Chapter 18 and 19 Study Guide
Chapter #18: Renewing the Sectional Struggle – Big Picture Themes 1. The main question facing the nation was, “Will new lands won from Mexico have slaves or be free?”
2. The answer to the question was hammered out in the Compromise of 1850. It said California was to be free, popular sovereignty (the people decide) for the rest of the lands.
3. A tougher fugitive slave law was a major concession to the South, but it wasn’t enforced. This angered the Southerners.
4. The North—South rift was widened with the Kansas-Nebraska Act. It repealed the Missouri Compromise which had kept the peace for a generation. In it’s place, popular sovereignty opened the Great Plains to potential slavery. Whereas the slave-land issue had been settled, now it was a big question mark.
IDENTIFICATIONS: Stephen Douglas
“Little Giant” was a prominent political figure during the time leading up to the civil war and responsible for devising the Kansas-Nebraska Act Franklin Pierce
The 14th president of the US and was a Democrat. He made decisions that would earn him the title of being the worst President of the United States. He looked down upon Manifest Destiny and popular sovereignty.
Compromise of 1850
Was devised by Henry Clay and Stephen Douglas; it was a compromise that settled the territories after the Mexican-American War. This included: Texas surrendering New Mexico, California admitted as a free state, Fugitive Slave Act, slave trade banned in DC, popular sovereignty in Utah and New Mexico
Zachary Taylor
He was the 12th President of the United States. He played a role during the Mexican American War. John C. Calhoun
A former vice president who resigned from office. He opposed the Compromise of 1850 and was in favor of slavery. Matthew C. Perry
He was a naval commander who would open up Japan for the first time for International trade. He first visited Japan and promised to return with a gift in exchange for trade opening routes. This took a span over a year.
Henry Clay
He desired compromise above all things. When he died he contemplated of what would happen to the South without him. He wrote multiple compromises and took part in multiple political issues. Free-Soil Party
A party that was formed as response to untrusting Northerners who wished to spread anti-slavery throughout the Union.
Fugitive Slave Law
Was included in the Compromise of 1850, this law made illegal for the Northerners who assisted the runaway slaves and that anyone suspected of being a runaway slave could be taken back to their “rightful owner”
Harriet Tubman
Most famously well known for her role in the Underground Railroad. She helped hundreds of slaves escape slavery and even brought her family to free territory as well. She was illiterate and was despise among the Southerners.
Compromise of 1850
A compromise that was heavily despised on both sides, but somewhat agreeable for the Southerners as it allowed them to pursue slaves onto free territory and granted them 10M dollars to Texas.
Ostend Manifesto
Primarily summed up America’s interests in obtaining Cuba for expansion.
Kansas-Nebraska Act
Allowed Popular sovereignty to decide whether the territory would be anti-slavery or pro-slavery. Chapter #19: Drifting Toward Disunion – Big Picture Themes 1. Uncle Tom’s Cabin drove a wedge between the Northerner and Southerner. The South cried foul saying it gave a view of slavery that was too harsh and unrealistic, but it cemented each section’s feelings on the issue.
2. Kansas became the battleground over slavery. Since slavery there was to be decided by popular vote, each side passionately fought for their position. Bloodshed resulted.
3. The Supreme Court’s Dred Scott decision was huge. It said that Congress or a legislature cannot outlaw slavery in the territories. Effectively then, all new lands were possible slave lands.
4. A financial panic in 1857 added to the chaos and uncertainty.
5. Abe Lincoln arrived on the scene. Although he lost to Stephen Douglas for Illinois Senate, he made a name for himself there.
6. In 1860, Abe Lincoln won a very sectional race for president over 3 other candidates. The South had promised to leave the union if Abe won. He won, and the South indeed seceded.
IDENTIFICATIONS: Hinton Helper – The Impending Crisis of the South
Author of the Impending Crisis of the South. Was rejected by the South as lies and was spread widely in the North, had a similar effect that Uncle Tom’s Cabin had.
George Fitzhugh
An author who questioned free society and defended slavery. He wrote a book called Sociology of the South and Cannibals All!
