~Troubled Times: the tumultuous 1850s~

Introduction
- The 1850s were full of conflict in the U.S.
- Intense debates over slavery and states' rights dominated.
- The Compromise of 1850 tried but failed to ease tensions.
- The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 increased North-South tensions.
- "Uncle Tom's Cabin" in 1852 boosted anti-slavery views.
➢ It's lowkey crazy how This shows how a single book can
dramatically shift public opinion and influence history.
- The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 led to "Bleeding Kansas."
- The Dred Scott decision of 1857 denied citizenship to African
Americans.
- John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry in 1859 deepened divisions.

14.1 The Compromise of 1850

Brokering the compromise

- The Compromise of 1850 was a series of laws intended to resolve the
territorial and slavery controversies arising from the Mexican-American
War.
- Senator Henry Clay played a key role in brokering the compromise.
➢ I was surprised how influential individuals can shape major
legislative outcomes and impact the course of history.
- The compromise included five main bills.
- California was admitted as a free state.
- The territories of New Mexico and Utah were given the choice to
decide on slavery through popular sovereignty.
- The Fugitive Slave Act was strengthened.
- The slave trade (but not slavery itself) was abolished in Washington
D.C.
- Texas relinquished land claims in exchange for debt relief.
The fugitive slave act and its consequences
- The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 was part of the Compromise of 1850.
- It mandated that escaped slaves, even if found in free states, had to be
returned to their owners.
- Federal commissioners were appointed to enforce the law.
- The act imposed heavy penalties on those who aided runaway slaves.
- It denied alleged fugitive slaves the right to a jury trial.
- The law increased tensions between the North and South.
- Many Northerners were outraged and more committed to the
abolitionist cause.
- The Underground Railroad became more active as a result.
➢ I was happy how People can come together to resist unjust laws and
support human rights.

Summary:The Compromise of 1850 was a set of laws aimed at

resolving the disputes between free and slave states following the
Mexican-American War. It included admitting California as a free state
and allowing the territories of New Mexico and Utah to decide on slavery
through popular sovereignty. The Fugitive Slave Act was strengthened,
requiring escaped slaves to be returned to their owners and penalizing
those who helped them. The slave trade was abolished in Washington
D.C., though slavery itself remained. This compromise tried to ease
tensions but ultimately only deepened the divide between the North and
South.
Question:Do you think the Compromise of 1850 helped or hurt the
relationship between the North and South?

14.2 The Kansas- Nebraska act and the

republican party

The kansas-nebraska act

- The Kansas-Nebraska Act was passed in 1854.
➢ It allowed for popular sovereignty, which I find intriguing because it
shifted the decision-making power on slavery from the federal
government to the settlers themselves, leading to significant
conflict and violence.
- It created the territories of Kansas and Nebraska.
- The act allowed the settlers in those territories to decide for
themselves whether or not to allow slavery within their borders (popular
sovereignty).
- It effectively repealed the Missouri Compromise of 1820, which had
prohibited slavery north of the 36°30′ parallel.
- This led to violent conflicts known as "Bleeding Kansas" as pro-slavery
and anti-slavery settlers clashed.
Bleeding kansas
- "Bleeding Kansas" was a series of violent conflicts between
pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers in the Kansas Territory from 1854
to 1859.
- These conflicts were a direct result of the Kansas-Nebraska Act,
which allowed for popular sovereignty in deciding the issue of slavery.
- Pro-slavery "Border Ruffians" from Missouri crossed into Kansas to
influence the vote in favor of slavery.
- Anti-slavery settlers, known as "Free-Staters," moved to Kansas to
oppose the spread of slavery.
- The violence included attacks, raids, and skirmishes, with notable
incidents such as the Sack of Lawrence and the Pottawatomie Massacre
led by John Brown.
- The term "Bleeding Kansas" highlighted the deep national divisions over
slavery and foreshadowed the coming Civil War.
➢ the involvement of John Brown, which I find intresting because his
radical actions and beliefs made him a controversial figure who
played a significant role in escalating tensions leading up to the Civil
War.
The presidential election of 1856
- The presidential election of 1856 was the first in which the newly
formed Republican Party participated.
➢ It was the first major test for the Republican Party, which I find
fascinated because it showed the growing political power of
 anti-slavery sentiments in the North and set the stage for the
party's future success.
- The Republican candidate was John C. Frémont, who opposed the
expansion of slavery into the territories.
- The Democratic candidate was James Buchanan, who supported
popular sovereignty and the Kansas-Nebraska Act.
- A third candidate, Millard Fillmore, ran for the Know-Nothing Party,
which focused on anti-immigrant and anti-Catholic policies.
- Buchanan won the election, largely due to his support in the South and
the split in the opposition vote between Frémont and Fillmore.
- The election underscored the sectional divisions in the country, with
Frémont winning most of the Northern states and Buchanan sweeping
the South.

