Introduction
In the 19th century, slavery arose as a highly divisive issue that caused detachment within the United States. During slavery, certain events and arguments heightened an already heightened sense of apprehension. These issues played a role in establishing the Republican Party (RP) and the subsequent Democratic Party (DP) division in 1860. Furthermore, the prevailing atmosphere of fear influenced the Northern and Southern regions. In the 19th century, the fear and worry concerning slavery in the South resulted in the creation of new political parties and the Civil War.
Events and Arguments That Intensified Southern Paranoia Over Slavery
Nat Turner’s Rebellion
A few arguments and events led to fear in the South and the North of the US. The first event was Nat Turner’s rebellion (1831); Nat Turner’s brutal slave revolt in Virginia frightened Southern slaveholders of future slave uprisings (Istvan, 2020). Istvan proceeds to explain that between 57 and 60 Whites died as a result of this event.
Abolitionist Movement
Another event was the Abolitionist Movement; as Istvan (2020) quotes Stewart Austin verbatim, “we desired freedom, the less willing we were to remain in bondage” (p. 17). This quotation means that the yearning for liberty among enslaved individuals was a formidable and resilient force that proved difficult to restrain or subdue. The Abolitionist Movement aimed to enhance this aspiration and transform it into a political and societal endeavor capable of contesting the institution of slavery. Undoubtedly, the advent of the Abolitionist Movement instilled fear within individuals who derived advantages from the institution of slavery, perceiving it as a direct challenge to their authority and entitlements.
The Missouri Compromise
Apart from the events, there were also arguments that propagated fear and paranoia. The Missouri Compromise of 1820, a political accord aimed at preserving the equilibrium of power between states that permitted slavery and those that did not within the US, elicited apprehension among certain individuals during that period. The Missouri Compromise facilitated the admission of Missouri as a state that permitted slavery and Maine as a state that prohibited slavery (Fraker, 2023). Additionally, it established a geographical boundary that separated territories in the Western region into areas where slavery was permitted and areas where it was prohibited. Many people were worried that the Compromise would not be sufficient to prevent more bloodshed and the ultimate dissolution of the Union.
Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin
Another argument that similarly caused fear and paranoia but aided in ending slavery was Uncle Tom’s Cabin of 1852. It caused tension among the slaveowners who mistreated enslaved people by exposing their evil actions. Imane (2022) holds that “‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin‘ by Stowe depicted the destructive and dehumanizing aspects of slavery to make a clear opposition towards the law and the enslavement in general” (p. 5). Harriet Beecher Stowe’s work condemned slavery and its effects on enslaved individuals and their families; Imane exposed the slavery dangers of slavery and mobilized public opinion against it.
The Rise of the Republican Party
Concerning the rise of RP, the Anti-Nebraska Movement and the 1856 election were the contributory factors. The formation of the RP in 1854 was greatly influenced by the Anti-Nebraska Movement (Kalisik III, 2019). The party was introduced as a response to the Kansas-Nebraska Act and the escalating conflicts between states advocating for the abolition of slavery and those supporting its continuation. The RP emerged with a foundational agenda centered around opposing the expansion of slavery and upholding the unity of the Union (Kalisik III, 2019). Therefore, it rapidly gained support from individuals who were against slavery: anti-slavery activists, former Free-Soilers, and Whigs.
Nonetheless, the election held in 1856 marked a turning point in American politics. It led to the rise of the RP and reshaped political alliances, which resulted in the Civil War. Democrats, Whigs, and newly established Republicans competed in the election.
The political campaign of John Fremont, a Republican candidate, was primarily centered on a populist critique of the Slave Power (Karp, 2019). The Republicans, created in 1854 in reaction to the Kansas-Nebraska Act and mounting tensions between free and slave states, opposed slavery and defended the Union. Thus, the RP, which opposed slavery and preserved the Union, was formed after the 1856 Election.
The 1860 Democratic Split
On the other hand, the leading cause of the 1860 division within the DP was the profound disagreements about the contentious matter of slavery. The difference was equally about the party’s stance on the expansion of slavery into previously uncharted territories. The DP encountered challenges reconciling these divergent viewpoints, dividing them into two distinct factions. The presidential candidate chosen by the Northern Democrats was Stephen Douglas, while the Southern Democrats nominated John Breckinridge (Harris, 2020). The DP division created an opportunity for the ascension of Abraham Lincoln, the Republican nominee; Lincoln secured the win by garnering a majority of electoral votes, despite failing to secure any Southern states.
Comparing Northern and Southern Perspectives on Slavery
During the Civil War, both Northerners and Southerners lost perspective. Even though both parties had their reasons for fighting, such as slavery and states’ rights, the war eventually ended in loss of lives and devastation. The opposition to slavery in the Northern region was frequently motivated by moral convictions and a commitment to upholding the principles of liberty and equality (Harris, 2020). The paranoia in the South was exacerbated by worries about the region’s economy and social stability.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the unescapable atmosphere of apprehension surrounding the institution of slavery in the Southern US during the 19th century exerted serious effects on the political background. The formation of the RP emerged to represent a formidable opposition to the expansion of slavery. This development ultimately played a pivotal role in the fragmentation of the DP in 1860. Both individuals from the Northern and Southern regions were motivated by their distinct interests and had lost perspective as many people died.
References
Fraker, G. C. (2023). The most interesting document Lincoln ever wrote. The Journal of the Abraham Lincoln Association, 43(2), 1-11. Web.
Harris, B. (2020). California’s dilemma: Northern and Southern sympathies during the American Civil War. Bound Away: The Liberty Journal of History, 3(2), 1-18. Web.
Imane, L. (2022). The Sentiment of Antislavery in Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Novel “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” 1852. (Master’s dissertation, University of Biskra). 1-72. Web.
Istvan, R. (2020). Slave Resistance: Gender and Masculinity in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia 1820-1860 (Doctoral dissertation, University of Southampton). 1-46. Web.
Kalisik III, F. S. (2019). Unpopular Sovereignty: Stephen A. Douglas and the Decline of Popular Sovereignty, 1848-1860. (Master’s thesis, Western Illinois University). 80-100. Web.
Karp, M. (2019). The people’s revolution of 1856. Journal of the Civil War Era, 9(4), 524-545. Web.