The growth of sectional tension 1850-1861 Flashcards
What were the key economic differences between the North and the South before the Civil War?
The North was industrialized with factories, extensive railroads, and a growing urban population. The South relied on an agricultural economy, dominated by slavery and cotton exports.
How did demographics differ between the North and South?
The North had a larger, more urban population and attracted more immigrants, while the South had a smaller, rural population heavily dependent on enslaved labour.
Why did the South oppose high tariffs?
High tariffs increased the cost of imported goods, which the South relied on, and made foreign nations less willing to buy Southern cotton.
What was the Missouri Compromise of 1820?
It admitted Missouri as a slave state, Maine as a free state, and prohibited slavery north of the 36°30′ latitude line in the Louisiana Purchase territory.
How did the Missouri Compromise temporarily ease tensions?
It maintained the balance of free and slave states in the Senate, satisfying both sides for the moment.
Why was the Missouri Compromise criticized by the South?
The South saw it as restricting the spread of slavery and as a sign of growing Northern dominance.
What was the Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854), and why was it controversial?
It allowed Kansas and Nebraska to decide on slavery through popular sovereignty, effectively nullifying the Missouri Compromise. It led to violence in “Bleeding Kansas.”
What impact did the Dred Scott decision have on the slavery debate?
The Supreme Court ruled that African Americans were not citizens and that Congress could not restrict slavery in the territories, increasing tensions.
How did the publication of Uncle Tom’s Cabin influence public opinion?
Harriet Beecher Stowe’s novel galvanized Northern abolitionists by exposing the brutality of slavery.
Who were key abolitionist leaders, and what did they advocate?
Frederick Douglass, a former slave, advocated for equality and abolition through speeches and writing. William Lloyd Garrison published The Liberator, demanding immediate abolition.
How did the South react to abolitionist movements?
The South became defensive, suppressing abolitionist materials and justifying slavery as a “positive good.”
What role did the Underground Railroad play in abolitionism?
It was a secret network that helped enslaved people escape to free states and Canada.
What were the major provisions of the Compromise of 1850?
- California admitted as a free state (pleased North).
- Popular sovereignty in Utah and New Mexico (pleased both sides initially).
- Slave trade banned in Washington, D.C. (pleased North).
- Fugitive Slave Act strengthened (pleased South).
Why did the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 anger Northerners?
It forced Northerners to assist in capturing escaped slaves and denied accused fugitives a jury trial.
Why is the Compromise of 1850 sometimes seen as more of an “appeasement”?
It gave the South significant power through the Fugitive Slave Act, while the North’s gains were more symbolic or temporary.
What factors helped Lincoln win the 1860 presidential election?
- Republican Party’s broad appeal to Northerners and Westerners.
- Lincoln’s moderate stance on slavery, appealing to both abolitionists and racists.
- Divisions within the Democratic Party (split between Douglas and Breckinridge).
How did the Democratic Party’s split impact the election?
Northern Democrats supported Stephen Douglas, while Southern Democrats backed John Breckinridge, splitting votes and ensuring Lincoln’s victory.
What fears did Lincoln’s election evoke in the South?
The South feared that Lincoln would restrict or abolish slavery, despite his assurances to leave it alone where it already existed.
Why did South Carolina secede in 1860?
South Carolina saw Lincoln’s election as a threat to their way of life and slavery, leading them to leave the Union.
Could secession have been prevented?
- Inevitable due to deep economic, cultural, and political divides.
- Potentially preventable through better compromises and addressing Southern grievances about power imbalances.
How did Lincoln’s personal background help his political career?
His humble beginnings as a self-made man and his reputation as “Honest Abe” resonated with ordinary voters.
What were the long-term effects of John Brown’s raid on Harper’s Ferry?
It heightened Southern fears of abolitionist violence and martyrized Brown in the North, worsening sectional tensions.
Why was the Kansas-Nebraska Act a turning point?
It led to violent conflicts in Kansas, highlighted the failure of popular sovereignty, and increased sectional animosity.
What were the long-term causes of Southern secession?
- Economic differences: North’s industrial economy vs. South’s agricultural economy based on slavery.
- Cultural and social divides: North’s focus on free labour and urbanization vs. South’s dependence on slavery and plantation economy.
- Slavery debates: The expansion of slavery into new territories and states, leading to political and moral disagreements.
What were the short-term causes of Southern secession?
- Election of 1860: Lincoln’s victory, without any Southern support, triggered fears in the South about the future of slavery.
- Republican policies: Fear that Republicans would limit slavery’s expansion and undermine Southern power in the Union.
- Immediate reaction: South Carolina and other Southern states seceded quickly after Lincoln’s election, fearing their way of life was threatened.
How did sectionalism contribute to the division within the Democratic Party in 1860?
- Sectional divisions in the Democratic Party were starkly visible in the 1860 Democratic National Convention in Charleston.
- Southern Democrats wanted stronger protection for slavery and supported a national slave code. They demanded that the federal government protect slavery in all territories.
- Northern Democrats, led by Stephen Douglas, opposed such a federal slave code, instead promoting popular sovereignty, allowing territories to decide for themselves about slavery.
- As a result, the Southern Democrats walked out of the convention, refusing to support Douglas, and formed their own faction, nominating John C. Breckinridge.
- This split meant that the Democratic Party was divided along sectional lines, weakening their chances in the 1860 election and helping Lincoln’s victory.
What did the Missouri compromise attempt?
(1820) attempted to balance slave and free states by admitting Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state, and established the 36°30’ parallel as the dividing line for future states (north of it, free states; south, slave states).
However, over time, this balance became a point of tension as the U.S. expanded westward.
What was the Kansas-Nebraska Act?
(1854): This act repealed the Missouri Compromise by allowing settlers in Kansas and Nebraska to decide through popular sovereignty whether to allow slavery, leading to violent conflicts (Bleeding Kansas).
What was the Dred Scott decision?
(1857): The Supreme Court ruled that the Missouri Compromise’s restriction on slavery north of the 36°30’ line was unconstitutional, further inflaming sectional tensions.
What percentage of the vote did Lincoln receive in the 1860 election?
Lincoln received 40% of the popular vote in the 1860 election.
How many states did Lincoln win in the 1860 election?
Lincoln won 18 out of 33 states in the 1860 election.
Where was Lincoln’s support geographically concentrated in the 1860 election?
Lincoln’s support was heavily concentrated in the free states in the North.
How many states seceded from the Union after Lincoln’s election in 1860?
Seven Southern states seceded from the Union after Lincoln’s election: South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas.
How did John C. Breckinridge perform in the 1860 election?
Breckinridge carried most of the South but received few votes in the Northern states.
What percentage of the vote did pro-slavery candidates (Breckinridge and Bell) receive in the 1860 election?
Pro-slavery candidates (Breckinridge and Bell) combined received 31% of the vote in the 1860 election.
How did Lincoln fare in the Electoral College in the 1860 election?
Lincoln won a decisive victory in the Electoral College, securing 180 electoral votes.
How many delegates did Stephen Douglas have at the Democratic Convention in 1860, and why did he struggle to secure the nomination?
Stephen Douglas had the support of a majority of delegates but lacked the 2/3rds majority needed for the nomination at the Democratic Convention in 1860.
How did the Constitutional Union Party perform in the 1860 election?
The Constitutional Union Party, which was made up of remnants of the Whig and Know-Nothing parties, won votes mainly in the border states.
What percentage of states did the Republican Party win in the 1856 election?
In the 1856 election, the Republican Party won every Northern state except for four.
