When Abraham Lincoln accepted his senatorial nomination in Chicago, he addressed the slavery issue in the nation: “a House divided by itself cannot stand.” Lincoln said, “I believe this government cannot endure, permanently half slave and half free.” The issue of slavery became the major political issue among the federal government. The bloody struggle in Kansas and other related events contributed to the polarization of the Democratic Party, the “indecisive party”, the rising popularity in the North of the Republican Party, the “pro-slavery” party and torn the country apart.
The Dred Scott Case:
This section covers one of the most well-known Supreme Court cases Scott v. Sanford, also known as the Dred Scott Case. In 1846, Dred and Harriet Scott, who were slaves, filed a suit against their master, U.S. Army Major John Emerson, in Missouri. According to the Scotts, they argued that they were technically considered “freed” since they traveled with Emerson in northern territories that prohibited slavery under the Missouri Compromise. On 1857, two days after the inauguration of President James Buchanan, the Dred Scott Case finally came to an end. The Supreme Court, ruled by its southern majority, had a 7-2 decision. The Court decided that Scott’s case was invalid, since he was African American and African Americans, as Justice Robert Taney describes, were considered “beings of an inferior race”. Furthermore, enslaved blacks were not considered citizens of the United States and instead were considered merely “property” of their owners. Whether the state was considered “free” or not, it didn’t affect the status of slaves. If this was the case, then was the Missouri Compromise actually valid or not? Since Congress had no power to ban slavery in territories, the Court ruled the Missouri Compromise as unconstitutional. The Dred Scott case became a hot issue in both the federal government and general public. New questions arose regarding the rights of blacks, state rights and the validity of the Missouri.
Constitutional Crisis:
Remember popular sovereignty and “Bleeding Kansas”? Kansas was also facing an constitutional crisis. A pro slavery constitutional convention was held at Lecompton, Kansas as the state prepared to be admitted to the Union. The constitution allowed voters to decide whether more slavery should be permitted, wanted to prevent free blacks from entering the state and wanted to guarantee property rights for owners. The Lecompton constitution was then sent to Congress for approval. While President Buchanan supported it to maintain support from Southerners; Stephen Douglas, a Southern Democrat senate from Illinois, eager to hold support of the northern wing of his party in for upcoming election for Senate in 1858, challenged the president’s power by going against Buchanan’s standing. After the Lecompton constitution failed to pass, the status of Kansas was left in uncertainty.
Lincoln and the Illinois Debate:
The Illinois senatorial election and Lincoln-Douglas debates, where the issue of slavery was the dominant topic, also sparked interests. While Douglass was an relatively known Southern Democrat, miniature and pro-slavery; on the flip side of the coin, Lincoln was an relatively unknown Republican, gigantic and anti-slavery. While Lincoln was no where near an abolitionist, believing that African-Americans shouldn’t be granted complete equality; Lincoln argued against Douglas’ positions and believed slavery’s “course of ultimate extinction” was necessary.
The John Brown Raid:
While Lincoln and Douglas were debating in Illinois, John Brown, a fiery and violent abolitionist, took matters to his own hands by planning an attack. Brown’s plan was set in motion on October 16, 1859 in Harpers Ferry, Virginia in an event that would be infamously known as the “Harpers Ferry Raid”. By raiding an federal arsenal, Brown aimed to arm slaves and provoke an uprising. Yet his plan was proved unsuccessful when he and his men were overwhelmed by federal troops.
Brown was captured, tried and hanged. As a result, the Harpers Ferry Raid and execution of John Brown caused much controversy. Basically, the anti-slavery Northerners painted Brown as an martyr while the pro-slavery Southerners pictured Brown as an murdered. The Brown controversy pushed the country to it’s breaking point and the way specific sections of the country reacted to the events further represented the division of the nation. As Spartacus’ actions contributed to the Third Servile War, Brown’s actions contributed to the Civil War. Less than a year later, the first shots of the Civil War fired was heard at Fort Sumter.
The Dred Scott Case:
This section covers one of the most well-known Supreme Court cases Scott v. Sanford, also known as the Dred Scott Case. In 1846, Dred and Harriet Scott, who were slaves, filed a suit against their master, U.S. Army Major John Emerson, in Missouri. According to the Scotts, they argued that they were technically considered “freed” since they traveled with Emerson in northern territories that prohibited slavery under the Missouri Compromise. On 1857, two days after the inauguration of President James Buchanan, the Dred Scott Case finally came to an end. The Supreme Court, ruled by its southern majority, had a 7-2 decision. The Court decided that Scott’s case was invalid, since he was African American and African Americans, as Justice Robert Taney describes, were considered “beings of an inferior race”. Furthermore, enslaved blacks were not considered citizens of the United States and instead were considered merely “property” of their owners. Whether the state was considered “free” or not, it didn’t affect the status of slaves. If this was the case, then was the Missouri Compromise actually valid or not? Since Congress had no power to ban slavery in territories, the Court ruled the Missouri Compromise as unconstitutional. The Dred Scott case became a hot issue in both the federal government and general public. New questions arose regarding the rights of blacks, state rights and the validity of the Missouri.
Constitutional Crisis:Remember popular sovereignty and “Bleeding Kansas”? Kansas was also facing an constitutional crisis. A pro slavery constitutional convention was held at Lecompton, Kansas as the state prepared to be admitted to the Union. The constitution allowed voters to decide whether more slavery should be permitted, wanted to prevent free blacks from entering the state and wanted to guarantee property rights for owners. The Lecompton constitution was then sent to Congress for approval. While President Buchanan supported it to maintain support from Southerners; Stephen Douglas, a Southern Democrat senate from Illinois, eager to hold support of the northern wing of his party in for upcoming election for Senate in 1858, challenged the president’s power by going against Buchanan’s standing. After the Lecompton constitution failed to pass, the status of Kansas was left in uncertainty.
Lincoln and the Illinois Debate:
The Illinois senatorial election and Lincoln-Douglas debates, where the issue of slavery was the dominant topic, also sparked interests. While Douglass was an relatively known Southern Democrat, miniature and pro-slavery; on the flip side of the coin, Lincoln was an relatively unknown Republican, gigantic and anti-slavery. While Lincoln was no where near an abolitionist, believing that African-Americans shouldn’t be granted complete equality; Lincoln argued against Douglas’ positions and believed slavery’s “course of ultimate extinction” was necessary.
The John Brown Raid:
While Lincoln and Douglas were debating in Illinois, John Brown, a fiery and violent abolitionist, took matters to his own hands by planning an attack. Brown’s plan was set in motion on October 16, 1859 in Harpers Ferry, Virginia in an event that would be infamously known as the “Harpers Ferry Raid”. By raiding an federal arsenal, Brown aimed to arm slaves and provoke an uprising. Yet his plan was proved unsuccessful when he and his men were overwhelmed by federal troops.
Brown was captured, tried and hanged. As a result, the Harpers Ferry Raid and execution of John Brown caused much controversy. Basically, the anti-slavery Northerners painted Brown as an martyr while the pro-slavery Southerners pictured Brown as an murdered. The Brown controversy pushed the country to it’s breaking point and the way specific sections of the country reacted to the events further represented the division of the nation. As Spartacus’ actions contributed to the Third Servile War, Brown’s actions contributed to the Civil War. Less than a year later, the first shots of the Civil War fired was heard at Fort Sumter.
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