WastheCivilWarInevitable?
Document1:TheDeclarationofIndependence,1776
–
Weholdthesetruthstobeself-evident,thatallmenarecreatedequal,thattheyareendowedbytheir
CreatorwithcertainunalienableRights,thatamongtheseareLife,LibertyandthepursuitofHappiness.
—Thattosecuretheserights,GovernmentsareinstitutedamongMen,derivingtheirjustpowersfrom
theconsentofthegoverned.…
1) Accordingtothisdocument,whatisthepurposeofgovernment?
2) Whatphraseoriginallyheldtheplaceof“pursuitofhappiness?”(thinkJohnLockehere)
Document2:TheConstitution,1789:
Themigrationorimportationofsuchpersonsasanyofthestatesnowexistingshallthinkproperto
admit,shallnotbeprohibitedbytheCongresspriortotheyearonethousandeighthundredandeight,
butataxordutymaybeimposedonsuchimportation,notexceedingtendollarsforeachperson.…
Nopersonheldtoserviceorlaborinonestate,underthelawsthereof,escapingintoanother,shall,in
consequenceofanylaworregulationtherein,bedischargedfromsuchserviceorlabor,butshallbe
delivereduponclaimofthepartytowhomsuchserviceorlabormaybedue.
AmendmentIV
Therightofthepeopletobesecureintheirpersons,houses,papers,andeffects,againstunreasonable
searchesandseizures,shallnotbeviolated,andnowarrantsshallissue,butuponprobablecause,
supportedbyoathoraffirmation,andparticularlydescribingtheplacetobesearched,andthepersons
orthingstobeseized.
3) Whoarethe“suchpersons”referencedinthisexcerpt?
4) Howwouldthefourthamendmentbeaprotectionforslaveowners?
Document3:TheMissouriCompromise1820
•
[I]nallthatterritorycededbyFrancetotheUnitedStates,underthenameofLouisiana,whichliesnorthof
thirty-sixdegreesandthirtyminutesnorthlatitude,notincludedwithinthelimitsofthestate,contemplatedby
thisact,slaveryandinvoluntaryservitude,otherwisethaninthepunishmentofcrimes,whereofthepartiesshall
havebeendulyconvicted,shallbe,andishereby,foreverprohibited:Providedalways,Thatanypersonescaping
intothesame,fromwhomlabourorserviceislawfullyclaimed,inanystateorterritoryoftheUnitedStates,
suchfugitivemaybelawfullyreclaimedandconveyedtothepersonclaiminghisorherlabourorserviceas
aforesaid.
5) WhatprotectionsforslaveownersdoestheMissouriCompromiseprovide?
Document4:TheWilmotProviso1846
•
Provided,That,asanexpressandfundamentalconditiontotheacquisitionofanyterritoryfromtheRepublicof
MexicobytheUnitedStates,byvirtueofanytreatywhichmaybenegotiatedbetweenthem,andtotheuseby
theExecutiveofthemoneyshereinappropriated,neitherslaverynorinvoluntaryservitudeshalleverexistin
anypartofsaidterritory,exceptforcrime,whereofthepartyshallfirstbedulyconvicted.
–TheWilmotProviso,1846
6)WhatdidtheWilmotProvisosayaboutslaveryinterritorygainedfromtheMexicanWar?
7)WhatfeardroveWilmottoproposethisamendment(thinkpowerandCongress)?
Document5:Compromiseof1850
TheCompromiseof1850containedthefollowingprovisions:(1)CaliforniawasadmittedtotheUnionasafreestate;
(2)theremainderoftheMexicancessionwasdividedintothetwoterritoriesofNewMexicoandUtahandorganized
withoutmentionofslavery;(3)theclaimofTexastoaportionofNewMexicowassatisfiedbyapaymentof$10
million;(4)newlegislation(theFugitiveSlaveAct)waspassedtoapprehendrunawayslavesandreturnthemtotheir
masters;and(5)thebuyingandsellingofslaves(butnotslavery)wasabolishedintheDistrictofColumbia.
8)WhatconcessionsdoestheNorthgetfromtheCompromiseof1850?
9)WhatconcessionsdoestheSouthgetfromtheCompromiseof1850?
10)WhydoestheSouthreallylosewhenitcomestothisCompromise?
