Slavery and Secession Chapter 10.4
1856: Democrat James Buchanan elected president 1857: Dred Scott v. Sandford Missouri Compromise = unconstitutional 1857: Voters in Kansas reject proslavery state constitution 1857: Buchanan endorses proslavery constitution anyway 1858: Kansas voters reject proslavery state constitution again 1858: Republican Abraham Lincoln and Democrat Stephen A. Douglas fight for Senate seat in Illinois; Douglas wins 1859: John Brown leads Harpers Ferry raid; tried for treason and hanged 1860: Republican Party holds its presidential convention in Chicago; Lincoln chosen as Republican candidate for presidency 1860: Lincoln (R), Douglas (D), Breckinridge (D), and Bell (C) run for president 1860: Lincoln wins with zero electoral votes from the South 1860: South Carolina secedes from the Union 1861: Mississippi secedes, followed by Florida, then Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas 1861: The Confederate States of America is formed, or the Confederacy; Jefferson David elected president
1856 James Buchanan proves to be a weak, indecisive president with poor judgment Dred Scott v. Sandford reaches the Supreme Court Slave Dred Scott argues for his freedom since he lived above the Missouri Compromise line for several years Decision: Supreme Court rules against Scott; slaves do not have rights of citizens Missouri Compromise unconstitutional; Congress cannot forbid slavery in territories Republicans become last hope for antislavery
1857-1858 Kansas Territory submits proslavery constitution in bid to become state Kansans reject Buchanan endorses proslavery constitution Stephen A. Douglas (D) argues popular sovereignty is important A second vote is held; Kansans reject constitution again Democratic Party begins to divide
1858 Race for Senate seat in Illinois between Abraham Lincoln (R) and Douglas (D) Lincoln is relatively unknown Lincoln challenged Douglas to seven public debates Douglas and Lincoln both disliked slavery Douglas believed voters would get rid of slavery on their own (popular sovereignty) Lincoln believed it would not go away without legislation outlawing it In 2 nd debate: Lincoln points out that discussing popular sovereignty is pointless Dred Scott said territories cannot exclude slavery Douglas counters with Freeport Doctrine Territories can exclude slavery by simply refusing to enforce slave laws Democratic Party divides further
1859 1858 = year of talk; 1859 = year of action God s angry man John Brown, a violent abolitionist, destroys all hope for compromise over slavery Brown led 21 men into Harpers Ferry, VA to seize arsenal and start a slave uprising Slave uprising does not occur; Robert E. Lee leads U.S. Marines, quickly defeats Brown Brown hanged for treason Martyr in North More Southerners become secessionists
1860 Republicans hold presidential convention in Chicago Drew massive crowd William Seward commonly believed would be chosen as candidate Lincoln is chosen as Republican presidential candidate Reputation as being relatively unknown was an advantage More moderate than Seward Lincoln gives assurance that he will not interfere with slavery in South
1860 Presidential election of 1860 Race between: Abraham Lincoln (R) Stephen A. Douglas (D) John C. Breckinridge (D) John Bell (C) Lincoln wins Not a single electoral vote from South 1860 election results convince South that they have no voice in government South Carolina secedes in late December
1861 In early January, Mississippi secedes Followed by Florida one day later Over the next few weeks, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas secede Secessionist states form the Confederate States of America (Confederacy) Constitution explicitly protected old and new slavery Jefferson Davis elected president 8 slave states still remained in the Union Buchanan does nothing
Exit Ticket 1. Why was Lincoln chosen as presidential candidate? 2. How did Lincoln and Douglas s views on slavery differ? 3. Why did John Brown ruin hope for compromise over slavery?