AP U.S. History The Expansion of Slavery and Resistance to its Expansion

Welcome back to www.educator.com.0000

This lesson is on the expansion of slavery and the resistance to its expansion.0003

In this lesson, we are going to cover a lot of material including the election of 1848, the California gold rush, rising sectional differences,0012

the compromise of 1850, the Gadsen purchase, the Kansas-Nebraska act and popular sovereignty, John Brown and Bleeding Kansas,0025

the Free-Soil movement, and also the pro slavery argument in response to an abolitionism, and the election of 1856,0036

the Dread Scott case, and nativism, and the anti-immigrant sentiment that was on the rise in the antebellum period,0047

and lastly the Lincoln-Douglas debates and the rise of Abraham Lincoln, as a key political figure.0055

Within this time period, we are going to see increasingly that compromises are going to end up being very unsuccessful,0063

and more and more violence breaks out.0073

Eventually, we are going to get to the point where war is inevitable.0076

By 1861, the United States will be in a civil war.0081

And many would actually argue that because of the poor leadership of presidents,0086

and ultimately the inability of Americans to compromise over the slavery issue, will eventually lead to civil war.0091

The election of 1848, we will see that Democrats and Whigs, they wanted to avoid the slavery issue.0102

They are kicking that can down the road.0112

They are unwilling to face this issue head on because they know that it is a political nightmare.0114

But anyway, this issue is increasingly unavoidable.0120

Many democrats end up joining the Free-Soil party because of Cass’ vague position on slavery.0124

They did that purposely.0133

This is again where a lot of historians will be very critical of a lot of the leaders, who are unwilling to take a strong stance on slavery.0135

The main contenders here, main candidates will be Lewis Cass who was a Democrat vs. Zachary Taylor who was a Whig,0145

and Martin Van Buren who had previously been a Democrat but now is running on the Free-Soil ticket.0153

Eventually we will see that Zachary Taylor, you may remember he was actually a war hero in the Mexican American war.0159

He ends up winning by a narrow victory, as you can see here by the results.0167

One thing I did want to bring up is this term barnburners.0178

Because of the controversial slavery issue, we will see splits within political parties.0182

And in particular, regarding the Democratic Party, the antislavery Democrats will be depicted as barnburners0189

because their defection threaten to destroy the Democratic Party.0200

The quotation here reads, that is you dad, more Free-Soil, we will rat them out yet, long life to Davy Wilmot.0205

You may remember him from the Wilmot Proviso.0214

He was a Free-Soiler who did not believe in expanding slavery into the new territories that were acquired under the Mexican session.0218

But remember, it failed.0226

But nonetheless, the idea, his concepts that he was advocating for were still alive and kicking.0228

Anyway, a little bit more about this cartoon.0238

Elements in the cartoon express several points about barnburners.0240

Two men on the right, the Antislave democrats.0245

Free-Soilers are portrayed as those lighting the barn on fire.0248

David Wilmot is referred to in the caption in the upper right hand corner, long life to David Wilmot.0253

Let us move on, we talked about westward expansion and manifest destiny last time.0267

As you know, the United States had acquired all kinds of new territories.0273

And in California, in particular, we are going to see another major event that will help to lure more and more migrants into the region.0278

And eventually, California will become, and is still today, the most populous state in the United States.0287

But this is, you could say, one of the first major events that will lure people to California.0296

Anyway, the California Gold Rush, very significant.0303

James Marshall found traces of gold in the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas in January of 1848.0306

Word got out very quickly.0314

Many people were inspired by the possibilities of California and to the gold rush, that they can actually strike it rich.0316

Obviously, this is going to also have a detrimental effect on the Native American population.0328

That will have a negative impact as their numbers are going to decrease.0335

But the non-native population increased in California almost 20 times in 4 years.0340

A huge population explosion, from 14,000 in 1848 to 220,000 in 1852.0347

What became known as the Forty-Niners who were California migrants who were involved in this gold rush,0356

abandon their homes and jobs and hit the trails, and were very much involved in mining for gold.0363

There are definitely was a disproportionate number of men and many families moving out.0373

This caused some instability in many ways.0380

And in fact, prostitution went rampant in California.0383

That is going to be one significant demographic feature to keep in mind.0389

We will also see a new influential immigrant group taking shape in California and having an impact.0396

Chinese migrants also came for the gold rush.0405

There will be fliers, there is going to be some propaganda, ultimately, to try to lure Chinese migrants to come to California,0409

on promises of gold mountain where they could also have economic opportunities to mine for gold.0426

This became very appealing for many poor Chinese, who will loan money for the passage to California.0434

Many, in fact, came as indentured servants to work in the gold mines.0442

Just to give you an example, here is one of those fliers for instance, advertisements,0449

that was the word I was trying to think of, it was right at the tip of my tongue.0455

A new and magnificent clipper for San Francisco, merchants express line of clipper ships.0459

California, this type of thing, you can see the imagery of gold miners in the back.0466

But this again, was a very promising economic opportunity for many people.0473

Here you can see Chinese laboring away in the gold mines and a man here panning for gold.0480

