1820

Congress, trying to maintain an equal Congress, trying to maintain an equal number of slave and free states, number of slave and free states, added Missouri as a slave state. added Missouri as a slave state. However, Maine, which had been However, Maine, which had been part of Massachusetts, was added as part of Massachusetts, was added as a free state.a free state.

In addition, the rest of the Louisiana In addition, the rest of the Louisiana Purchase was divided into free and Purchase was divided into free and slave territories. Land south of slave territories. Land south of MissouriMissouri’’s southern border was s southern border was opened to slavery. Land north and opened to slavery. Land north and west of Missouri was to be free.west of Missouri was to be free.

California: Free or Slave State?California: Free or Slave State?

After the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo After the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo there was a decision to be made as to there was a decision to be made as to whether California should enter the whether California should enter the Union as a free or slave state.Union as a free or slave state.

The gold miners in California did not The gold miners in California did not want slavery because they were afraid want slavery because they were afraid that big mining companies would bring that big mining companies would bring in large numbers of slaves to compete.in large numbers of slaves to compete.

The Compromise of 1850The Compromise of 1850

California was admitted to the Union as a California was admitted to the Union as a free state.free state.

New Mexico and Utah will become New Mexico and Utah will become territories (They will decide the slavery territories (They will decide the slavery issue for themselves- popular sovereignty)issue for themselves- popular sovereignty)

A fugitive slave law is passed where A fugitive slave law is passed where runaway slaves who make it to free states runaway slaves who make it to free states must be returned to their owners.must be returned to their owners.

Slaves could no longer be bought and sold Slaves could no longer be bought and sold in the nationin the nation’’s capital. Slavery, however, s capital. Slavery, however, will still be legal in the District of will still be legal in the District of Columbia.Columbia.

More ControversyMore Controversy The Compromise of 1850 did not put an The Compromise of 1850 did not put an

end to slavery.end to slavery. The Fugitive Slave Law was very strict. The Fugitive Slave Law was very strict.

Anyone caught helping a slave escape Anyone caught helping a slave escape faced 6 months in jail and a $1,000 fine.faced 6 months in jail and a $1,000 fine.

Northerners felt the Fugitive Slave law was Northerners felt the Fugitive Slave law was a violation of their Constitutional Rights.a violation of their Constitutional Rights.

As soon as the law went into effect As soon as the law went into effect southerners began to try to reclaim slaves southerners began to try to reclaim slaves who had escaped.who had escaped.

Persons accused of running away could Persons accused of running away could not testify in their own defense. not testify in their own defense.

Many blacks, runaways or not, felt Many blacks, runaways or not, felt threatened by the new law.threatened by the new law.

Northern Public OpinionNorthern Public Opinion Even though many northerners were Even though many northerners were

prejudice towards blacks, they still were prejudice towards blacks, they still were sympathetic to the plight of runaway sympathetic to the plight of runaway slaves.slaves.

Runaways had risked their lives to win Runaways had risked their lives to win freedom.freedom.

They were impressed that the runaways They were impressed that the runaways had become hard-working, law abiding had become hard-working, law abiding citizens who went on to raise families and citizens who went on to raise families and learn trades.learn trades.

Northerners were outraged to see blacks Northerners were outraged to see blacks dragged off without being given a chance dragged off without being given a chance to defend themselves in court.to defend themselves in court.

Uncle TomUncle Tom’’s Cabins Cabin Harriet Beecher Stowe Harriet Beecher Stowe

wrote a novel about wrote a novel about slavery in 1852. slavery in 1852.

The novel, title The novel, title Uncle Uncle TomTom’’s Cabin,s Cabin, changed changed the Norththe North’’s attitude s attitude toward slavery.toward slavery.

As a result of reading As a result of reading the book, many people the book, many people became abolitionists became abolitionists willing to speak out willing to speak out against slavery.against slavery.

Kansas-Nebraska ActKansas-Nebraska Act Senator Stephen Douglas introduced Senator Stephen Douglas introduced

a new bill in Congress called the a new bill in Congress called the Kansas-Nebraska Act.Kansas-Nebraska Act.

The bill allowed residents of the The bill allowed residents of the Kansas and Nebraska regions to Kansas and Nebraska regions to decide for themselves the issue of decide for themselves the issue of slavery (popular sovereignty).slavery (popular sovereignty).

The bill was passed by Congress and The bill was passed by Congress and repealed the ban on slavery in the repealed the ban on slavery in the region which had been imposed by region which had been imposed by the Missouri Compromise.the Missouri Compromise.

Reaction in the NorthReaction in the North

The Northerners were The Northerners were outraged. The new outraged. The new law created many law created many conflicts between conflicts between settlers in those settlers in those regions who were both regions who were both for and against for and against slavery.slavery.

Because of many Because of many violent conflicts in violent conflicts in Kansas, the region Kansas, the region became known as became known as ““Bleeding Kansas.Bleeding Kansas.””

The Dred Scott CaseThe Dred Scott Case

Dred Scott was a Dred Scott was a slave. He was slave. He was living in Missouri--a living in Missouri--a slave state--but slave state--but hehe’’d spent several d spent several years in years in Wisconsin--a free Wisconsin--a free territory. Did that territory. Did that make him free?make him free?

The CourtThe Court’’s Decisions Decision The Supreme Court The Supreme Court

declared enslaved declared enslaved Africans property Africans property and denied and denied Congress the right Congress the right to legislate the to legislate the spread of slavery spread of slavery into the territories.into the territories.

The decision The decision placed the solution placed the solution for the slavery for the slavery problem outside problem outside the jurisdiction of the jurisdiction of Congress or other Congress or other courts.courts.

John BrownJohn Brown’’s Raid on Harpers s Raid on Harpers FerryFerry

John Brown, an John Brown, an abolitionist, organized a abolitionist, organized a plan to march into the plan to march into the South, and seize land in South, and seize land in some remote area. He some remote area. He expected slaves from expected slaves from all over the region to all over the region to run away and join him, run away and join him, giving them guns stolen giving them guns stolen from a Virginia arsenal. from a Virginia arsenal. With their help he With their help he would launch raids would launch raids throughout the South throughout the South aimed at rescuing more aimed at rescuing more slaves.slaves.

The OutcomeThe Outcome

The plan fails, he is The plan fails, he is tried and hung, but tried and hung, but he becomes a he becomes a martyr for slavery martyr for slavery and a hero. The and a hero. The South resents this South resents this Northern stance.Northern stance.

SecessionSecession Most Southerners believed in Most Southerners believed in ““states states

rightsrights”” and thought any state had the and thought any state had the right to pull out of the Union.right to pull out of the Union.

Events like the Compromise of 1850, Events like the Compromise of 1850, the Kansas-Nebraska Act, the printing the Kansas-Nebraska Act, the printing of Uncle Tomof Uncle Tom’’s Cabin, the Supreme s Cabin, the Supreme Court ruling in the Dred Scott case, Court ruling in the Dred Scott case, John BrownJohn Brown’’s raid on Harpers Ferry, s raid on Harpers Ferry, and the Fugitive Slave Act eventually and the Fugitive Slave Act eventually led the Southern states to secede or led the Southern states to secede or leave the Union.leave the Union.