slavery Flashcards
(6 cards)
topic sentence
Some historians such as James Ford Rhodes argue that the issue of slavery was the most important reason for Southern secession.
evidence 1 - dred scott decision
Slavery divided both the North and South, with the Southerns economy and lifestyle being dependent on slavery, and Northerners resenting the expansion of slavery and the political power held by the wealthy Southern planter class. For example, Cases such as the Supreme Courts 1857 Dred Scott decision fueled Northern resentment, it was decided that Dred Scott, an ex-slave was not a citizen and therefore could not sue in federal court after he tried to sue for freedom on the grounds that he had resided in a free territory for a prolonged period of time following the death of his mater, John Emerson. Additionally, Taney, one of the Supreme Court judges who voted for the decision was seen whispering with President Buchanan 2 days before the decision was made. This heightened Northerners discontent to the slave power conspiracy because it was seen as a tactical move of the South to expand slavery into the free states.
analysis 1
This led to the secession of several Southern states because the Republicans were able to use the Dred Scott decision to fuel their campaign as Lincoln, future Republican President used Buchanans involvement in the Dred Scott case as evidence of the slave power conspiracy, which gained them masses of Northern support. Their support led to worries in the South of the future of slavery, so caused them to secede before slavery was abolished
evidence 2 - john browns raid
Furthermore, events such John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry, Virginia (now West Virginia), occurred on October 16, 1859, and was an attempt by the abolitionist John Brown to initiate a slave revolt in the South by seizing the U.S. Arsenal at Harpers Ferry. struck a nerve in the south as they were being directly attacked by abolitionists.
counter analysis
However, Lincoln did denounce Browns’s raid, while also convincing the South that he was not an abolitionist, which made them less likely to secede as it suggested that these events would not occur again under Lincoln’s watch.
evaluation
To evaluate, the main reason for Southern secession was the issue of slavery as James Ford Rhodes argues that “slavery was the sole cause of the American Civil War”, which resulted from the secession of several Southern states over the issue of slavery.