John Brown
Led his sons in a revolt against the Southerners, ended up with the deaths of 6 southerners. Was convicted of treason and hanged to death. Northerners praised him for doing something morally right while the Southerners viewed him as a traitor to the Union. Charles Sumner
A senator who was beaten to death by another fellow senator from the South and was beaten by a cane. Northerners were appalled by Brooks, the man who beat Sumner, and how the South approved of his course of action by sending him canes to replace the one he broke while beating Sumner in the head. Dred Scott
A slave who was taken to a free territory, but whose master died and he was then given to his wife, who would promptly take him back into slavery. His court case was brought to the Supreme court but was promptly dismissed as Dred Scott was a slave and therefore his case could not be considered legitimate. Abraham Lincoln
The Republican representative for the Presidential Candidate in 1860. He wished to preserve the Union at all costs, and was even willing to dismiss slavery and accept it into the Union if it meant preserving the Union. John Crittenden
John Crittenden was the senator that negotiated the Crittenden Compromise, naturally to its namesake, he was the one who negotiated the last ditch effort to preserve the Union before the South seceded. “Bleeding Kansas”
Bleeding Kansas was a series of violent confrontations between the North and South as a result of popular sovereignty. American or “Know-Nothing” Party
The Know Nothing Party was primarily composed of ex-Whigs seeking to fight the Democratic Party and worried about the Democratic and Republican parties in a political sense. Panic of 1857
A financial panic that spread between Europe and the US. The major set off point was the failure of the Ohio Life Insurance and Trust Company. Starting here, the prices started spiraling out of control, ranging from a peak of $2.19 all the way down to $0.80.
Lincoln-Douglas Debates
A series of debates between two well-known figures, Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas. The primary topic was concerning slavery, to which Stephen Douglas famously gave his “Freeport Doctrine” as response to Lincoln’s inquiry of Slavery. Freeport Doctrine
A statement given out by Stephen Douglas as a response to Lincoln, saying that Slavery can be decided in a statement lawfully depending on the people’s choice. Harper's Ferry Raid
A raid carried out by John Brown in which he armed people with “Beecher’s Bibles” or rifles and other weapons and would also arm slaves to join the revolt. Brown would be captured by Greene. Constitutional Union Party
A political party created in the 1860s. It was composed of conservative former Whigs who wanted to avoid Sectionalism over the slavery issue. Their primary goal was to preserve the Union.
GUIDED READING QUESTIONS:
Stowe and Helper: Literary Incendiaries
Know: Harriet Beecher Stowe, Hinton Helper
1. Which book, Uncle Tom's Cabin or The Impending Crisis of the South was more important? Explain.
Uncle Tom’s Cabin was more important as it prompted Europe to withdraw from aiding the South due to their revelation that Slavery was more worse than they thought.
The North-South Contest for Kansas
Know: Beecher's Bibles, Border Ruffians
2. What went wrong with popular sovereignty in Kansas?
It led to violent conflicts between the North and the South and ended with many lives lost, towns being raided, and tension between the two sections of the US. It also picked up the attention and debate topics of Congress and would lead to the Civil War.
Kansas in Convulsion
Know: John Brown, Pottawatomie Creek, Lecompton Constitution
3. What was the effect of "Bleeding Kansas" on the Democratic Party?
It showed how the Union was on the edge of breaking apart and that it only took a few more “pushes” until the Union dissolved into two sections: The North and the South.
"Bully" Brooks and His Bludgeon
Know: Charles Sumner, Preston Brooks
5 What was the consequence of Brook's beating of Sumner in the North? The South?
It showed the ruthlessness of the South but it left the North one less Senator as they restored Sumner’s seat despite his condition after the incident. The South was seen as violent and uncivilized.
"Old Buck" versus "The Pathfinder"
Know: James Buchanan, John C. Fremont, The American Party
6. Assess the candidates in the 1856 election.
The Democrats chose Buchanan, but he was unappealing because he was a bachelor. The Republicans chose John C. Fremont, but he assailed for his illegitimate birth. The Know-Nothing Party chose Millard Fillmore because he was an antiforeigner and anti-Catholic
The Electoral Fruits of 1856
7. Interpret the results of the election of 1856.
Buchanan won the election, which kept the fire-eaters from tearing the union apart. The Republicans showed their strength even though they lost.
The Dred Scott Bombshell
Know: Dred Scott, Roger B. Taney
8 Why was the Dred Scott decision so divisive?
It showed that the Supreme Court simply dismissed a very vital case between the North and the South simply because Dred Scott was slave and could not be considered as a case from a citizen of the United States.
The Financial Crash of 1857
8 How did the Panic of 1857 make Civil War more likely?
It showed the South a false sense that it did not need the North to survive as the north faced financial distress. The south survived since it had a very vital role in the international economy.
An Illinois Rail-Splitter Emerges
10. Describe Abraham Lincoln's background.
Lincoln was a lawyer from Illinois. He was born in Kentucky in a log cabin to impoverished parents and attended frontier school for about a year. He was self-educated and became a lawyer and eventually a politician. He received 110 votes for vice-presidential nomination when Fremont was nominated.
