The Caning of Charles Sumner

The attack on Senator Charles Sumner by Representative Preston Brooks in 1856 symbolized the growing divide between North and South. Sumner, an abolitionist, had delivered a fiery speech criticizing slavery and insulting Southern senators.

Quote: "The senator from South Carolina has read many books of chivalry, and believes himself a chivalrous knight with sentiments of honor and courage. Of course he has chosen a mistress to whom he has made his vows, and who, though ugly to others, is always lovely to him; though polluted in the sight of the world, is chaste in his sight—I mean the harlot, slavery." - Charles Sumner, in his "Crime Against Kansas" speech.

Brooks, a Southern Democrat, responded by beating Sumner with a cane on the Senate floor. This violent incident:

1. Highlighted the intensity of emotions surrounding the slavery debate
2. Increased support for the Republican Party in the North
3. Was celebrated by many Southerners who saw it as a defense of their honor

Highlight: The caning of Sumner demonstrated how political discourse had broken down, with violence replacing debate on the issue of slavery.

The Mexican-American War and Its Consequences

The Mexican-American War (1846-1848) was a direct result of American expansionist policies and the annexation of Texas. President Polk's actions, including sending troops into disputed territory, ultimately led to conflict with Mexico.

Vocabulary: Sectionalism refers to the division between Northern and Southern states over issues such as slavery and states' rights.

The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ended the war in 1848, resulting in significant territorial gains for the United States. This included the present-day states of California, New Mexico, and the confirmation of Texas as part of the U.S.

Highlight: The Mexican Cession added vast new territories to the United States, intensifying debates over the expansion of slavery.

The Wilmot Proviso, though never passed, proposed banning slavery in any territories acquired from Mexico. This proposal heightened sectional tensions and foreshadowed future conflicts over slavery's expansion.

Quote: "The United States will conquer Mexico, but it will be as the man swallows the arsenic, which brings him down in turn. Mexico will poison us." - Ralph Waldo Emerson, reflecting on the consequences of the Mexican-American War.

The Gadsden Purchase of 1853 acquired additional territory from Mexico for the construction of a transcontinental railroad, completing the current southern border of the continental United States.

John Brown and Harpers Ferry

John Brown, a radical abolitionist, played a significant role in both Bleeding Kansas and the lead-up to the Civil War. His actions in Kansas, including the killing of pro-slavery settlers, made him a controversial figure.

Quote: "I, John Brown, am now quite certain that the crimes of this guilty land will never be purged away but with blood." - John Brown, before his execution.

Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry in 1859 was an attempt to spark a slave rebellion. Although the raid failed and Brown was executed, it had a profound impact on public opinion:

• In the North, Brown became a martyr for the abolitionist cause.
• In the South, the raid was seen as evidence of Northern aggression and the threat posed by abolitionists.

Highlight: The Harpers Ferry raid intensified Southern fears of slave rebellions and further polarized the nation on the issue of slavery.