Documents6:TheKansas-NebraskaActand“BleedingKansas”
ThepersonbehindtheKansas-NebraskaActwasSENATORSTEPHENA.DOUGLASofIllinois.Hesaidhewantedtosee
Nebraskamadeintoaterritoryand,towinsouthernsupport,proposedasouthernstateinclinedtosupportslavery.It
wasKansas.UnderlyingitallwashisdesiretobuildatranscontinentalrailroadtogothroughChicago.TheKansasNebraskaActallowedeachterritorytodecidetheissueofslaveryonthebasisofpopularsovereignty.Kansaswith
slaverywouldviolatetheMissouriCompromise,whichhadkepttheUnionfromfallingapartforthelastthirty-four
years.Thelong-standingcompromisewouldhavetoberepealed.Oppositionwasintense,butultimatelythebillpassed
inMayof1854.Territorynorthofthesacred36°30'linewasnowopentopopularsovereignty.TheNorthwasoutraged.
11)WhydidtheSouthagreetosupportDouglas’Kansas-NebraskaAct?
12)WhyweremanyintheNorthoutragedaboutthisbill?
LetterfromEdwardBrigmanabouttheviolenceinKansas(“BleedingKansas”)
KansasMay25,1856
DearCousinSidney
IwritenowtoletyouknowmypresentsituationandalittleabouttheaffairsofKansas....
Insomesmalltownsthemenarecalledupnearlyeverynighttoholdthemslevesinreadinesstomeettheworstas
scoutingpartiesofAlabamiansGeorgiansandMissouriansarearoundcontinually,plunderingclothesyards,horsesand
cattle,andeverythingtheycanlayholdof.AfewmilesfromLawrenceamanwasplowing.apartyofSouthernerscame
alongandbeinghungrykilledhisbestox,atewhattheywanted,tookawaysomeandlefttherest.Suchlikeoccurrences
arealmostdailytakingplace.LastThursday,newscamefromLawrencethatshewasinthehandsoftheRuffians,and
thattheyhaddemolishedthefreestateHotel,burnedRobinson'shouse,anddestroyedthetwoprintingpresses.
Almostimmediatelyacompanyof30wasraised.TherewasnoreasonwhyIcouldnotgoforone,soIborrowedarifle
andammunitionandjoinedthem.Thethoughtofengaginginbattleisnotapleasingone,butthefreestatemenare
compelledto.WhyshouldInotdo[so]aswallasothers,Ihavenothingtohindermeandmylifeisnodearertomethan
thelivesofothersaretothem.Atsundownwedividedinto2divisionsandtookturnsinwalking.Itwasreallyaffecting
toseehusbandsandwivesbideachothergoodbye.--notknowingastheywouldeverseeeachotheragain.yetthe
feelingandsympathiesofthewomenareasmuchenlistedinthecauseasthemen.Itisnothinguncommontoseethem
runningbulletsandmakingcatriges.Onewomanyesterdaytoldmethatshehadoftenbeencalledupnightstomake
them....
Tuesday,27.
SinceIwrotetheabovetheOsawatomiecompanyhasreturnedtoO.asnewscamethatwecoulddonothing
immediately,sowereturnedback.Onourwaybackweheardthat5menhadbeenkilledbyFreeStatemen.themen
werebutchered--earscutoffandthebodiesthrownintotheriver[.]themurderedmen(Proslavery)hadthrownout
threatsandinsults,yettheactwasbarbarousandinhumanwhoevercommittedby[.]wemetthemengoingwhenwe
weregoingupandknewthattheywereonasecretexpedition,yetdidn'tknowwhatitwas.Tomorrowsomethingwill
bedonetoarrestthem.therewere8concernedintheact.perhapstheyhadgoodmotives,somethinktheyhad,how
thatisIdontknow.Theaffairstookplace8milesfromOsawatomie.TheWarseemstohavecommencedinrealearnest.
horsesarestolenonallsideswhenervertheycanbetaken....
Wedseve.