The Great Debate: Lincoln versus Douglas
Know: Freeport Doctrine
11. What long term results occurred because of the Lincoln-Douglas debates?
Lincoln began to emerge as a political figure along with other Northern politicians as a presidential nominee. Douglas, by stating that the Supreme Court could be defied in his Freeport Doctrine, shocked other Democrats and furthered disunion in his party.
John Brown: Murderer or Martyr
Know: Harper's Ferry, Robert E. Lee
12. Why were the actions of one (crazy?) man so important in the growing conflict between North and South?
Abolitionists who were naive of Brown’s bloody purposes thought his execution was unfair.
Free-soilers viewed him as a saint and martyr. The South viewed this radical abolitionist a murderer that represented all the abolitionists.
The Disruption of the Democrats
Know: John C. Breckenridge, John Bell
13. What happened when the Democratic Party attempted to choose a candidate for the presidency in 1860?
The Democratic Party was split between the North, who supported Douglas, and the South, who did not. This was the first secession of the southerners from the Democratic National Convention.
A Rail-Splitter Splits the Union
14. Why was Lincoln chosen as the Republican candidate instead of Seward?
He had the general support of the people. Furthermore he had fewer enemies and was known for his involvement in the Spot incident.
The Electoral Upheaval of 1860
15. Did the South have any power in the national government after Lincoln’s election, or were they helpless?
As they made up half of the total, they continued to function simply as a separate political party. They were untrusting of their Northern brethren and thought that everyone was out to abolish slavery.
The Secessionist Exodus
Know: Secession, Jefferson Davis
16.. What did President Buchanan do when the South seceded? Why?
Buchanan sent a message stating that secession was illegal to his belief and that the federal government did not have any right to prevent states from seceding. This practically achieved nothing. This message perplexed both the North and the South.
The Collapse of Compromise
17. What was the Crittendon Compromise and why did it fail?
The Crittendon Compromise was a last ditch effort of preserving the Union by appeasing the South. Future states that would enter the Union could or could not have slavery depending on their choice ruled by the people.
Farewell to Union
18. What advantages did southerners see in secession? Who did they compare themselves to?
They believed that they could develop its own baking and shipping and trade directly to Europe without the North getting in the way. They compared themselves to antebellum America when they broke away from England.
2. The answer to the question was hammered out in the Compromise of 1850. It said California was to be free, popular sovereignty (the people decide) for the rest of the lands.
3. A tougher fugitive slave law was a major concession to the South, but it wasn’t enforced. This angered the Southerners.
4. The North—South rift was widened with the Kansas-Nebraska Act. It repealed the Missouri Compromise which had kept the peace for a generation. In it’s place, popular sovereignty opened the Great Plains to potential slavery. Whereas the slave-land issue had been settled, now it was a big question mark.
IDENTIFICATIONS: Stephen Douglas
“Little Giant” was a prominent political figure during the time leading up to the civil war and responsible for devising the Kansas-Nebraska Act Franklin Pierce
The 14th president of the US and was a Democrat. He made decisions that would earn him the title of being the worst President of the United States. He looked down upon Manifest Destiny and popular sovereignty.
Compromise of 1850
Was devised by Henry Clay and Stephen Douglas; it was a compromise that settled the territories after the Mexican-American War. This included: Texas surrendering New Mexico, California admitted as a free state, Fugitive Slave Act, slave trade banned in DC, popular sovereignty in Utah and New Mexico
Zachary Taylor
He was the 12th President of the United States. He played a role during the Mexican American War. John C. Calhoun
A former vice president who resigned from office. He opposed the Compromise of 1850 and was in favor of slavery. Matthew C. Perry
He was a naval commander who would open up Japan for the first time for International trade. He first visited Japan and promised to return with a gift in exchange for trade opening routes. This took a span over a year.
Henry Clay
He desired compromise above all things. When he died he contemplated of what would happen to the South without him. He wrote multiple compromises and took part in multiple political issues. Free-Soil Party
A party that was formed as response to untrusting Northerners who wished to spread anti-slavery throughout the Union.
Fugitive Slave Law
Was included in the Compromise of 1850, this law made illegal for the Northerners who assisted the runaway slaves and that anyone suspected of being a runaway slave could be taken back to their “rightful owner”
Harriet Tubman
Most famously well known for her role in the Underground Railroad. She helped hundreds of slaves escape slavery and even brought her family to free territory as well. She was illiterate and was despise among the Southerners.
