Civil War Catalysts: The Demise of the Second Party System and the Rise of the Republican Party. By Olivia Nail-Beatty

Civil War Catalysts: The Demise of the Second Party System and the Rise of the Republican Party. By Olivia Nail-Beatty

The Whig Party Major party opposing the Democratic party from 1834-1854. Developed to oppose Jackson and the Democrats. The Whigs were federalists and favored government support as well as controls placed by the government over moral issues such as slavery and temperance.

Demise of the second party system The second party system was that of the Democrats and the Whigs. In the 1850s the slavery debate destroyed the Whig party. The Compromises about slavery made in the 1850s, especially the fugitive slave law, split the party. Millard FIllmore was a presidential candidate of 1852 who would be the final presidential candidate of the Whigs. He gained southern support through enforcing the fugitive slave law In this, he alienated antislavery Whigs This party crumbled under the division The party completely dissolved with the addition of Nebraska and Kansas into the Union.

Kansas-Nebraska Act Created by America s manifest destiny to expand westward. Kansas and Nebraska territories were founded. The Act was passed by Congress in 1854 after much debate.

The Kansas-Nebraska Act and the Missouri Compromise The Missouri compromise of 1820 added Missouri as a slave state and also prohibited slavery passed north of latitude 36 30 N (except for Missouri). The south was upset at the addition of Kansas and Nebraska as territories because they were in northern territories which made them free of slavery. Needing the support from the south, Kansas and Nebraska were made states with the compromise that they would have popular sovereignty. Popular Sovereignty: states can vote for whether or not they want to allow slavery. The northerns were then disstressed that this would negate the Missouri Compromise.

After Congress passed the Kansas- Nebraska Act, it was up to the the settlers of this new territory to decide if they should allow slavery. Bloody Kansas Emigration was promoted by both proslavery and antislavery faction resulting in violence between the sides. Missourians began to cross border lines to vote on the subject and to try to prevent the northerners voting by using violence. There were many extremely violent conflicts between the faction during this time partially because strong supporters on each side had weaponry.

Congressional leaders, who were mainly supporters of popular sovereignty, Lecompton Constitution In order to join the Union, each state was required to write a state Constitution. Two were written in Lecompton, Kansas: One with slavery if Kansas should become a slave state One without slavery if Kansas should become a free state the Lecompton Constitution. Antislavery supporters boycotted the referendum of statehood. Without the support of this majority, Kansas was forced to petition to enter the Union as a slave state with the Lecompton Constitution.

Kansas is free Eventually, the antislavery settlers outnumbered the proslavery emigrants and Kansas entered the union as a free state in 1861. The north then had more states than the south with Kansas becoming one of the most Republican states. This created a huge divide in the country between southern slave states, and northern free states. The addition of these territories and Bloody Kansas can be considered the most important events in leading the country to civil war.

First called this at a rally at a church is Ripon, Wisconsin The formation of the third party system: The Republican Party The southern democrats absorbed most of the remains of the Whig party that had completely crumbled after Bloody Kansas. In the north, antislavery alliances formed called Anti-Nebraska Fusion People s Independent REPUBLICANS

Republicans and Know-Nothings Succeeded in breaking down the Whigs But in 1855 it was unclear who would become the dominant opposing party of the democrats. It seemed as though the Know-Nothing party would prevail, but the slavery issue split them along the sectional lines. This issue prevented them from becoming dominant and the Republicans were able to surge ahead and become the dominant party of the north. Anti-slavery Know Nothings went into the Republican party.

Kansas-Nebraska Act and Results https://youtu.be/owww0yif-je

slave owned by Dr. John Emmerson. Scott accompanied Emmerson on his travels. They lived in Missouri A slave state Dred Scott They traveled to Illinois A free state Then to the Wisconsin territory In which slavery had been completely outlawed Back to Missouri where his owner died. Scott then sued for his freedom in a Missouri lower court on the grounds

After the Missouri supreme court decided he would remain a slave, Scott appealed to the U.S. Supreme court. The Supreme Court also ruled that the Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional because Congress did not have the power to interfere with private property, and therefore slaves in A decision was made on March 6, 1857 by Chief Justice Roger B. Taney. The Dred-Scott Decision The decision stated that Scott would remain a slave because as an African American he was not entitled to sue a court of law. The decision also stated that neither free nor enslaved blacks were citizens and that they had rights under the U.S. Constitution.

What was the impact? Northerners and Republicans were appalled at this decision. They were completely against the morality of this decision Because it ruled that the Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional this meant that slavery could be permitted in the northern states Abolitionists increased their efforts while proslavery supports just became more firm and unyielding in their views. The country was more split than ever.

