Illinois History
Slavery and Black Codes in Illinois through Illinois in the Civil War
Slavery and Black Codes in Illinois
The First Slaves
• The 1st slaves in IL were brought in by the French.
• Most were brought in to work in the lead mines in the northwest part of the state.
Two Types of Slaves
• Those who had no say in their bondage.
• Those who signed up for the work.– Indentured servants– Usually a 7 year contract
The Ordinance of 1787
• States from the Northwest Territory will be free states.
• But many of the people moving into IL. were from Kentucky and brought their slaves with them.
• Many wanted IL to be developed as a slave state.
Slaves and Salt
• The Govt. salt mines were mainly manned by slaves & the fear was that their removal would hurt the state’s economy.
• As many as 2,000 slaves worked in the salt mines.
Compromise
• To prevent the closing of the salt mines a deal was struck.
• No new slaves allowed
• Existing slaves were not freed
• Indentured servants would finish out their contracts– Their children are freed at age 21
1819 Black Codes
• Freed men had to carry papers proving their freedom.
• Register at the county seat
• Southern slave agents would frequently come to IL and kidnap blacks & sell them in the South.
Codes
• Illegal for Whites to hire Blacks that did not have a certificate.– $1.50 fine a day
• Illegal to bring slaves to IL in order to free them.– $200.00 fine per slave
Governor Coles
• Former slave owner from Virginia
• Abolitionist
• Won the governorship by 50 votes
• His Lt. Gov. and both houses of the Gen. Assembly were controlled by pro-slavery people.
• Both houses passed a resolution for the people to vote on a Const. Convention
Vote on Convention
• The hope was a Const. Convention would open the door for IL to become a slave state.
• Coles financed the campaign to educate Illinoisans about the immorality and cruelty of slavery.
• The proposal was defeated 6,640 to 4,972. NO SLAVERY IN IL.
The First Martyr
• The slave issue died down until Elijah P. Lovejoy moved to Alton and began printing anti-slavery articles.
• On the night of Nov. 7, 1837, Lovejoy was killed.
• This brought the slave issue back to the attention of everyone.
1853 Black Codes
• A new set of Black Codes were enacted
• The harshest in any of the free states
• Slave owners could not move to IL if they were planning on freeing their slaves.
• Blacks could not come to IL to live.
• Punishment for Blacks fine or servitude
• Punishment for Whites fines & imprisonment
The Underground Railroad
• Network of people working together to help runaway slaves reach the North– Final destination was Canada
• Used many rail road terms to describe parts & positions-
Underground Railroad Routes
Harriet Tubman
• Black Moses• Like Moses she led her
people to freedom• $40,000 reward for her
capture• Ruthless / No turning
back• 1896, she founded the
National Association of Colored Women-
Henry Box Brown
John Jones
• Freed man living in Chicago trying to end the Black Codes in IL.
• 1871 he became the first Black to be elected as Cook Co. Commissioner.
The Lincoln-Douglas Debates
The Major Issue
• In the mid 1800s, slavery was the hot issue
• Illinois was divided into 2 camps
• North opposed slavery
• South or Egypt was in line with the Southern states and in favor of slavery.
Debates
• Abraham Lincoln a Whig turned Republican was challenging Stephen Douglas a Democrat for the IL Senate position.
• They traveled around IL giving speeches and debating each other
Stephen A. Douglas
• Little Giant • 5’4”• Trying to straddle the fence on the issue of
slavery.– Appease the Democrats in the North & South
• Introduced the Kansas-Nebraska Act in 1854.– Ended the Missouri Comp. of 1820.– Let the states decide on the issue of slavery.
Abraham Lincoln
• Rail Splitter • 6’4”• Opposed to the Kansas-Nebraska Act
– A way to expand slavery
• The Whigs failed to be a strong voice of opposition to the K-N Act. This led to Lincoln becoming a Republican.– Republicans formed as a group opposed to
slavery.
Debates• The debates between Douglas & Lincoln
were in Ottawa, Freeport, Jonesboro, Charleston, Galesburg, Quincy, & Alton.
• Lincoln consistently stuck to his view that slavery was wrong.
• Douglas straddled the fence trying to appease both southern & northern Democrats by saying the people should decide.
Lincoln-Douglas
• June 16, 1858, during the IL. Senatorial debates Lincoln shocked the state & country by stating, “I believe this government cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free.”
• The bar is being raised
The Election in 1858
• Lincoln won the popular vote but the General Assembly chose Douglas to continue on as the state’s Senator.
• Even though Douglas won, many Democrats were not happy with the views of Douglas.
• 2 years later Lincoln & Douglas vie for the Presidency.