And a book here, in search of gold mountain, history of the Chinese in San Diego California.0489

Although we think of the first major wave in Northern California, other migrants will also live in all different parts of California.0497

In the yellow regions, in particular, Sierra Nevada goldfields, this is where most of the mining activity took place.0509

One thing to keep in mind is that although the Chinese did participate extensively in mining for gold, we will see a backlash,0518

kind of a nativist backlash, an anti immigrant backlash against the Chinese by a lot of the white man,0527

The Workingmen's groups, who feel that they should have first digs to the gold mines and the economic opportunities.0536

Increasingly as time goes by, we will see a lot of the Chinese being marginalized and pushed,0545

not being allowed to participate in a lot of the mining.0553

They will have to find jobs either in San Francisco, where in fact a lot of laundry businesses end up becoming very successful0556

because there was a vacuum for that type of business.0565

The other major employer for a lot of the Chinese workers will be the railroads.0571

But that will become much more prominent a little later on in U.S. history.0576

A closer up picture of gold mining in the gold rush region.0583

Here is Sutter’s Mill where the first gold was discovered.0589

You can see here San Francisco became an instant metropolis because of the huge influx of miners and migrants, and so forth,0594

that helped to populate this region.0605

Here you can see, 1849 a huge surge in the sea passengers through San Francisco.0610

In orange, they are arriving.0619

In purple, they are departing.0621

Even though, it thus kind of decline, there a couple major peaks in 1849, 1852, and 1854, to a certain extent.0624

The effects, we are going to see a labor shortage in California overall because many male workers left their jobs,0635

their ordinary jobs that they had been employed in, and they flock to the gold fields.0644

The majority of people did not become successful and did not strike it rich.0651

Many people were disillusioned.0658

Native American s were exploited and were forced to work in a lot of the gold mines.0660

We are going see similar racist attitude towards Native Americans.0667

This is a pretty extreme example of this as well, there were Indian hunters who were hunting down and killing thousands of Native Americans.0675

That in fact, there is a decline in the population, as I was saying previously, not only from disease but also from just aggressive violence.0683

Population decrease from 150,000 to 30,000 between the 1850’s and 1870.0694

Like I was saying up here, only a fraction found gold.0703

But many people did stay in California.0708

And as results, California became a very heterogeneous population of Latinos, Asians, European, Americans.0711

Very diverse, culturally, early on, and still today a very diverse state.0723

Rising sectional tensions will also ensue, as territories became states.0730

And of course, this brings to the surface, the issue with the balance of power between slave and free states.0735

This is a continuing problem in the antebellum era and there are debates over whether slavery should be banned in DC as well, Washington, DC.0744

Personal liberty laws in northern states and fugitive slave laws, those two laws are kind of in conflict with one another.0754

We are also going to see as the admission of New Mexico, Oregon, and Utah are on the table, and they come in as free states,0767

what about the other territories, and is this going to throw the balance out of whack in Congress and cause more problems.0776

There are all these different issues that are interrelated,0786

that are causing more and more tension between the north and the south, in particular.0790

We will see a series of compromises that were passed as a result.0794

But they were very controversial, they are going to be band aids on the festering wounds0799

that are ready to explode, that will culminate in the Civil War.0807

One of the important compromises that you should be familiar with, the Compromise of 1850.0813

I always like to think of this one, it begins with the Compromise of 1850, it is a year after California,0821

if you think of the forty-niners, the gold miners, and so forth.0832

A year after 1849 is 1850, California is involved in the Compromise of 1850.0837

Some type of mnemonic device for you to remember.0846

Anyway, after a huge debate regarding the extension of slavery, a compromise eventually was reached.0851

The main participants in this heated debate, leaders in Congress.0860

Henry Clay, he is known as the great compromiser.0863

Jefferson Davis from the south, Stephen A. Douglas from Illinois, Daniel Webster from Massachusetts,0866

and Millard Fillmore, I do not remember where he is from.0874

But anyway, these are the major leaders.0876

Zachary Taylor died on July 9, 1850, and this actually helped the compromise be put into place.0879

Because Fillmore, who became president, supported the bill.0888

What was the outcome of the bill?0895

Compromise allowed California to join the Union as a free state0897

and introduced the idea of popular sovereignty for other new territories, New Mexico and Utah.0902

In other words, those areas that had been newly acquired during the Mexican session.0912

It also included a fugitive slave law that required Federal agents to return runaway slaves and slave trade ended in DC.0918

But slavery itself was not outlawed.0927

This part here, you could see is very compromised.0933

The fugitive slave law, that runaway slaves, if they go to the north,0939

that Federal law is requiring the local law enforcement to capture those slaves and return to them to their rightful owners.0944

That is obviously for the south, the idea of California coming in as a free state that will certainly help,0958

will be supported by the abolitionists cause, many northern free state minded people.0967

DC was obviously a very contentious issue because it is the nation's capital, and kind of in the middle of the north and the south.0977

We see here a very compromised position.0986

Slave trade ends, but slavery not allowed, very compromised.0990

This ends up temporarily preserving the Union, but it is just a band aid0998

that will postpone the war from breaking out for another 10 years or so, 10 to 11 years.1006

