Question

Abraham Lincoln and the Republicans frequently declared that they sought only to prevent the expansion of slavery and not to overturn slavery where it existed. Yet immediately after Lincoln’s election seven southern states marched out of the Union, without waiting to see what Lincoln’s policies would be. Why? Were southern fears of Lincoln rational or irrational?

Answer 1

Well there were a lot of factors contributing to the Souths Seccession. After the case of Dred Scott vs. Stanford many things happened to further divide the South from the North. The North and South sort of went back and forth over the years leading to the Civil war angering each other continously until the civil war, which during this time Lincoln was president and strongly opposed slavery as it led to many issues within the union.

Here are a few of those contrubutions: (make sure to paraphrase in your own words. )

The Dred Scott case acted like the extra baking soda being added to a baking soda and vinegar solution. The tensions were already high surrounding slavery and it's issues after The Dred Scott case the opposing values grew stronger. Abolitionists were enraged at the court's ruling with the majority North in their grasp. Southerners were excited with this ruling an saw opportunity to expand slavery maybe even throughout the entire United States.

Abolitionists believed a saying “Once Free, Always Free.” So the audacity of the court to continuously rule that Dred Scott and eventually even his family was no longer free since they had passed into slave territory was unsatisfying. This feeling lead to the raid lead by John Brown in 1859, Harpers Ferry Virginia in effort to steal guns to arm slaves and rise up. John Brown was hanged after this unsuccessful attempt which led many northerners to feel dismayed and upset. Democratic Republicans will also support the end of this dispute by bring the free-soil movement into accordance. Abraham Lincoln’s election will also play a role in the abolitionists opinion being so fiercely formed. These factors heat the fuse of Southerns dynamite which leads them to more actions to anger Northerners and abolitionists.

Southerners were electrified with the spread of slavery. By the decision of the case all laws such as the Compromise of 1850 , Missouri compromise, etc. were now unconstitutional. This meant meaning slave owners could travel anywhere with their slaves in legality. After John Brown's raid southerners also argued that they should lead the union in effort to prevent another uprising in the South. The North and South continued to make actions that angered each other. This lead to the growing opinions of each side an eventually the civil war.