Bleeding Kansas
• The idea that the people would decide on the issue of slavery caused considerable conflicts within Kansas Btw. Pro & Anti slave groups.– John Brown was a leading abolitionist in
Kansas
John Brown• John Brown retaliated
against pro-slavery people, killing five
• As a result, raids were made against abolitionists
• Bleeding Kansas described the debate over the slavery issue
The Presidential Election of 1860
• The election became a 4 way race with the Democrats divide by region.
The Election of 1860
• Republican Nominee was Abraham Lincoln
The Election of 1860
• Constitutional Union Nominee was John Bell
The Election of 1860• Democrats were divided
Northern Dem. Nominee was Stephen Douglas
Southern Dem. Nominee was John Breckinridge
The Election of 1860
• Northern voters split their votes between Douglas and Lincoln
• Southern voters split their votes between Breckinridge and Bell
Lincoln wins with 180 Electoral Votes.
• 40% of the Northern votes
• Only 5,000 votes in S. IL.
• Almost no support from Southern voters
Moving Toward WAR!
• Southerners were angry at the idea of a Republican President
• Southerners felt they had no control over the Federal Government
• Planters that backed slavery threatened to leave the Union– Secessionists said each state entered the
Union voluntarily, and they could leave it also
SECESSION
• South Carolina secedes in December 1860
• States of the Lower South secede also– Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama,
Florida, and Georgia
• February 1861 southern delegates met in Montgomery, Alabama– Formed the Confederate States of America
The Civil War
• As the Southern states left the Union, many in southern IL. looked at separating & creating a new state (Egypt).
Lincoln’s Inauguration
• Lincoln was inaugurated on March 4, 1861
The Attack on Fort Sumter
• April 12, 1861 Confederates fire on Fort Sumter– Commanded by
Robert Anderson
• 24 hours later the fort is surrendered
• Lincoln calls for volunteers to help put down the rebellion
Results of the Call to stop the Rebellion
• The upper South responds to Lincoln’s call for volunteers by seceding also
• The Upper South included: Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Arkansas Fort Sumter
Manassas / The First Bull Run
• July of 1861• First major battle of
the civil war• Union army tried to
march to Richmond, Virginia
• Many civilians followed the Union troops as they marched south
Results of the First Bull Run
• The Union forces were beaten by the fresh Confederate troops
• The Union retreated (ran for their lives) right through the picnicking civilians
• 5,000 soldiers were killed in the battle
Trouble In The North
• The Democrats in the North that supported the South were known as Copperheads.– Many times they would try to sabotage Union
efforts.
• The Copperheads were continuously calling for an end to the war.
• Tried to undermine Lincoln’s efforts for victory.
Illinois
• Industry increased to meet the demands of the Union Army.
• Farmers met the needs of both the Union Army & Europeans
John A. Logan
• Logan was one of the IL. Congressmen who had followed the Union troops to watch the battle.– Private retreating
• Logan was given a commission as a Colonel in the Union Army.
• Sent to Marion to recruit volunteers to fight.
Logan
• Logan went on to fight in the Western campaigns.– Belmont– Fort Donelson
• Wounded & thought to be dead in the battle for Fort Donelson.– Given the rank of Brigadier General
Logan Cont’d.
• Later Logan was promoted to Major General (2 stars)
• He was a powerful figure on the battlefield while sitting on his horse Slasher.
• At the end of the war he was offered a brigadier general position with the Army.
• Campaigned for Lincoln’s re-election in 1864.
Ulysses S. Grant
• Born in Point Pleasant, Ohio.
• Entered West Point at age 17.– Name was changed in W.P.
• Settled in IL after the end of the Mexican War.
• He rejoined the Army after Lincoln called for volunteers
Grant
• Given the position of the assistant quartermaster of the IL regiments.
• Later promoted to brigadier general – In charge of the troops in Cairo
• Grant led the Union forces in the Western Campaign
• Later placed in charge of trying to take Richmond.
The Emancipation Proclamation
• Passed in September 1862
• Took effect January 1, 1863
• Freed slaves in areas of open rebellion
Problems With the Emancipation Proclamation
• It affected the slaves that were in states of open rebellion
• These states did not recognize the laws of the United States anymore
• The slaves could flee to areas held by Union troops to be considered Contraband
Slaves as Contraband
• Slaves who became contraband were seen as property of the Union– Then the Union would then declare they were
free
• 85% of the slaves who were freed stayed with Union troops to fight in the war
Lee Surrenders
• April 9, 1865 Lee surrenders to General Grant at Appomattox Court House in Virginia– McLean House
surrender site
Lincoln’s Assassination
• April 14, 1865 Lincoln is shot by John Wilkes Booth– Ford’s Theater
• April 15, 1865 Lincoln dies
No More Slavery.
• The 13th Amendment abolished slavery in the U.S.
• Illinois was the 1st state to ratify the new amendment.
The Cost
• 259,000 Illinoisans had fought in the war.
• 35,000 had died w/. the last being Lincoln.