Again, just to visualize this, in green, free states and territories, and slave states in the south.1014

Remember, this is very unpopulated at this point in time, in the 1850’s.1023

We are going to see that eventually some regions in here are going to apply for statehood.1029

But ultimately, in the purple areas here in the Utah territory, New Mexico territory, they were open to slavery by popular sovereignty.1034

Meaning if the local people wanted to vote in, that they wanted to allow slavery to happen, that they can actually practice it.1042

That is going to be the ultimate compromise and the controversial one, as you will see.1052

There were several crisis of the 1850’s.1062

Franklin Pierce, again, very much like some of the other executives during the antebellum time period,1066

were viewed as very weak leaders, and somewhat indecisive, in terms of leading the nation in facing these major problems head on.1072

But nonetheless, Pierce, who was a Democrat becomes president in 18521084

and attempts to maintain harmony by avoiding divisive issues, but it was impossible.1088

And on top of that, opposition in the north to the Fugitive Slave Act intensified.1096

Remember that part of the Compromise of 1850.1101

And in fact, angry mobs prevented enforcement of the law.1103

It is like, no, that was the southern part of the compromise or the pro slavery part of the compromise that they disagreed with.1108

And in fact, the escaped slave Anthony Burns was caught in Boston and returned to the south.1117

This caused huge controversy in the north.1125

Many abolitionists started becoming much more militant against the government and law enforcement, and more outspoken against slavery.1128

Pierce, again, not making a decisive move and taking a strong position.1140

He finds his diversion, he supported Young America.1148

A movement in the Democratic Party that the expansion of U.S. democracy throughout the world,1152

especially in Cuba, in the Caribbean, as a way to divert attention away from slavery controversies.1157

And then, the Ostend manifesto was a document written in 1854 that describe the rationale for the U.S. purchase Cuba from Spain,1164

while implying that the U.S. should declare war on Spain if they refuse.1174

This is going to be, you could say, it is an early precursor to what will be in store by the end of the 19th century,1179

as the U.S. will become very much involved in Cuba and will eventually go to war with Spain, when it becomes an imperialist power.1187

But at the time period, this is viewed as a diversion and an attempt to avoid the slavery issue and domestic problems by looking outward.1197

Coming back to the southwest.1210

As westward expansion continued, Native Americans were being dislodged, governments were being set up,1212

people started farming and settling in Missouri, Iowa, and Minnesota.1219

That is here in the Midwest.1224

On top of that, the need for better communications and railroads increased.1228

I pointed out before in the Mexican session, there is this little piece that was still part of Mexico.1233

But there was a desire to acquire this new land and add it to what will become the southern part of Arizona and New Mexico.1241

Anyway, the Gadsen purchase in 1853 accentuated the sectional rivalry because railroads could now connect southern cities to the west.1251

This became very politicized and another sectional issue.1261

Secretary of State Jefferson Davis who had advocated for this idea,1266

while Stephen Douglas from Illinois wanted the railroad to connect Chicago to California through the northeast.1270

In other words, the southern politician wanted a transcontinental railroad across the south.1281

And Stephen Douglas from Illinois wanted it across the north.1289

They wanted this to connect to these regions, so it would help their regions economically.1296

That is going to feed into tensions.1307

Then, another law was passed, another compromise, you could say, the Kansas-Nebraska act of 1854.1309

Nebraska and Kansas were divided into two territories, Nebraska and Kansas.1320

They would ultimately, what was determined in this act, decide whether to have slavery through popular sovereignty.1325

This is a key term you need to know.1332

This is allowing the local people by popular vote to decide whether to have slavery or not.1336

They are not officially becoming a slave state or a free state.1343

They are leaving it up to the people.1348

You see this conflict between States’ rights and Federal power.1350

Also, this important concept that goes back to the enlightenment, consent of the governed, power of the people.1356

Yet, this becomes extremely dangerous, controversial, and is going to cause major regions to erupt into violence and eventually lead to the civil war.1365

Kansas-Nebraska Act determines if these two regions would decide by popular sovereignty.1382

Also, the Missouri compromise was repealed.1388

You may remember that from earlier in the 1820’s, allowing slavery to expand into the territory only through popular sovereignty.1391

You remember the line, the southern line of Missouri, north of it, slavery was supposed to be banned.1401

Well now, we are going to see that these regions are going to be open if people at the local level decide by popular sovereignty to allow slavery to exist.1408

This act had profound consequences.1420

One, it resulted in a scramble of pro and antislavery settlers into the area.1422

And as a result because they disagreed, and it was this competition between these two forces,1430

whether they would be free or slave, democracy is messy.1437

Violent outbreaks ensued between the two groups.1441

Number 2, it divided and destroyed the Whig party.1446

It divided northern Democrats.1450

And the Republican Party, as a result, was formed.1453

A newly refashioned Republican Party, I should say.1457

That is going to have major political consequences.1463

The anti Nebraska democrats, those who opposed Douglas' bill, and this is ultimately Douglas' bill.1467

