Overview
This lecture reviews APUSH Period 5, Key Concept 5.2, focusing on how sectionalism, expansion, and failed compromises led to the Civil War by deepening divides between the North and South.
Sectional Tensions and Manifest Destiny
- The North and South developed into distinct, mistrustful societies due to economic and social differences.
- Manifest Destiny and westward expansion brought the issue of slavery in new territories to the forefront.
- Sectionalism intensified in the 1840s–1850s, culminating in the Civil War.
Territorial Expansion and Slavery
- The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848) ended the Mexican-American War, giving the U.S. vast new land.
- The Wilmot Proviso sought to ban slavery in lands from Mexico but failed to pass.
- California's admission as a free state in 1850 led to the Compromise of 1850, which temporarily eased tensions.
Compromise of 1850 and Aftermath
- California entered as a free state; no slave trade in D.C.
- Popular sovereignty would decide slavery in remaining territories.
- A stricter Fugitive Slave Act increased northern resistance and southern anger.
Failed Compromises and Escalating Conflict
- The Ostend Manifesto (1854) and Gadsden Purchase (1853) sparked further disputes over expansion and slavery.
- The Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854) introduced popular sovereignty in new territories, repealing the Missouri Compromise.
- Violence in "Bleeding Kansas" showed popular sovereignty's failure.
Political Realignment and Sectional Parties
- The Kansas-Nebraska Act fractured the Whig and Know-Nothing parties, leading to the Republican Party's rise.
- The Republican Party opposed the expansion of slavery and gained northern support.
Major Events Leading to Secession
- The Dred Scott decision (1857) ruled Congress could not ban slavery from territories, inflaming northern opposition.
- John Brown's raid (1859) increased southern fears of northern aggression.
- Lincoln's election in 1860, without southern support, prompted southern states to secede.
Economic, Social, and Cultural Differences
- The North was industrializing, had high immigration, and was culturally distinct; nativism was rising.
- The South relied on agriculture, slave labor, and had slow population growth and little immigration.
- Southern leaders defended slavery as a positive good, emphasizing states’ rights and nullification.
Abolitionism and Sectional Distrust
- Abolitionists like William Lloyd Garrison and Harriet Tubman were increasingly vocal in the North.
- Events like Uncle Tom's Cabin and the Underground Railroad intensified sectional distrust.
- Both regions saw each other as threats to their way of life, making compromise impossible.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Manifest Destiny — the belief that the U.S. was destined to expand across the continent.
- Sectionalism — loyalty to one's region (North or South) over the nation.
- Compromise of 1850 — a series of laws addressing slavery and territorial expansion.
- Popular Sovereignty — allowing settlers in territories to vote on slavery.
- Fugitive Slave Act — law requiring return of escaped slaves to their owners.
- Kansas-Nebraska Act — allowed popular sovereignty in Kansas and Nebraska territories.
- Dred Scott Decision — Supreme Court ruling that Congress could not ban slavery in territories.
- Abolitionist — someone who advocated ending slavery.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review the differences between North and South and causes of sectionalism.
- Read about major acts/events: Compromise of 1850, Kansas-Nebraska Act, Dred Scott decision.
- Prepare for Key Concept 5.3 on the Civil War.