Summary: The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 allowed settlers in

Kansas and Nebraska to decide on the issue of slavery through popular
sovereignty. This led to violent conflicts known as "Bleeding Kansas" as
pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers clashed. The act effectively
repealed the Missouri Compromise, which had previously kept a balance
between slave and free states. The controversy over the act and the
violence in Kansas contributed to the formation of the Republican Party,
which opposed the expansion of slavery. This period saw increasing
tensions between the North and South, setting the stage for the Civil
War.
Question:How did the Kansas-Nebraska Act lead to the formation of
the Republican Party and increase tensions between the North and
South?

14.3 The dred scott decision and sectional strife

Dred Scott
- The Dred Scott decision was a Supreme Court ruling in 1857.
- Dred Scott, an enslaved African American, sued for his freedom after
living in free territories.
- The Court ruled that African Americans, free or enslaved, could not be
American citizens.
➢ The decision stated African Americans could not be American
citizens because it highlights the deep-seated racial prejudices of
the time and how it legally denied basic rights to an entire group of
people, which was so dumb.
- The decision stated that Congress had no authority to prohibit slavery
in federal territories.
- This ruling invalidated the Missouri Compromise.
The lincoln douglas debate
- The Lincoln-Douglas debates took place in 1858 during the Illinois
Senate race.
- Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas debated primarily over the issue
of slavery.
- Lincoln argued against the spread of slavery, while Douglas supported
popular sovereignty.
- The debates gained national attention and highlighted the growing
divide over slavery.
- Although Lincoln lost the Senate race, the debates boosted his national
profile.
➢ I was shocked that Lincoln lost the Senate race. The debates
boosted his national profile because it set the stage for his
successful presidential campaign two years later.

Summary:The Dred Scott decision in 1857 was a major Supreme Court

ruling that said African Americans couldn't be citizens and that Congress
couldn't ban slavery in the territories. This decision made the North
really angry and the South happy, increasing sectional tensions. The
Lincoln-Douglas debates in 1858 focused on these issues, with Lincoln
opposing the spread of slavery and Douglas supported popular
sovereignty. These debates made Lincoln well-known, even though he
lost the Senate race. Overall, the Dred Scott decision and the debates
highlighted the deep divisions in the country over slavery.
Question:How did the Dred Scott decision influence the
Lincoln-Douglas debates?

14.4 John Brown and the Election of 1860

John Brown
- John Brown was an abolitionist who believed in using violent means to
end slavery.
➢ It's crazy how John Brown's raid at Harpers Ferry, despite its
failure, intensified the national debate over slavery and pushed the
country closer to civil war.
- In 1859, he led a raid on the federal armory at Harpers Ferry, Virginia.
- His goal was to start an armed slave revolt by seizing weapons.
- The raid failed, and Brown was captured, tried, and executed.
- Brown's actions polarized the nation, with some viewing him as a martyr
and others as a madman.
The Election of 1860
- The Election of 1860 was a pivotal moment in American history, leading
up to the Civil War.
- The Democratic Party was split into Northern and Southern factions.
- Northern Democrats nominated Stephen Douglas, while Southern
Democrats chose John C. Breckinridge.
- The newly formed Constitutional Union Party nominated John Bell.
- The Republican Party nominated Abraham Lincoln, who opposed the
expansion of slavery.
- Lincoln won the election with a majority of electoral votes but only 40%
of the popular vote.
➢ It wasn't surprising that Lincoln won the presidency without
carrying a single Southern state, which underscores how deeply
divided the nation was at the time.
- His victory prompted Southern states to begin seceding from the
Union.
Summary:The Election of 1860 was a critical event that set the stage
for the Civil War. The Democratic Party was deeply divided, with
Northern Democrats nominating Stephen Douglas and Southern
Democrats choosing John C. Breckinridge. The Constitutional Union
Party nominated John Bell, while the Republican Party chose Abraham
Lincoln, who opposed the expansion of slavery. Lincoln won the election
without any Southern support, leading Southern states to begin seceding
from the Union. This election highlighted the intense national divisions
over slavery and governance.
Question:How do you think John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry
impacted the political tensions leading up to the Election of 1860?