Dred-Scott Decision https://youtu.be/c3-bkpfgr7i

Lincoln-Douglas Debates Lincoln challenged Douglas to a series of 7 debates. Took place in Illinois in 1858 between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas. Both wanted the position as Senator Lincoln was the Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate. Douglas was the current Democratic Party candidate. These debates were about whether or not slavery could be extended into free territories.

Douglas v Lincoln Douglas In favor of popular sovereignty to allow each state to make a decision about slavery. He was in favor of allowing slavery. Accused Lincoln as being an abolitionist (even northerners were still uncomfortable with blacks mixing with whites). Accused Lincoln of having a hidden intention to interfere with the governments of individual states. Believed the nation could exist as being Lincoln A Federalist which meant he wanted more support from the government on the issue. Argued that the Dred-Scott ruling allowed new territories which he strongly opposed. Spoke about the moral wrongs of slavery. Claimed that Douglas disregarded this. Believed blacks were inferior to whites but still considered slavery immoral and against the democracy. Believed the principles of equality set forth in the Declaration of Independence should be

Lincoln s A House Divided Speech; June 16, 1858, at the Illinois Republican convention Under the operation of that policy, that agitation has not only not ceased but has constantly augmented. In my opinion, it will not cease until a crisis shall have been reached and passed. "A house divided against itself cannot stand." I believe this government cannot endure, permanently, half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved; I do not expect the house to fall; but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing, or all the other. Either the opponents of slavery will arrest the further spread of it and place it where the public mind shall rest in the belief that it is in the course of ultimate extinction, or its advocates will push it forward till it shall become alike lawful in all the states, old as well as new, North as well as South. -Abraham Lincoln

This speech was made in 1858 by Abraham Lincoln addressing the Illinois Republican Convention. Lincoln s Speech Lincoln tries to convey the need for government action in abolishing slavery by emphasizing that the country can not exist in a divided state. This quotation from one of the Lincoln- Douglas debates illustrates Lincoln s professional view as a Republican and a Federalist at the time on the slavery matter. Lincoln is appealing to his supporters so he is carefully speaking and highlighting key points that reveal his views on the matter and why they should be supported for the good of the citizens.

What was the result? Douglas was reelected as the senator of Illinois. These debates made Lincoln a public figure and helped him win the 1860 presidential election. Lincoln helped publicize Republican ideas. Ideas about slavery were out in the open and questions about morality were dividing the country.

The collapse of the Union and the start of the Civil war began with the Kansas-Nebraska Act Led to a further division between the northern and the southern states, and between proslavery supporters and antislavery supporters. Brought into question where slavery should be allowed and if it should be allowed at all.

Bibliography MISSOURI COMPROMISE, 1820. - Map of the United States showing the free and slave states and territories following the Missouri Compromise of 1820. KANSAS-NEBRASKA MAP, 1854. - Detail of a map of the United States showing the Kansas and Nebraska territories as they appeared following passage of the Kansas-Nebreska Act in 1854.. Fine Art. Britannica ImageQuest, Encyclopædia Britannica, 25 May 2016. quest.eb.com/search/ 140_1647586/1/140_1647586/cite. Accessed 8 Sep 2017. Stephen Arnold Douglas. Photography. Britannica ImageQuest, Encyclopædia Britannica, 25 May 2016. quest.eb.com/search/ 139_1919335/1/139_1919335/cite. Accessed 12 Sep 2017. PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN, 1860. - An American cartoon published, 1860. Fine Art. Britannica ImageQuest, Encyclopædia Britannica, 25 May 2016.quest.eb.com/ search/140_1669559/1/140_ 1669559/cite. Accessed 17 Sep 2017. Lincoln-douglas Debate, 1858, The. Fine Art. Britannica ImageQuest, Encyclopædia Britannica, 25 May 2016.quest.eb. com/search/107_3351397/1/107_3351397/ cite. Accessed 17 Sep 2017. McPherson, James M. Battle Cry of Freedom: The Civil War Era. New York: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print. "Lincoln-Douglas Debates (1858)." American History, ABC-CLIO, 2017, americanhistory.abc-clio.com/search/ Display/254616. Accessed 7 Sept. 2017. "Whig Party." American History, ABC-CLIO, 2017, americanhistory.abc-clio.com/search/display/253625. Accessed 25 Aug. 2017. "Bleeding Kansas." American History, ABC-CLIO, 2017, americanhistory.abc-clio.com/search/display/ 253257. Accessed 29 Aug. 2017. Avila, Rolando. "Dred Scott Decision." American History, ABC-CLIO, 2017, americanhistory.abc-clio. com/search/ Display/894331. Accessed 1 Sept. 2017. Benson, Sonia, et al. "Lincoln-Douglas Debates." UXL Encyclopedia of U.S. History, vol. 5, UXL, 2009, pp. 912-915. Student Resources in Context, link.galegroup.com /apps/doc/cx3048900359/suic? u=albu23958&xid=5c29a83d. Accessed 15 Sept. 2017.