The Nation Divides

I. RAID ON HARPERS FERRY

A. John Brown1. Wanted to start an

uprising and arm

local slaves

2. Planned to kill any

southerners that

got in the way

3. After two years of

trying to build an

army he had only

20 men

B. The Raid1. Took place at

Harper’s Ferry in

October 1859

2. Men were sent into

the country side to

recruit slaves – no

one joined

3. Locals attacked –

Brown was hurt

eight of Brown’s

men were killed

C. Aftermath1.Federal Troops led

by Col. Robert E.

Lee arrived the

next day

2.John Brown was

arrested,

convicted and

hanged

II. ELECTION OF 1860

A.Democrats nominated two candidates one from the North (Douglas) and one from the South (Breckinridge)

B.The Constitutional Party - nominated John Bell

C.Republicans nominated Lincoln – he promised not to abolish slavery where it already existed

Douglas Breckinridge

Bell Lincoln

D. Results1.Lincoln won 180 of the 183 electoral

votes in the free states – not a single

southern state

2.The results angered the South – it

showed they were losing political power

THE SOUTH SECEDES

A. Southerners’ Reaction1.The South thought their economy

would be destroyed without slavery2.South Carolina led Southern

secessionists in the belief they could leave the Union

3.Crittenden proposed a series of amendments to keep the South from leaving, Lincoln and the republicans rejected them

B. The Confederate States of America

1.South Carolina seceded

2.They were followed by Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas

3.The Confederate States of America created a constitution very similar to the US

4.Jefferson Davis was elected as President

C. Lincoln Takes Office1.Lincoln opposed

the idea of Southern Secession

2.He announced that the he would keep all governmental property

3.He also announced that the his government would not provoke a war