Be able to describe the following and how they contributed to the growing divide between the north and south:
Economy in the North -
Economy in the South -
Missouri Compromise -
Mexican War -Compromise of 1850 -
Impact of the “Dred Scott” case
Kansas-Nebraska Act -
Failure of Popular Sovereignty -
John Brown’s Raid on Harper’s Ferry -
Economy in the North: The northern economy was primarily based on manufacturing, industry, trade, and commerce. The region had a more diversified and modernized economy, with cities growing rapidly and a focus on industrialization. This led to a growing labor force, increased immigration, and technological advancements. The North also had a strong middle class and a growing urban population.
Economy in the South: The southern economy was centered around large-scale plantation agriculture, especially the production of cotton, tobacco, and rice. The region heavily relied on slave labor, as slavery was seen as essential for the profitability of the plantation system. The South had a relatively smaller population compared to the North and was more rural and agricultural.
Missouri Compromise: The Missouri Compromise of 1820 was an effort to maintain a balance between free and slave states in the United States. It admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state, while also establishing the 36°30' parallel as the boundary for future slave vs. free state admissions. This compromise temporarily eased tensions, but it also highlighted the growing divide between the North and South over the issue of slavery.
Mexican War: The Mexican War, fought between 1846 and 1848, resulted in the United States acquiring a significant amount of territory from Mexico, including what is now California, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, and parts of Colorado and Wyoming. The question of whether these new territories should allow slavery or be free states fueled further division between the North and South.
Compromise of 1850: The Compromise of 1850 was a series of five laws aimed at defusing tensions between the North and South. It admitted California as a free state, but also included the passage of the Fugitive Slave Act, which required the return of escaped slaves to their owners. While the compromise temporarily maintained the balance of power between free and slave states, it also intensified anti-slavery sentiments in the North, contributing to the growing divide.
Impact of the "Dred Scott" case: The Supreme Court's ruling in the "Dred Scott" case in 1857 had a significant impact on the growing divide between the North and South. The court ruled that African Americans, whether enslaved or free, were not considered citizens and therefore could not file lawsuits. Furthermore, it declared that Congress had no authority to prohibit slavery in the territories. This decision outraged many in the North who saw it as further proof of a pro-slavery bias in the federal government.
Kansas-Nebraska Act: The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 allowed the territories of Kansas and Nebraska to determine the issue of slavery through popular sovereignty, meaning that the residents could decide whether to permit or prohibit slavery. This was a departure from the Missouri Compromise's established boundary. The act sparked intense violence and conflict in Kansas, as pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions fought fiercely to sway the outcome of the territory, deepening divisions between the North and South.
Failure of Popular Sovereignty: The concept of popular sovereignty, where territories could determine the issue of slavery through voting, failed to prevent conflict and only heightened tensions between the North and South. The idea that the residents of a territory should decide the issue of slavery intensified the fight over these territories and demonstrated the impossibility of peacefully resolving the slavery issue.
John Brown's Raid on Harper's Ferry: In 1859, abolitionist John Brown led a raid on the federal armory at Harper's Ferry, Virginia (now West Virginia), in an attempt to arm enslaved people and lead a rebellion against slaveholders. Brown's action further escalated tensions between the North and South and solidified the belief among Southern states that the North was actively seeking to incite slave rebellions. The raid was seen as a direct attack on the South's way of life and served as a catalyst for further division and ultimately the outbreak of the Civil War.