Harriet Beecher Stowe's 1852 novel Uncle Tom's Cabin aroused strong reactions in both the North and South by vividly portraying the cruelty of slavery. It sold millions of copies and influenced public opinion in both America and Europe. In the 1857 Dred Scott decision, the Supreme Court ruled that slaves were property without rights and Congress could not ban slavery in territories, further straining sectional tensions. The 1860 election saw Republicans nominate Abraham Lincoln while the southern Democrats nominated John Breckinridge after walking out of the Democratic convention, reflecting the deep split over slavery in the nation.

2. STOWE & HELPER: LITERARY INCENDIARIES
Sectional tensions were further strained in 1852
when Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote and published
her heartrending novel, Uncle Tom’s Cabin.
Stowe was the daughter of an abolitionist minister,
who was dismayed and angered by the passage of
the Fugitive Slave Law.
She was determined to awaken the North to the
wickedness of slavery by laying bare its terrible
inhumanity, especially the cruel splitting of families.

3. The success of Uncle Tom’s Cabin at home and
abroad was phenomenal. Ultimately, millions of
copies were published. To millions of people at
home and abroad, it made slavery appear
almost as evil as it really was.
When Mrs. Stowe was introduced to President
Lincoln in 1862, he remarked, “So you’re the
little woman who wrote the book that made
this great war.”
Why were southerners infuriated with the
book? What impact did the book have in
the North? And what impact did the book
have in Europe?

4. The other literary incendiary, Hinton
Helper, wrote The Impending Crisis in the
South in 1857.
Helper, a non-aristocrat from North
Carolina, hated both slavery and blacks
passionately.
He demonstrated statistically that,
indirectly, the non-slaveholding whites were
the ones who suffered most from slavery.
His book was banned in the South, but it was
widely read in the North.
Hinton Helper

5. Instead of simply defending the “peculiar
institution,” southerners began to argue
that slavery benefited slave owners and
slaves alike.
Why would an attack on conditions in
England be an effective way to respond to
criticism of slavery in America?

6. THE NORTH-SOUTH CONTEST for KANSAS
The civil war in Kansas waged between free-soilers and slaveryites was but the prelude to
a bloodier tragedy. And Kansas provided a horrible example of the workings of popular
sovereignty.
Explain the sequence of events that led to the establishment of two competing
governments in Kansas. Legally speaking, were either of these competing
governments legitimate – why?

7. KANSAS in CONVULSION
John Brown, brooding over the recent
attack on Lawrence, led a band of his
followers to Pottawatomie Creek in 1856.
Five alleged pro-slavers were hacked to
death. Pro-slavery forces sought vicious
retaliation. Civil war in Kansas continued
intermittently until it merged with the Civil
War in 1861.
By 1857 Kansas had enough people (chiefly
free-soilers) to apply for statehood on a
popular sovereignty basis. Explain how the
pro-slavery forces schemed to protect
slavery in Kansas through the Lecompton
Constitution. Did this scheme work for
the pro-slavers? What was President
Buchanan’s position on the controversy
surrounding the Lecompton Constitution?

8. At the height of the Lecompton
Constitution crisis, the “father of popular
sovereignty,” Stephen Douglas fought
courageously for fair play and democratic
principles.
The outcome was a compromise that, in
effect, submitted the entire Lecompton
Constitution to a popular vote, where the
free-soilers thronged to the polls and
defeated it. Kansas would remain a
territory until 1861.
This entire episode hopelessly divided the
Democratic party – the last remaining
national party.
Douglas

9. “BULLY” BROOKS and HIS BLUDGEON
Sectional violence was not limited to Kansas. In 1856, Sen. Charles Sumner of Mass. gave a
passionate speech that infuriated southerners in general and Rep. Preston Brooks of South
Carolina in particular. Describe the course of events following Sumner’s speech. Who was
at fault in this tragic episode? In the larger national picture, what was the significance of
this clash?

10. “OLD BUCK” VERSUS “THE PATHFINDER”
James Buchanan John Fremont Millard Fillmore
In the election of 1856, the Democrats nominated James Buchanan, a Pennsylvanian
lawyer who had been out of the country and was considered “safe” on Kansas. Republicans
chose John Fremont, the explorer. Another third-party emerged, the Know-Nothing
party. It was an ultra-nationalistic, anti-immigrant, and anti-Catholic party. Their
nominee was Millard Fillmore.

11. The campaign was marked by mud-slinging and name calling, rather than substantive
issues. Buchanan won handily but the Republicans made a strong showing. Why was it
probably good for the country that Fremont did not win?
In hindsight, this election may have been a missed opportunity to address the sectional
issues that were splitting the country. Instead of taking the initiative, the candidates
ignored the issues and concentrated on name-calling and slurs.

13. THE DRED SCOTT BOMBSHELL
Dred Scott was a slave whose owner had
taken him from Missouri to free Illinois and
into the Minnesota Territory, which was
free under the Missouri Compromise.
Scott sued for his freedom with the help
of anti-slave groups, basing his argument on
his long residence on free soil.

14. Scott sued for his freedom with the help of
anti-slave groups, basing his argument on his
long residence on free soil.