The anti Nebraska Whigs became Republicans.1475

All of this fractionalization is going to shift things politically and lead to the creation of the Republican Party.1478

A map for you to view and envision what the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 looked like.1491

Remember, the Missouri compromise said north of that 34-30, slavery was banned, south of it, it was allowed.1498

But now, this was open to popular sovereignty.1507

Again, between the Compromise of 1850 that opened up these regions to slavery through popular sovereignty, and the Kansas-Nebraska Act,1512

that would ultimately open up those territories to slavery potentially, the pro and antislavery forces are going to struggle head to head,1522

and there is a vacuum in Federal leadership at this time that cannot stop the storm from brewing.1535

These band aids, these compromises are not keeping the country intact and stable and peaceful.1547

This is going to lead to what becomes known as Bleeding Kansas.1557

Here is a close up of the territory in Kansas, in particular, along the Kansas-Missouri border, where a lot of violent outbreaks occur.1564

Again, pro and antislavery forces rushed into Kansas.1574

White settlers from the north and south began moving into the territory after the act was passed.1579

Pro slavery forces elected the majority to the legislature and legalized slavery.1584

The free staters who were outraged, elected their own delegates to a constitutional convention1589

which met at Topeka and they adapted a constitution excluding slavery.1594

Two different agendas, basically two different governments, two different visions, popular sovereignty is not working out.1600

What ends up happening?1610

President Pierce denounced the free staters as traitors, and he ends up supporting the pro slavery legislature and their perspective.1611

That is going to exacerbate tensions even more.1624

Meanwhile, because of this new law, we are going to see radical abolitionist John Brown start to get organized and he has a plan,1628

which is to attack and try to eradicate, and using any means necessary, the pro slavery participants.1640

That is going to lead to what we will see as the Pottawatomie Creek Massacre and other major outbreaks.1649

The Osawatomie, the outbreaks in Lawrence, and Marais des Cygnes, in French, all of those regions will have huge outbreaks of violence.1658

Kansas will literally be bleeding because people are dying in these conflicts.1677

Now before I get to some that, free staters were arrested in Lawrence, the posse sacked the town,1683

burned the Governor's house and destroyed several printing presses.1688

Violence is erupting, this compromise is a disaster.1693

John Brown, who I was talking about was a fervent radical abolitionists,1697

was a committed zealot who consider himself as an instrument of God's will.1702

He was willing to do whatever it would take to destroy slavery.1708

He gathered six of his followers, four of whom are his sons, and murdered five pro slavery settlers.1715

This became known as the Pottawatomie massacre.1722

And of course, the language again, massacre five people, it is like the Boston massacre, perhaps, it is a little bit overstated.1726

But nonetheless, this is going to exacerbate tensions, led to more civil strife in Kansas and violence broke out.1735

This is putting salt in the wound, and ultimately, showing that people cannot agree.1745

People are adamantly opposed to the slavery issue that it is going to cause huge problems.1753

John Brown, here is a famous portrayal and certainly a biased portrayal, you could say, of John Brown.1760

It is called the Tragic Prelude.1769

Here you can even see the Confederate flag and the American flag.1771

He is stepping on, definitely stepping on a Confederates head or body part, or some sort.1782

What you may also notice in this picture, he looks kind of extreme.1790

This is also pretty symbolic, he has got a Bible in one hand and a gun in the other hand,1796

kind of the quintessential American zealot, you can say.1804

It is for you to decide whether he was a hero, a martyr, or a terrorist.1811

He was a controversial character who was willing to go all out and to make a statement, and a very radical statement regarding slavery.1816

But this picture definitely tries to depict him as a bit of a madman who thought he was larger than life.1827

His eyes are bugged out, his beard was long, and so forth.1834

Some people thought he was crazy, that is for you to decide.1841

He definitely believed in the cause.1846

On top of the violence that I had previously mentioned, there was also another incident1849

that was yet another example of violence breaking out within government.1857

Charles Sumner who was a Congressman from Massachusetts, gave this passionate speech called The Crime against Kansas.1864

Within this speech that went on for a very long time, he attacked the southern Senator Andrew Butler,1875

as a slavery defender who would take in the harlot slavery as his mistress, which was an extra jab at this particular senator,1882

and definitely was viewed as very disrespectful.1896

And that the Senator Butler’s honor had been compromised by the speech,1899

that was by many southerners account over the top and completely disrespectful.1909

Sumner was attacked by Butler's nephew.1917

This is kind of a depiction of this incident that became known as the caning of Sumner,1925

the subtitle here, southern chivalry argument vs. Clubs.1934

Andrew Butler’s nephew goes in and beats up, and attacked Sumner in his office and caned him, making him literally bleed,1944

which is yet another example of blood shed over the slavery issue.1955

The Free-Soil ideology, I had mentioned this previously that this also became a very important idea.1965

Although, abolitionists generated some support for their argument that slavery was immoral, evil, and must be eliminated,1973

most northern whites believed that slavery was dangerous because of what it threatened to do to whites.1980

This idea of self interest, racism, still very much part of the fabric and ethos of mainstream America, you could say.1987

