6.4 Slavery, Abolitionism, and the Road to Civil War

The growth of slavery in the South, fueled by the cotton industry, shaped a distinctive culture and society. This expansion led to increased political power for slave states, while also sparking moral opposition and the rise of abolitionism in the North.

Key events like the Missouri Compromise and Kansas-Nebraska Act heightened tensions between free and slave states. The Dred Scott decision and John Brown's raid further polarized the nation, setting the stage for the impending Civil War.

Slavery's Growth and Impact

The Expansion of Slavery and the Cotton Industry

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• The invention of the cotton gin in 1793 led to a significant expansion of cotton production increased the demand for enslaved labor in the southern United States (Deep South)
• The economic value of enslaved labor and the cotton industry led to the development of a distinctive southern culture and society characterized by a strong commitment to states' rights and the defense of slavery

The Domestic Slave Trade and Political Power

• The domestic slave trade, which involved the forced migration of enslaved people from the Upper South to the Deep South, grew substantially in the early to mid-19th century separated many families and communities
• The Three-Fifths Compromise, part of the U.S. Constitution, allowed southern states to count three-fifths of their enslaved population for representation in Congress granted them disproportionate political power
• The Nullification Crisis of 1832-1833, triggered by South Carolina's opposition to federal tariffs, highlighted the growing tensions between the North and the South over the issue of slavery and states' rights (tariffs, federal power)

Abolitionism's Rise and Strategies

Moral and Religious Motivations

• The Second Great Awakening, a religious revival movement in the early 19th century, inspired many Americans to view slavery as a moral evil advocated for its abolition
• William Lloyd Garrison, a prominent abolitionist, founded the newspaper The Liberator in 1831, which called for the immediate emancipation of all enslaved people became a leading voice in the abolitionist movement
• The American Anti-Slavery Society, founded in 1833, used moral suasion, the practice of appealing to the conscience of individuals to persuade them to oppose slavery, as a primary strategy for promoting abolition

Resistance and Personal Narratives

• Frederick Douglass, a former enslaved person and influential abolitionist, utilized his oratorical skills published his autobiography to expose the horrors of slavery and advocate for its abolition
• The Underground Railroad, a network of secret routes and safe houses, helped enslaved people escape to freedom in the North and Canada, with the assistance of abolitionists like Harriet Tubman
• Some abolitionists, such as John Brown, advocated for armed resistance against slavery, believing that violence was necessary to end the institution (Harpers Ferry raid)

Sectional Tensions: Key Events

The Missouri Compromise and the Compromise of 1850

• The Missouri Compromise of 1820 attempted to maintain the balance between free and slave states by admitting Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state prohibited slavery north of the 36°30' parallel in the Louisiana Territory
• The Compromise of 1850, a series of bills designed to address the issue of slavery in the territories acquired from the Mexican-American War, included the admission of California as a free state, the strengthening of the Fugitive Slave Act, and popular sovereignty in the Utah and New Mexico territories

The Kansas-Nebraska Act and "Bleeding Kansas"

• The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, proposed by Senator Stephen A. Douglas, repealed the Missouri Compromise introduced the concept of popular sovereignty, allowing the residents of Kansas and Nebraska to decide whether to allow slavery in their territories
• The violence that erupted in Kansas as a result of the Kansas-Nebraska Act, known as "Bleeding Kansas," served as a prelude to the Civil War demonstrated the increasing polarization between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions (border ruffians, Jayhawkers)

Dred Scott and John Brown: Precursors to War

The Dred Scott Decision

• Dred Scott, an enslaved man who sued for his freedom based on his residence in free territories, had his case decided by the Supreme Court in 1857, which ruled that African Americans were not citizens that Congress could not ban slavery in the territories
• The Dred Scott decision outraged many Northerners further polarized the nation, as it effectively invalidated the Missouri Compromise opened all territories to slavery

John Brown's Raid on Harpers Ferry

• John Brown, a radical abolitionist, led a raid on the federal arsenal at Harpers Ferry, Virginia, in 1859, intending to arm enslaved people lead a revolt against slavery
• Although the raid failed and Brown was executed, his actions heightened tensions between the North and the South, with Southerners viewing him as a terrorist and Northerners seeing him as a martyr for the abolitionist cause
• The Harpers Ferry raid and the northern response to Brown's execution further convinced many Southerners that their way of life and the institution of slavery were under threat contributed to the growing sectionalism that ultimately led to the Civil War