What Caused the Civil War?

Cause # 1

Our Founding Fathers

They could have condemned slavery at the Constitutional Convention in 1787

The South wouldn’t have agreed with that solution though

Instead, you get the 3/5 Compromise which protects slavery

Okay, this is the signing of the Declaration, not the Constitution – GOOD CATCH!

Cause # 2 Missouri Compromise of 1820

Cause # 2

Missouri Compromiseof 1820

Supposed to settle issue of slavery in new western territories

Compromise favored the Anti-Slave folks (Abolitionists)

It was not strictly followed

TariffsCause # 3

+ =

These taxes on imports were causing s e c tio na lism as early as Andrew Jackson’s Administration (1820s – 1830s)

Southern states felt as though they were footing the bill to protect Northern industry

Cause # 4 Geography shapes the Economy

The South’s longer growing seasons led to a mostly farming society

The North’s poor soil and climate led to more factories

The different economies led to different cultures and values

Cause # 5The Compromise of 1850

California (acquired in the Mexican American War) wants to come into the Union as a FREE state.

It would put the Southern SLAVE states in the minority in the Senate

Henry Clay presents a plan with 4 parts

• CA comes in Free• Slave Trade is abolished in DC• Congress would not pass any

new laws regarding slavery in the newly acquired territory

• New Fugitive Slave Act passed

The Act required ALL citizens to help catch runaway slaves – Northern Abolitionists refused to cooperate with the law’s enforcement

Cause # 5The Compromise of 1850

Cause # 6 Uncle Tom’s CabinHarriet Beecher Stowe’s book, Uncle To m ’s Ca bin, was about the evils of slavery

It was published in 1852 and sold over 300,000 copies in the first year alone

Slaveholders denied the book’s legitimacy, but much of the material was taken from postings throughout the South

The Kansas Nebraska ActCause # 7

It violated the Missouri Compromise

Act was passed in 1854

popular sovereignty did not work due to “border

ruffians”

Dred Scott v Sandford 1857Cause # 8

This Supreme Court case ruled that slaves were property protected from the Federal Government

It made the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional

This meant that slavery should be allowed in the western territories

Can you believe that the Supreme Court even said he had no right to bring a lawsuit

before them?

In October 1859, abolitionist John Brown, led a raid on a Federal Arsenal in Harper’s Ferry, Virginia. He hoped to start a slave uprising by arming slaves.

John Brown at Harper’s FerryCause # 9

Harper’s Ferry, Virginia

John BrownJohn Brown

John BrownIt didn’t go as expected!

After Lincoln is elected president in 1860, the idea of States’ Rights grows among the southern states.

States’ RightsCause # 10

Led by South Carolina, southern states feel they have a Constitutional right to leave the Union since they feel the new president will not protect their “property” rights.

Fort Sumter, South CarolinaCause # 11

Fort Sumter was a federal fort in the Charleson Harbor

The State of South Carolina demanded the Fort’s surrender

The Commander of the Fort refused so a 33-hour bombardment began on April 12, 1861

The Fort was finally surrendered, but at least no lives were lost

Lincoln calls for Union troopsCause # 12

Lincoln views the bombardment of Fort Sumter as an act of rebellion

Lincoln calls up 75,000 Union Troops to crush the rebellion

The call-up leads four more states to secede from the Union

Revolutionary SpiritCause # 13

Southern States felt they were fighting against an oppressive government

The South was fighting for INDEPENDENCEINDEPENDENCE

They viewed their cause as similar to the American Revolution and guess who represented the 13

Colonies?