The Free-Soil ideology is a bit of a compromised ideology that is looking to stop the expansion of slavery.1999

The belief that American democracy gives the right to own property.2007

That is another issue that causes many to say, if they believed that a human being was property,2011

that one is always difficult for me to wrap my head around at this point in time in the 21st century, obviously.2022

But the mentality back than, the property rights, you can see how that would come into conflict.2029

Anyway, the belief that American democracy was the right to own property, to control their own labor,2037

to have access to opportunity for advancement.2042

The south was obviously the antithesis of democracy.2045

That is going to feed into this Free-Soil ideology.2049

The term free, freedom, is obviously the epitome of democracy and what the United States was supposed to stand for.2055

Southerners, therefore, according to this ideology, were involved in a conspiracy to extend slavery throughout the nation.2065

Many Free-Soilers are going to speak out and organize, and they formed their own party in 1848,2076

made up of antislavery dems and conscience Whigs, in contrast to cotton Whigs.2083

We know that both of those parties split and the Free-Soil party is going to incorporate many of the antislavery people,2090

those who do not want to see the expansion of it.2099

There certainly were critics of the Free-Soil movement such as the artist in this is cartoon.2102

This is kind of a weird looking cartoon and I wanted to include this because just to show a different perspective.2112

Within this cartoon, the artist attacks abolitionist, Free-Soil, and other sectionalist interests of 1850 as dangers to the Union.2120

He singles out for indictment radical abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison, Pennsylvania Free-Soil advocate David Wilmot,2130

New York journalist Horace Greeley, and Southern States’ rights spokesman Senator John C. Calhoun.2139

The three wear fool’s caps and gather, like the witches in Shakespeare's Macbeth, round a large, boiling cauldron, adding to it sacks marked Free-Soil.2146

I hope you can see this, Free-Soil, abolition, Fourierism, added by Greeley,2157

a vocal exponent of the doctrines of utopian socialist Charles Fourier.2164

Sacks of treason, anti-rent, and blue laws already simmer in the pot.2169

And then, there is a whole dialogue that takes place that depicts the biased and the critical view in this cartoon.2177

Where was I here?2190

Wilmot said bubble, bubble, toil and trouble, boil, Free-Soil, their Union spoil.2192

Come grief and moan, peace be none, till we divided be, Garrison.2198

Now there is going to be some offensive language in this, but just to show you the time.2204

Garrison, bubble, bubble, toil and trouble, abolition our condition shall be altered by Niggars strong as goat, cut your master’s throats.2208

abolition boil, we divide the spoil.2219

Again, very strong language, this was customary at the time.2223

Not that I believe in this language, just to show you the history.2228

Greely, bubble, bubble, toil and trouble, Fourierism, war and schism, till disunion come.2232

In the background stands the aging John Calhoun.2239

He announces, for success to the whole mixture, we invoke our patron Saint Benedict Arnold.2242

The latter rises from the fire under the pot, commending them, Well done, good and faithful servants.2250

Again, a very critical view of those who are kind of feeding into the sectionalist tensions2258

and the dangers that were starting to fester and boil up.2266

A little bit about the proslavery argument.2275

This of course, was a backlash against the Nat Turner uprising, the violence that occurred then, the Garissonian abolitionist movement,2278

Uncle Tom's cabin that was were written by Harriet Beecher Stowe, that many would say it was a major cause of the civil war2287

because so many people became very influenced by the stories that were included in this novel.2296

The proslavery people had to come up with an argument to defend their peculiar institution, as they call it.2306

Many white southerners produced this intellectual defense of slavery.2314

An anthology of writings by slavery apologists in which they stated that slavery was good,2320

that better conditions for slaves in the south are the reality than in northern factories.2325

At least we take care of our slaves, unlike in the northern factories where they work for low wages and they do not have enough to live by.2332

Many believed if they bought into this argument that the southern way of life was superior and much more humane,2344

even in their treatment of slaves.2353

Just a visual here, to show you the actual cover here, inside cover, title page, the proslavery arguments, cotton is king.2361

King cotton, this was the ultimate inspiration for the proslavery argument2373

because cotton was so profitable and doing very well in the U.S. economy.2379

They were not willing to completely quit their whole production because of the abolition of slavery which was on the table, at this point.2386

This brings us to the election of 1856.2401

James Buchanan, Millard Fillmore, and John Fremont all ran for president.2405

Buchanan ends up winning by a narrow victory.2410

John Fremont, you may remember him, I just mentioned him briefly.2415

He was known as the pathfinder explorer from California, representing the Republican, who called for no expansion of slavery.2420

He was a Free-Soiler, he believed in free homesteads, free land for people to develop and farm.2431

He was a pro business candidate who advocated for the protective tariff.2439

Millard Fillmore, excuse me, won 20 percent of the vote and was actually a know nothing candidate, which we will talk about in a minute.2449

This was a very xenophobic anti-immigrant party that became very popular.2462

That is actually a pretty big percentage that supported him.2470

Ultimately, we are going to see that Buchanan who was a Democrat, ends up winning the election.2477