SinceyesterdayIhavelearnedthatthosemenwhocommittedthosemurderswereapartyofBrowns.oneofthemwas
formerlyinthewoolbusinessinSpringfield,JohnBrown[.]hisson,(Jn)hasbeentakentoday,thohehadnohandinthe
act,butwasknowingtoit,butwhenIwritetoMariaIwillgivefurtherparticulars[.]Osawatomieisinmuchfearand
excitement[.]Newscametonightthataco.ofGeorgainsandAlibamianswerecomingtomakethistheirheadquarters.
Allworkisnearlysuspended,thewomenareinconstantfear[.]Itwasreallypleasingtowitnessthereceptionofourco,.
bythewomenaftertheycameintoO.[I]twasalittleafterdark.Alonglineofwomenandchildrenstoodbythe
roadsidetogreetusandjoywasdepictedoneverycountenance.handswereheartilyshakenandcongratulations
offered[.]butImustclose....
Yourstruly,E
Itwon’tbebestformetowritemynamesoyoumustguesswhowotethis[.]butveryfewnowattachtheirfullnameto
aletter
13)AccordingtoMr.Brigman,whoisresponsibleforstartingtheviolenceinKansas?
14)DescribeJohnBrown’sroleinBleedingKansas.HowdoSouthernersrespondtothis?
Document7:“BleedingSumner”-May22,1856
Threedaysearlier,SenatorCharlesSumner,aMassachusettsantislaveryRepublican,addressedtheSenateonthe
explosiveissueofwhetherKansasshouldbeadmittedtotheUnionasaslavestateorafreestate.Inhis"CrimeAgainst
Kansas"speech,SumneridentifiedtwoDemocraticsenatorsastheprincipalculpritsinthiscrime—StephenDouglasof
IllinoisandAndrewButlerofSouthCarolina.HecharacterizedDouglastohisfaceasa"noise-some,squat,andnameless
animal...notapropermodelforanAmericansenator."AndrewButler,whowasnotpresent,receivedmoreelaborate
treatment.MockingtheSouthCarolinasenator'sstanceasamanofchivalry,theMassachusettssenatorchargedhim
withtaking"amistress...who,thoughuglytoothers,isalwayslovelytohim;thoughpollutedinthesightoftheworld,
ischasteinhissight—Imean,"addedSumner,"theharlot,Slavery."
TwodaysaftertheendofSumner'sspeech,PrestonBrooks,SouthCarolinaCongressmanandsecondcousintoAndrew
Butler,enteredtheSenatechamberwhereSumnerwasworkingathisdesk.HeflatlytoldSumner,"You'velibeledmy
stateandslanderedmywhite-hairedoldrelative,SenatorButler,andI'vecometopunishyouforit."Brooksproceeded
tostrikeSumnerovertheheadrepeatedlywithagold-tippedcane.ThecaneshatteredasBrooksrainedblowafterblow
onthehaplessSumner,butBrookscouldnotbestopped.OnlyafterbeingphysicallyrestrainedbyothersdidBrooksend
thepummeling.SumnersufferedbraindamageandwasunabletoreturntohisSenateseatfor3years!
15)WhydoyouthinkSumnerresortedtosuchunbecominglanguageandinsultsinhisspeech?WasPrestonBrooks’
responseanymorechivalrousthanSumner’sinsults?
16)WhatdoesthisepisodeinthehallsofCongresssayabouttheescalatingpassionoftheslaveryissue?
Document8:DredScottCase-TheMajorityOpinion
MajorityOpinion(7-2),DredScottv.Sanford,1857ThelanguageoftheDeclarationofIndependenceis…conclusive:…
‘Weholdthesetruthstobeself-evident:thatallmenarecreatedequal.’…[I]tistooclearfordispute,thattheenslaved
Africanracewerenotintendedtobeincluded,andformednopartofthepeoplewhoframedandadoptedthis
declaration.…Theyperfectlyunderstoodthemeaningofthelanguagetheyused,andhowitwouldbeunderstoodby
others;andtheyknewthatitwouldnotinanypartofthecivilizedworldbesupposedtoembracethenegrorace,which,
bycommonconsent,hadbeenexcludedfromcivilizedGovernmentsandthefamilyofnations,anddoomedtoslavery….