15. On March 6, 1857, a decision was
rendered by the Supreme Court in
Dred Scott v. Sanford.
Chief Justice Roger Taney ruled that
slaves or free blacks were not nor
could ever be free citizens, so Scott
could not sue in the first place.
Congress, the Court ruled, could not
prohibit slavery since this was a
violation of the “due process” clause,
therefore the Missouri Compromise
had been null and void since the day it
was enacted.

16. Significance: The ruling delighted the South, which now saw slavery protected by constitutional
guarantees in all parts of the U.S. The North was stunned, especially abolitionist groups. Northerners
viewed the decision as an “opinion,” open to interpretation and challenge. And southerners were angry
with the North’s defiance towards the decision.

18. THE FINANCIAL CRASH of 1857
A depression jolted the country in 1857.
Although not as bad economically as the
panic of 1837, psychologically, it was the
worst of the 19th century.
What caused the crash? Northern industries
were particularly hard hit. The South
escaped relatively unscathed – proof to
them of the superiority of their cotton-
based economy over northern industry.
The North demanded and won a tariff
reduction (Tariff of 1857), which reduced
the tariff rates to 20%.
The North also pushed for a Homestead Bill so
that unemployed factory workers could
make a new start out west with free govt.
land.
1. The Bill proposed 160 free acres of land
for homesteaders.
2. The Bill was vetoed by Buchanan – it
eventually
passed in 1862.

19. THE ILLINOIS RAIL-SPLITTER EMERGES
In Illinois’ congressional elections of 1858 an
interesting debate was taking shape. Stephen
Douglas was running for re-election as a Democrat,
with his sights set on the presidential nomination in
1860.
In opposition to Douglas, the Republicans ran
Abraham Lincoln, who was an oratorical match in wit,
argument, and ability. Lincoln was not an abolitionist;
He was, however, opposed to the extension of
slavery into the territories. Provide a personal &
political profile of Lincoln.

20. THE GREAT DEBATE:
LINCOLN VERSUS DOUGLAS

21. Lincoln was able to “trap” Douglas on
the issue of slavery. At Freeport,
Illinois, Lincoln asked Douglas to
reconcile Dred Scott with Douglas’s
belief in popular sovereignty.
Douglas maintained his support for
popular sovereignty – he in fact was
saying a state could ignore the
Supreme Court ruling and exclude
slavery if the majority of people
wished to do so.
This position caused Douglas to lose
most of his southern Democratic
support.
Lincoln lost the election but became
one of the leading spokesmen for the
Republican party.

22. JOHN BROWN: MURDERER or MARTYR?
In October, 1859, John Brown re-
appeared in a terrible way. What
was his crackbrained scheme?
What was Brown’s fate after Lt.
Col. Robert E. Lee foiled his plan?
Being condemned to death, how
did Brown help the abolitionist
cause?
Col. Lee

23. The effects of Harpers Ferry were calamitous.
Describe the sentiments of southerners
versus abolitionists.

25. THE DISRUPTION of the DEMOCRATS
As the election of 1860 neared, the Democrats were already deeply split. The major
division was between the northern democrats and the southern democrats. The
Democratic convention refused to accept a pro-slavery platform – the regular
Democrats nominated Stephen Douglas. The southern Democrats walked out and held
their own convention. Who was their candidate? And what was their platform?
What was the Third Party? Who was their candidate? And what was their
campaign platform?

26. At the Republican convention in Chicago, William Seward was considered too radical
(“higher law”). Abe Lincoln was nominated on the 3rd ballot. Hannibal Hamlin was
selected as his running mate.
Identify the major components of the Republican platform.
The South threatened to secede if Lincoln was elected.
Lincoln was elected as a minority president. It is inaccurate to conclude that Douglas
would have won if the Democrats were not split. Lincoln won the states with the most
electoral votes.

29. THE ELECTION UPHEAVAL of 1860
Ironically, South Carolinians celebrated Lincoln’s victory – why? And despite the
strong secession sentiments, the verdict of the ballot box indicated a strong current
of opposition and uncertainty regarding secession.
Southern “firebrands” did not fully appreciate or understand that despite losing the
election, they still had protection of slavery under the Constitution.

30. THE SECESSIONIST EXODUS
South Carolina voted to secede in December
of 1860. Seven other southern states
quickly followed. Four more would later
follow, bringing the total to 11.
A Confederate Congress met in Montgomery,
Alabama and chose Jefferson Davis as the
President of the Confederate States of
America.
Explain how the “lame duck” interlude
deepened the crisis. Initially, was Lincoln
any more assertive?

32. THE COLLAPSE of COMPROMISE
The biggest question was, how would the North respond to southern secession. And, was a
last minute compromise possible? The most promising effort at last minute compromise
was put forth by Senator James Crittenden. Identify and explain the components of
his compromise. Why did Lincoln flatly reject the compromise?
Sen. James Crittenden
Civil War Causes: Historians continue to debate the causes of the Civil War: Moral?
Economic? Social? Cultural? Political?

33. FAREWELL to UNION
Identify and explain the primary reasons southerners used to rationalize secession.
Ironically, many Europeans drew parallels between the American Revolution and the Civil
War.

34. ROAD to CIVIL WAR QUIZZES
http://www.historyteacher.net/USProjects/USQuizzes/GrowingCrisis1.htm
http://www.historyteacher.net/USProjects/Quizzes5-6/The1850s-5.htm