Compromise of 1850
A compromise that was heavily despised on both sides, but somewhat agreeable for the Southerners as it allowed them to pursue slaves onto free territory and granted them 10M dollars to Texas.
Ostend Manifesto
Primarily summed up America’s interests in obtaining Cuba for expansion.
Kansas-Nebraska Act
Allowed Popular sovereignty to decide whether the territory would be anti-slavery or pro-slavery. Chapter #19: Drifting Toward Disunion – Big Picture Themes 1. Uncle Tom’s Cabin drove a wedge between the Northerner and Southerner. The South cried foul saying it gave a view of slavery that was too harsh and unrealistic, but it cemented each section’s feelings on the issue.
2. Kansas became the battleground over slavery. Since slavery there was to be decided by popular vote, each side passionately fought for their position. Bloodshed resulted.
3. The Supreme Court’s Dred Scott decision was huge. It said that Congress or a legislature cannot outlaw slavery in the territories. Effectively then, all new lands were possible slave lands.
4. A financial panic in 1857 added to the chaos and uncertainty.
5. Abe Lincoln arrived on the scene. Although he lost to Stephen Douglas for Illinois Senate, he made a name for himself there.
6. In 1860, Abe Lincoln won a very sectional race for president over 3 other candidates. The South had promised to leave the union if Abe won. He won, and the South indeed seceded.
IDENTIFICATIONS: Hinton Helper – The Impending Crisis of the South
Author of the Impending Crisis of the South. Was rejected by the South as lies and was spread widely in the North, had a similar effect that Uncle Tom’s Cabin had.
George Fitzhugh
An author who questioned free society and defended slavery. He wrote a book called Sociology of the South and Cannibals All!
John Brown
Led his sons in a revolt against the Southerners, ended up with the deaths of 6 southerners. Was convicted of treason and hanged to death. Northerners praised him for doing something morally right while the Southerners viewed him as a traitor to the Union. Charles Sumner
A senator who was beaten to death by another fellow senator from the South and was beaten by a cane. Northerners were appalled by Brooks, the man who beat Sumner, and how the South approved of his course of action by sending him canes to replace the one he broke while beating Sumner in the head. Dred Scott
A slave who was taken to a free territory, but whose master died and he was then given to his wife, who would promptly take him back into slavery. His court case was brought to the Supreme court but was promptly dismissed as Dred Scott was a slave and therefore his case could not be considered legitimate. Abraham Lincoln
The Republican representative for the Presidential Candidate in 1860. He wished to preserve the Union at all costs, and was even willing to dismiss slavery and accept it into the Union if it meant preserving the Union. John Crittenden
John Crittenden was the senator that negotiated the Crittenden Compromise, naturally to its namesake, he was the one who negotiated the last ditch effort to preserve the Union before the South seceded. “Bleeding Kansas”
Bleeding Kansas was a series of violent confrontations between the North and South as a result of popular sovereignty. American or “Know-Nothing” Party
The Know Nothing Party was primarily composed of ex-Whigs seeking to fight the Democratic Party and worried about the Democratic and Republican parties in a political sense. Panic of 1857
A financial panic that spread between Europe and the US. The major set off point was the failure of the Ohio Life Insurance and Trust Company. Starting here, the prices started spiraling out of control, ranging from a peak of $2.19 all the way down to $0.80.
Lincoln-Douglas Debates
A series of debates between two well-known figures, Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas. The primary topic was concerning slavery, to which Stephen Douglas famously gave his “Freeport Doctrine” as response to Lincoln’s inquiry of Slavery. Freeport Doctrine
A statement given out by Stephen Douglas as a response to Lincoln, saying that Slavery can be decided in a statement lawfully depending on the people’s choice. Harper's Ferry Raid
A raid carried out by John Brown in which he armed people with “Beecher’s Bibles” or rifles and other weapons and would also arm slaves to join the revolt. Brown would be captured by Greene. Constitutional Union Party
A political party created in the 1860s. It was composed of conservative former Whigs who wanted to avoid Sectionalism over the slavery issue. Their primary goal was to preserve the Union.
GUIDED READING QUESTIONS:
Stowe and Helper: Literary Incendiaries
Know: Harriet Beecher Stowe, Hinton Helper
1. Which book, Uncle Tom's Cabin or The Impending Crisis of the South was more important? Explain.
Uncle Tom’s Cabin was more important as it prompted Europe to withdraw from aiding the South due to their revelation that Slavery was more worse than they thought.