As soon as he took office however, financial panic struck the country, followed by depression that lasted several years.2485

This is going to become politicized and ends up increasing support of the Republican Party.2493

Buchanan inadequately dealt with the political realities of the time, very much like Pierce.2501

Practically, if you cannot always remember all the presidents by name,2508

if you can think of the theme that presidential leadership was lacking right before the Civil War.2511

Buchanan was relying on constitutional doctrines to close the widening rift over slavery.2521

But he failed to understand that the north would not accept the constitutional arguments which favored the south.2528

Nor could he realize how sectionalism had realigned political parties.2534

The democrats split, the Whigs were destroyed.2539

Yes, this is going to ultimately bolster the Republican Party.2542

He is not showing leadership and that is going to hurt the Dems in the long run.2548

Coming back to nativism for a minute, because this is an important theme as well, that starts to emerge.2554

When times are tough, especially economic times, we see a theme and we see that kind of a cyclical attitude, you could say,2561

throughout U.S. history, where specially working class people look to scapegoats to kind of blame for their economic troubles.2571

Many Americans were supportive of the rise in the immigrant population but others were hostile,2584

that is going to lead to nativism, and fearful.2590

They consider themselves Native Americans, and I'm not talking about the Iroquois or the Sioux.2594

We are talking about white Americans who are second or third generation.2601

White Americans who their parents were immigrants years and years ago, but they consider themselves Native Americans.2607

Thus, they end up forming a Native American Party or sometimes known as the American party.2617

Ultimately, they are anti-immigrant, they want to slow down, stop immigration.2627

Based on racism, competition for jobs, religious differences, diversity of ideas, overall fear of the other, and competition,2632

and looking to scapegoat others for their lack of job opportunities or whatever it maybe.2643

The American Party was formed in 1845, that grew out of the Native American Association, began agitating against immigration.2652

It commonly became known as to know nothing party because party members commonly responded I know nothing,2661

to political questions from outsiders.2668

They wanted to remain secretive about the goings on in their secret society and they wanted to keep it private.2672

This is going to be a sizable influential movement that will also be in that political sphere.2681

Moving on to the Dred Scott decision, coming back to the slavery issue.2693

This is also a very important court case you should be familiar with.2698

Dred Scott was Missouri slave who was once owned by an army surgeon,2702

who had taken Scott to Illinois and Wisconsin where slavery was forbidden, in a free area.2707

In 1846, the surgeon died and Scott sued his master's widow for freedom, on the grounds that he was residing in free territory.2716

He won in the Circuit Court, but then, John Sandford, the brother of the surgeon’s widow, fought back and claimed ownership of Scott.2727

The case went back to the Federal court.2736

Scott had no standing in court, however, because it was decided by the Supreme Court that he was not a citizen,2740

that in fact, because he was private property, he had no grounds to sue.2747

He had no case, he had no right because he was not considered a citizen.2752

A pretty lousy, by today’s moral standards, pretty lousy, unethical decision but this was the case.2758

This is going to also become very controversial and exacerbate and feed into sectional tensions even more.2769

You could load this up on one of the many reasons that pro and antislavery forces will clash.2779

Chief Justice Taney, it is oftentimes pronounced in his stance...2790

He claimed that blacks had no claim to citizenship and no rights under the constitution.2796

A very biased, racist, eurocentric view of this issue of citizenship.2804

That is why, I’m sorry to be a spoiler here, but we will see after the Civil War during Reconstruction,2811

the necessity to clarify that all people born in the United States are citizens, or if you go to the naturalization process.2818

The 14th amendment will clarify this, you could say, constitutional dilemma.2828

Stay tuned, spoiler alert.2836

Anyway, Taney stance on the Dred Scott case.2839

Slaves were property without due process of law.2844

Congress possessed no authority to pass a law depriving persons under slave property in the territories.2847

And as a result, the Missouri compromise had always been unconstitutional.2853

We know that it already been voided by the Kansas-Nebraska act, but this was the nail in the coffin to the Missouri compromise.2859

This decision is going to cause even more controversy, like I said, exacerbate the situation and republicans are going to be in an outrage.2869

Lincoln hated it, the Republicans wanted to pack the court with the new republican members,2880

meaning they wanted to put Republicans on the court who were of like mind.2885

Buchanan, back to the perspective on what is happening in Kansas.2894

He timidly endorsed the Dred Scott case which was very controversial, and is going to make him enemies.2898

There was also a huge debate over the status of Kansas that resulted the proslavery forces convention2909

and created the Lecompton constitution which was a proslavery constitution.2916

Framed in Lecompton Kansas, thus the name, by southern proslavery advocates Kansas statehood.2922

It contains clauses protecting slaveholding and a bill of rights excluding free blacks,2928

and it added to the frictions that would lead to the Civil War.2932

But it was rejected by free staters.2936

But Buchanan pressured Congress to admit Kansas as a slave state, so then other politicians get involved.2941

Stephen Douglas, other Democrats, would not support the Lecompton constitution.2949