Thebriefpreamble[totheConstitution]…declaresthatitisformedbythepeopleoftheUnitedStates;thatistosay,by
thosewhoweremembersofthedifferentpoliticalcommunitiesintheseveralStates;anditsgreatobjectisdeclaredto
betosecuretheblessingsoflibertytothemselvesandtheirposterity.Itspeaksingeneraltermsofthepeopleofthe
UnitedStates,andofcitizensoftheseveralStates,whenitisprovidingfortheexerciseofthepowersgrantedorthe
privilegessecuredtothecitizen.Itdoesnotdefinewhatdescriptionofpersonsareintendedtobeincludedunderthese
terms,orwhoshallberegardedasacitizenandoneofthepeople.…
[T]herearetwoclausesintheConstitutionwhichpointdirectlyandspecificallytothenegroraceasaseparateclassof
persons,andshowclearlythattheywerenotregardedasaportionofthepeopleorcitizensoftheGovernmentthen
formed.
[T]herightofpropertyinaslaveisdistinctlyandexpresslyaffirmedintheConstitution.Therighttotrafficinit,likean
ordinaryarticleofmerchandiseandproperty,wasguaranteedtothecitizensoftheUnitedStates,ineveryStatethat
mightdesireit,fortwentyyears.AndtheGovernmentinexpresstermsispledgedtoprotectitinallfuturetime,ifthe
slaveescapesfromhisowner.Thisisdoneinplainwords—tooplaintobemisunderstood.Andnowordcanbefoundin
theConstitutionwhichgivesCongressagreaterpoweroverslaveproperty,orwhichentitlespropertyofthatkindtoless
protectionthanpropertyofanyotherdescription.Theonlypowerconferredisthepowercoupledwiththedutyof
guardingandprotectingtheownerinhisrights.
17)Accordingtothisdocument,howandwhydoestheConstitutionprotectslavery?
18)Accordingtothisdocument,whywereslavesnotconsideredtobepeople?
Document9:FromtheLincoln-DouglasDebatesintheraceforIllinoisSenateseat,1858
“Wearenowfarintothefifthyearsinceapolicywasinitiatedwiththeavowedobjectandconfidentpromiseofputting
anendtoslaveryagitation.Undertheoperationofthatpolicy,thatagitationhasnotonlynotceasedbuthasconstantly
augmented.Inmyopinion,itwillnotceaseuntilacrisisshallhavebeenreachedandpassed."Ahousedividedagainst
itselfcannotstand."Ibelievethisgovernmentcannotendure,permanently,halfslaveandhalffree.Idonotexpectthe
Uniontobedissolved;Idonotexpectthehousetofall;butIdoexpectitwillceasetobedivided.Itwillbecomeallone
thing,oralltheother.Eithertheopponentsofslaverywillarrestthefurtherspreadofitandplaceitwherethepublic
mindshallrestinthebeliefthatitisinthecourseofultimateextinction,oritsadvocateswillpushitforwardtillitshall
becomealikelawfulinallthestates,oldaswellasnew,NorthaswellasSouth.”
-FromLincoln’s“HouseDivided”speech
19)WhatenddoesLincolnultimatelyseeforthecountrybecauseoftheissueofslavery?
“ThenextquestionpropoundedtomebyMr.Lincolnis,canthepeopleofaTerritoryinanylawfulway,againstthe
wishesofanycitizenoftheUnitedStates,excludeslaveryfromtheirlimitspriortotheformationofaState
Constitution?…ItmattersnotwhatwaytheSupremeCourtmayhereafterdecideastotheabstractquestionwhether
slaverymayormaynotgointoaTerritoryundertheConstitution,thepeoplehavethelawfulmeanstointroduceitor
excludeitastheyplease,forthereasonthatslaverycannotexistadayoranhouranywhere,unlessitissupportedby
localpoliceregulations.Thosepoliceregulationscanonlybeestablishedbythelocallegislature,andifthepeopleare
opposedtoslaverytheywillelectrepresentativestothatbodywhowillbyunfriendlylegislationeffectuallypreventthe
introductionofitintotheirmidst.If,onthecontrary,theyareforit,theirlegislationwillfavoritsextension.Hence,no
matterwhatthedecisionoftheSupremeCourtmaybeonthatabstractquestion,stilltherightofthepeopletomakea
slaveTerritoryorafreeTerritoryisperfectandcompleteundertheNebraskabill.IhopeMr.Lincolndeemsmyanswer
satisfactoryonthatpoint.”
