Sectional battles over federal policy in the late 1850s Origins of the American Civil War

1 sectional battles on federal policy in late 1850s

1.1 lincoln–douglas debates
1.2 background
1.3 panic of 1857 , sectional realignments
1.4 southern response

sectional battles on federal policy in late 1850s
lincoln–douglas debates

the lincoln-douglas debates series of 7 debates in 1858 between stephen douglas, united states senator illinois, , abraham lincoln, republican sought replace douglas in senate. debates slavery. douglas defended kansas–nebraska act, replaced missouri compromise ban on slavery in louisiana purchase territory north , west of missouri popular sovereignty, allowed residents of territories such kansas vote either or against slavery. douglas put lincoln on defensive accusing him of being black republican abolitionist, lincoln responded asking douglas reconcile popular sovereignty dred scott decision. douglas freeport doctrine residents of territory keep slavery out refusing pass slave code , other laws needed protect slavery. douglas freeport doctrine, , fact helped defeat pro-slavery lecompton constitution, made douglas unpopular in south, led 1860 split of democratic party northern , southern wings. democrats retained control of illinois legislature, , douglas retained seat in u.s. senate (at time united states senators elected state legislatures, not popular vote); however, lincoln s national profile raised, paving way election president of united states 2 years later.

background

in rise of american civilization (1927), charles , mary beard argue slavery not social or cultural institution economic 1 (a labor system). beards cited inherent conflicts between northeastern finance, manufacturing, , commerce , southern plantations, competed control federal government protect own interests. according economic determinists of era, both groups used arguments on slavery , states rights cover.

recent historians have rejected beardian thesis. economic determinism has influenced subsequent historians in important ways. time on cross: economics of american negro slavery (1974) robert william fogel (who win 1993 nobel memorial prize in economic sciences) , stanley l. engerman, wrote slavery profitable , price of slaves have continued rise. modernization theorists, such raimondo luraghi, have argued industrial revolution expanding on worldwide scale, days of wrath coming series of agrarian, pre-capitalistic, backward societies throughout world, italian , american south india. american historians point out south highly developed , on average prosperous north.

panic of 1857 , sectional realignments

vote farm– vote tariff : campaign slogan abraham lincoln in 1860.

a few historians believe serious financial panic of 1857 , economic difficulties leading strengthened republican party , heightened sectional tensions. before panic, strong economic growth being achieved under relatively low tariffs. hence of nation concentrated on growth , prosperity.

the iron , textile industries facing acute, worsening trouble each year after 1850. 1854, stocks of iron accumulating in each world market. iron prices fell, forcing many american iron mills shut down.

republicans urged western farmers , northern manufacturers blame depression on domination of low-tariff economic policies of southern-controlled democratic administrations. depression revived suspicion of northeastern banking interests in both south , west. eastern demand western farm products shifted west closer north. transportation revolution (canals , railroads) went forward, increasingly large share , absolute amount of wheat, corn, , other staples of western producers—once difficult haul across appalachians—went markets in northeast. depression emphasized value of western markets eastern goods , homesteaders furnish markets , respectable profits.

aside land issue, economic difficulties strengthened republican case higher tariffs industries in response depression. issue important in pennsylvania , perhaps new jersey.

southern response

the united states, before civil war. of lands east of, or bordering, mississippi river organized states in union, west still largely unsettled.

meanwhile, many southerners grumbled on radical notions of giving land away farmers abolitionize area. while ideology of southern sectionalism well-developed before panic of 1857 figures j.d.b. debow, panic helped convince more cotton barons had grown reliant on eastern financial interests.

thomas prentice kettell, former editor of democratic review, commentator popular in south enjoy great degree of prominence between 1857 , 1860. kettell gathered array of statistics in book on southern wealth , northern profits, show south produced vast wealth, while north, dependence on raw materials, siphoned off wealth of south. arguing sectional inequality resulted concentration of manufacturing in north, , north s supremacy in communications, transportation, finance, , international trade, ideas paralleled old physiocratic doctrines profits of manufacturing , trade come out of land. political sociologists, such barrington moore, have noted these forms of romantic nostalgia tend crop whenever industrialization takes hold.

such southern hostility free farmers gave north opportunity alliance western farmers. after political realignments of 1857–58—manifested emerging strength of republican party , networks of local support nationwide—almost every issue entangled controversy on expansion of slavery in west. while questions of tariffs, banking policy, public land, , subsidies railroads did not unite elements in north , northwest against interests of slaveholders in south under pre-1854 party system, translated in terms of sectional conflict—with expansion of slavery in west involved.

as depression strengthened republican party, slave holding interests becoming convinced north had aggressive , hostile designs on southern way of life. south increasingly fertile ground secessionism.

the republicans whig-style personality-driven hurrah campaign helped stir hysteria in slave states upon emergence of lincoln , intensify divisive tendencies, while southern fire eaters gave credence notions of slave power conspiracy among republican constituencies in north , west. new southern demands re-open african slave trade further fueled sectional tensions.

from 1840s until outbreak of civil war, cost of slaves had been rising steadily. meanwhile, price of cotton experiencing market fluctuations typical of raw commodities. after panic of 1857, price of cotton fell while price of slaves continued steep rise. @ 1858 southern commercial convention, william l. yancey of alabama called reopening of african slave trade. delegates states of upper south, profited domestic trade, opposed reopening of slave trade since saw potential form of competition. convention in 1858 wound voting recommend repeal of laws against slave imports, despite reservations.