The North-South Contest for Kansas
Know: Beecher's Bibles, Border Ruffians
2. What went wrong with popular sovereignty in Kansas?
It led to violent conflicts between the North and the South and ended with many lives lost, towns being raided, and tension between the two sections of the US. It also picked up the attention and debate topics of Congress and would lead to the Civil War.
Kansas in Convulsion
Know: John Brown, Pottawatomie Creek, Lecompton Constitution
3. What was the effect of "Bleeding Kansas" on the Democratic Party?
It showed how the Union was on the edge of breaking apart and that it only took a few more “pushes” until the Union dissolved into two sections: The North and the South.
"Bully" Brooks and His Bludgeon
Know: Charles Sumner, Preston Brooks
5 What was the consequence of Brook's beating of Sumner in the North? The South?
It showed the ruthlessness of the South but it left the North one less Senator as they restored Sumner’s seat despite his condition after the incident. The South was seen as violent and uncivilized.
"Old Buck" versus "The Pathfinder"
Know: James Buchanan, John C. Fremont, The American Party
6. Assess the candidates in the 1856 election.
The Democrats chose Buchanan, but he was unappealing because he was a bachelor. The Republicans chose John C. Fremont, but he assailed for his illegitimate birth. The Know-Nothing Party chose Millard Fillmore because he was an antiforeigner and anti-Catholic
The Electoral Fruits of 1856
7. Interpret the results of the election of 1856.
Buchanan won the election, which kept the fire-eaters from tearing the union apart. The Republicans showed their strength even though they lost.
The Dred Scott Bombshell
Know: Dred Scott, Roger B. Taney
8 Why was the Dred Scott decision so divisive?
It showed that the Supreme Court simply dismissed a very vital case between the North and the South simply because Dred Scott was slave and could not be considered as a case from a citizen of the United States.
The Financial Crash of 1857
8 How did the Panic of 1857 make Civil War more likely?
It showed the South a false sense that it did not need the North to survive as the north faced financial distress. The south survived since it had a very vital role in the international economy.
An Illinois Rail-Splitter Emerges
10. Describe Abraham Lincoln's background.
Lincoln was a lawyer from Illinois. He was born in Kentucky in a log cabin to impoverished parents and attended frontier school for about a year. He was self-educated and became a lawyer and eventually a politician. He received 110 votes for vice-presidential nomination when Fremont was nominated.
The Great Debate: Lincoln versus Douglas
Know: Freeport Doctrine
11. What long term results occurred because of the Lincoln-Douglas debates?
Lincoln began to emerge as a political figure along with other Northern politicians as a presidential nominee. Douglas, by stating that the Supreme Court could be defied in his Freeport Doctrine, shocked other Democrats and furthered disunion in his party.
John Brown: Murderer or Martyr
Know: Harper's Ferry, Robert E. Lee
12. Why were the actions of one (crazy?) man so important in the growing conflict between North and South?
Abolitionists who were naive of Brown’s bloody purposes thought his execution was unfair.
Free-soilers viewed him as a saint and martyr. The South viewed this radical abolitionist a murderer that represented all the abolitionists.
The Disruption of the Democrats
Know: John C. Breckenridge, John Bell
13. What happened when the Democratic Party attempted to choose a candidate for the presidency in 1860?
The Democratic Party was split between the North, who supported Douglas, and the South, who did not. This was the first secession of the southerners from the Democratic National Convention.
A Rail-Splitter Splits the Union
14. Why was Lincoln chosen as the Republican candidate instead of Seward?
He had the general support of the people. Furthermore he had fewer enemies and was known for his involvement in the Spot incident.
The Electoral Upheaval of 1860
15. Did the South have any power in the national government after Lincoln’s election, or were they helpless?
As they made up half of the total, they continued to function simply as a separate political party. They were untrusting of their Northern brethren and thought that everyone was out to abolish slavery.
The Secessionist Exodus
Know: Secession, Jefferson Davis
16.. What did President Buchanan do when the South seceded? Why?
Buchanan sent a message stating that secession was illegal to his belief and that the federal government did not have any right to prevent states from seceding. This practically achieved nothing. This message perplexed both the North and the South.
The Collapse of Compromise
17. What was the Crittendon Compromise and why did it fail?
The Crittendon Compromise was a last ditch effort of preserving the Union by appeasing the South. Future states that would enter the Union could or could not have slavery depending on their choice ruled by the people.
Farewell to Union
18. What advantages did southerners see in secession? Who did they compare themselves to?
They believed that they could develop its own baking and shipping and trade directly to Europe without the North getting in the way. They compared themselves to antebellum America when they broke away from England.