And a referendum was held and the Lecompton constitution was rejected.2954

And another turn of events eventually, Kansas entered as a free state.2959

On top of this, we are going to see some significant Congressional elections, 1858.2971

They are a very important because of the sectional crisis and what the politician said regarding these different laws and issues.2977

It was very important, people were paying attention and were looking for leadership.2986

Stephen Douglas who had been in the game already, in the political sphere, Democrat from Illinois,2993

was running up for reelection against Abraham Lincoln who was kind of up and coming,3002

had experience as a successful lawyer, kind of viewed as a self made man in many ways.3008

Lincoln was a successful lawyer who was involved in state politics for a long time,3019

kind of was working his way up the political ladder and served several terms in the Illinois legislature and one term in Congress.3023

Lincoln and Douglas had a series of debates and became very famous,3031

and they attracted enormous crowds and received wide attention.3035

They centered, the debate’s centered over the issue of slavery.3040

They debated at seven locations throughout Illinois.3045

The debates again mostly focused on the controversies of the Kansas-Nebraska act which Douglas was the major author,3048

and slavery in new territories, etc.3058

The two argued the issues not only of slavery, territories, popular sovereignty, the Lecompton constitution, the Dred Scott decision.3063

All in all, Douglas won the debates.3075

The important thing was, is that Lincoln was on the map, on the political map.3081

People are starting to pay attention to what he was saying.3086

He established himself as a very effective orator and very gifted in argument and debate.3089

During one of the debates, he gave the famous house divided speech.3098

In his acceptance speech, in fact, for his nomination to the Senate in June of 1858,3107

Lincoln paraphrase from the Bible in this house divided speech, house divided against itself cannot stand,3113

I do not believe this government can continue, half slaves and half free.3121

I do not expect the Union to be dissolved, I do not expect the house to fall.3126

But I do believe it will cease to be divided.3131

A very famous speech that he gave.3135

Lincoln believed that if the nation could accept the blacks were not entitled to basic human rights,3139

then it could accept that other groups could be deprived the rights too.3144

And he believed that the spread of free labor, let me kind of read in through that without emphasizing it.3148

This is important, he started to philosophically delve into the slavery issue.3155

And in many ways, if you read about Lincoln's stance on slavery, it is quite complex.3162

Earlier on, he was much more, I would say compromised, but he is starting to change3168

and his view of slavery thus certainly evolved, specially by the time of the Civil War.3176

But nonetheless, the idea of free labor, he thinks is the future of the United States.3183

He believes that is the key and a major argument and a part of his philosophical stance on slavery,3189

which is starting to evolve at this point.3200

In Freeport, Lincoln asked, this was during the debates.3205

Lincoln asked Douglas, how the residents of the territory could exclude slavery in light of the Dred Scott decision?3211

Douglas’ response was what became known as the Freeport doctrine,3217

that a territory could exclude slavery if the laws and regulations written made slavery impossible to enforce.3222

This was ultimately based on his argument of popular sovereignty.3229

But ultimately, what we see is that Douglas declares his support of white supremacy3234

and his justification and his compromised position on the issue.3240

But Lincoln is starting to poke holes into Douglas’ philosophy and argument.3246

Lincoln compromised view of slavery, believed that slavery was wrong but he was not an abolitionist3254

and was not an outspoken abolitionists, especially at this point, more of a free-soiler.3262

He did not envision an alternative where it existed but advocated for economic opportunity, not political equality.3267

He did not want the further spread of slavery, a very free-soil position.3277

That will change as time goes by, so stay tuned.3283

Douglas' position satisfied his followers to win him reelection to the senate, although Lincoln is on the map,3288

he is in there, and will eventually gain a national following.3295

That is why the Lincoln-Douglas debates will be very significant for the future of Lincoln's political career.3302

Democrats retain control of the Senate in the elections of 1858, but lost a majority in the House.3312

A picture of the Lincoln and Douglas debates.3323

Lincoln towered, his stature was very much larger than Douglas.3325

John Brown, and then we are just wrapping it up.3335

This is a lot of lesson, this is our last slide.3337

As Brown, remember, Bleeding Kansas, he actually was able to get out of Kansas and escaped, and started the plan for his next attack.3340

He ultimately is looking to attack the arsenal in Harpers Ferry, Virginia.3355

A famous quotation by Brown, as he once stated.3366

I, John Brown, am now quite certain that the crimes of this guilty land can never be purged away but with blood.3370

I had as I now think, vainly flattered myself that without very much bloodshed, it might be done.3378

His next plan, with the help of private financial aid from eastern abolitionist, he seized a mountain fortress in Virginia,3386

from which he believed he could foment a slave insurrection in the south.3394

That was his plan, let us do something radical, let us try to incite a huge slave insurrection similar to what Nat Turner had done.3400

On October 16, 1859, he and 18 followers attacked and seized control of the U.S. arsenal in Harpers Ferry, Virginia.3410

But the uprising did not occur, as they were surrounded by U.S. troops under Robert E. Lee, and eventually they were caught.3420

Ten of Brown's men were killed and Brown surrendered.3428

And of course, he became a martyr and hero within the abolitionist movement, and within the abolitionist circles.3435