–
FromStephenDouglas’“FreeportDoctrine”speechatFreeport,Illinois
20)WhatisDouglas’answertohowtheterritoriescanexcludeslavery,despitetherulingtheDredScottcase?Doyou
agreewithhisopinion?
21)WhatamendmenttotheConstitutionwouldseemtorefuteDouglas’opinion?
Document10:JohnBrown’sRaidonHarper’sFerry,VA-Oct.15,1859
ExcerptfromJohnBrown’strial:
“Inthefirstplace,IdenyeverythingbutwhatIhavealreadyadmitted,ofadesignonmyparttofreeSlaves.Iintended,
certainly,tohavemadeacleanthingofthatmatter,asIdidlastwinter,whenIwentintoMissouri,andtheretook
Slaves,withoutthesnappingofagunoneitherside,movingthemthroughthecountry,andfinallyleavingthemin
Canada.Idesiredtohavedonethesamethingagain,onamuchlargerscale.ThatwasallIintended.Ineverdidintend
murder,ortreason,orthedestructionofproperty,ortoexciteorinciteSlavestorebellion,ortomakeinsurrection.”
-JohnBrown
"I,JohnBrown,amnowquitecertainthatthecrimesofthisguiltylandcanneverbepurgedawaybutwithblood."
—JohnBrown'slastwords,writtenonanotehandedtoaguardjustbeforehishanging
22)WhatwasJohnBrown’splan,accordingtohisownwords?
23)HowdoyouthinksomeintheNorthfeltaboutJohnBrown?HowaboutsomeintheSouth?
24)What“crimes”mightJohnBrownbereferringtoinhislastwords?
Document11:Lincoln’sElection-Nov.1860
25)LincolnranonthepromiseNOTtoallowslaverytoexpand.Howdoesthemapshowtheeffectofthispromise?
26)HowdoyouthinktheSouthfeltaboutLincoln’selection?
Document12:CrittendenCompromise-Dec.18,1860
JohnCrittendenproposedthatamendmentstotheConstitutionshouldbeadopted.TheprovisionsofCrittenden
Compromiseincluded:
•
Aconstitutionalamendmenttoguaranteethecontinuedexistenceofslaveryintheexistingslavestates
•
TherestorationoftheboundarylinedrawnundertheMissouriCompromisethatprohibitedtheextensionof
slaverynorthofthe36°30ʹlatitude,asindicatedonthemap
•
ItadvocatedslaveryintheDistrictofColumbia
•
TheFugitiveSlaveLawsweretobeupheld,withminormodifications,andtopaytheslaveownersthevalueof
runawayslaves
•
ItadvocatedsuppressionoftheAfricanslavetrade
•
ToprovidefortheDoctrineofPopularSovereigntyinthatstatesshouldbefreeorslaveastheirpeople
determined
•
Congresswasforbiddentoabolishslaveryinplacesunderitsjurisdiction,suchasamilitarypost,withinaslave
state
27)IfyouwereaSouthernslaveowner,wouldyousupportthiscompromise?Why/whynot?
28)BasedonwhatyouknowaboutPresident-electLincoln,doyouthinkhesupportedthiscompromise?
Document13:SouthCarolina’sSecession
DeclarationoftheImmediateCausesWhichInduceandJustifytheSecessionofSouthCarolinafromtheFederalUnion
ThepeopleoftheStateofSouthCarolina,inConventionassembled,onthe26thdayofApril,A.D.,1852,declaredthat
thefrequentviolationsoftheConstitutionoftheUnitedStates,bytheFederalGovernment,anditsencroachments
uponthereservedrightsoftheStates,fullyjustifiedthisStateinthenwithdrawingfromtheFederalUnion;butin
deferencetotheopinionsandwishesoftheotherslaveholdingStates,sheforboreatthattimetoexercisethisright.
Sincethattime,theseencroachmentshavecontinuedtoincrease,andfurtherforbearanceceasestobeavirtue.
29)WhatbroadreasondoesSouthCarolinagiveforseceding?Istheretruthinwhattheyclaim?
30)EventhoughSouthCarolinasecedes,doesthisnecessarilymeanaCivilWariscoming?Whataboutinlightof
Lincoln’s“HouseDivided”speech?