Notes November 29, 2006

The Economy

• From mid 1840's to late 1850's the economy grew particularly for businesses connected with railroads
• Most railroads are laid in old northwest which helps strengthen east-west links
• Transportation dependence changes from rivers to railroads and canals
• Railroads also provide jobs for immigrants looking to make money
• 1850's
• Industrial output in the free states west of Pennsylvania grew three times the pace of the northest and four times faster than the south.

Southern Views of Slavery

• Public education not in the south but the economy was good after 1845
• Price of slaves doubled between 1845 and 1855
• Southerners were aware that they were dependant on agriculutral goods which means they need slaves. We get the rise in prices for slaves.
• Ships that carry the Southern products like cotton were all owned by North
• Southerners now begin to worry about gaining independance from the North, but that is about all they can do.
• King Cotton asserted itself as cotton output increased and prices continued to rise
• This keeping a high demand for slaves

The Freeport Doctrine

• Off year election of 1853, Lincoln and Douglas competition
• Engaged in series of debates around state of Illinois
• 7 debates total
• In Freeport, Lincoln tried to trap Douglas
• Lincoln asked Douglas how he could reconcile Dred Scott decision
• Douglas said that even though the supreme court legalized slavery, the people of a territory could reject it

Sectional Tension

• Panic of 1857
• Grain sales to Europe slumped
• High interest rate spread from Europe
• Land prices soar
• Railroads were overbuilt
• Banks had made to many risky loans
• Businesses fail, railroads go bankrupt, and construction is halted
• South though manged to escape the depression by exports avoiding domestic downturn
• Dred Scott decision split the country
• Non-slaveholders still supported slavery due to
  
• Kinship
• Econmic interests
• Race
• Some non-slaveholders still rented slaves or had family that had slaves

Josh Brown

• Brown tries to seize a federal arsenal and to arm slaves to join him to end slavery
• Brown movers on the arsenal at Harpers Ferry
• US Marines commanded by Rober E. Lee capture John Brown
• Brown and six others are hanged
• Reaction to Brown is
• North-seen as a martyr, bells toll gun salutes are fired
• South-shocked and outraged, Brown seen as a lunatic, murderer, and scumbag
• Again we see the US divided