This was highly publicized and he was willing to sacrifice for this cause.3443

He was eventually, after he was arrested, he and six of his followers were hanged.3449

But showing how these tensions were coming to a head.3455

With that, we are going to move into the assessments.3461

Example 1, Henry Clay, the great compromiser from 1850.3466

I’m going to get to it, it being desirable for the peace, concord, and harmony of the United States.3473

Let me start over.3483

It being desirable for the peace, concord, and harmony of the united of these states, to settle3484

and adjust all existing questions of controversy between them, arising out of the institution of slavery upon a fair, equitable, and just basis,3489

We are told now that the Union is threatened with a subversion and destruction.3499

That the Union is to be dissolve for any existing causes, it would be dissolved because slavery is interguided or not allowed3505

to be introduced into ceded territories, because slavery is threatened to be abolished in the District of Columbia,3514

and because fugitive slaves are not returned to their masters.3521

I’m staying with the Union and fighting for my rights.3526

To which politicians is Clay erecting the last line of this excerpt?3539

Let me go back, what was the last line again?3545

I’m staying with the Union and fighting for my rights.3550

Southerners who are threatening to secede.3557

Senator such as Daniel Webster who rejected any compromise.3560

Advocates of popular sovereignty.3564

The President, Zachary Taylor.3566

This, I do not think we went over this directly but for learning sake, it is this one.3575

We do know will be the south that will secede.3580

Which of the following parts of the compromise of 1850 was the most appealing to the south?3584

Admitting California as a free state, passing a new fugitive state law,3590

ending the slave trade in Washington, DC, using popular sovereignty in new territories.3595

Appealing to the south, and the answer is fugitive slave law.3602

Which of the following parts of the compromise of 1850 was the most appealing to the north?3610

Admitting California as a free state, passing a new fugitive state law, ending the slave trade in Washington, DC,3616

using popular sovereignty in new territories.3622

And the answer.3625

Next one, Stephen Douglas, Mr. President, I proposed on Tuesday that the senate should proceed3631

to the consideration of the bill to organize the territories of Nebraska and Kansas.3639

Now I ask the friends and the opponents of this measure to look at it as it is.3645

It is not the question involved a simple one, is it not the question involved a simple one?3650

Whether the people of the territories shall be allowed to do as they please,3656

upon the question of slavery, subject only to the limitations of the constitution.3660

If the principle is rights, let it be avowed and maintained.3667

If it is wrong, let it be repudiated.3671

Let all the scribbling about the Missouri compromise, about the territory acquired is,3674

will you allow the people to legislate for themselves upon the subject of slavery?3679

Why should you not?3686

Defense of the Kansas and Nebraska Bill.3689

Which of the following ideas is Douglas’ appealing to when he says3697

whether the people of the territories shall be allowed to do as they please upon the question of slavery?3700

The Crittenden compromise, popular sovereignty, the right of secession, the distinction between a territory and a state.3707

The answer is popular sovereignty.3718

Number 2, an increase in which of the following was the key part of the Kansas and Nebraska act to attract southern support?3723

Transportation in the south, popular sovereignty, fugitive slave act, representation in Congress?3731

The answer is popular sovereignty.3740

It is a huge theme, popular sovereignty.3746

Moving on, Taney, the Dred Scott vs. Sandford.3749

Upon full and careful consideration, Dred Scott was not a citizen of Missouri, let us highlight that.3757

Within the meaning of the constitution of the United States and the entitled as such to sue in its courts.3765

Upon these considerations, it is the opinion of the court that the act of Congress3773

which prohibited a citizen from holding and owning property of this kind,3778

in the territory of the United States north of the line therein mentioned is not warranted by the constitution, and is therefore void.3782

That it is now firmly settled by the decisions of the highest court and the state, that Scott and his family, upon their return were not free.3791

But were by the laws of Missouri, the property of the defendant.3799

That the Circuit Court of the United States has no jurisdiction, when by the laws of the state the plaintiff was a slave and not a citizen.3803

Chief Justice Taney’s basic ruling in the Dred Scott case was based on which of the following principles?3815

Since slaves did not pay taxes, they had no legal rights.3822

Since Scott had returned to a slave state, he was still a slave.3825

Since Congress could not define slavery, it could not regulate it.3829

Since slaves were a property, they could not sue.3833

The answer.3839

2, Northeners were most upset by the Supreme Court's Dred Scott decision because,3844

The court included no republican justices.3849

The decision allowed slavery in the territories.3852

Several justices were slave owners.3855

Blacks and whites were not treated equally.3857

The answer.3865

And lastly, which of the following acts of Congress was declared unconstitutional in the Dred Scott decision?3868

The Missouri Compromise of 1820.3876

The compromise of 1850.3879

The Kansas-Nebraska act.3881

The fugitive slave law.3882

This one was mentioned in the second section of the excerpt.3886

The answer is Missouri Compromise of 1820.3892

A very long lesson, it is a lot for you to ponder over and learn.3899

But a very important lesson on what was leading up to the Civil War.3906

With that, thank you for watching www.educator.com.3911