Sectional Crisis : Fighting Slavery's Expansion, 1848-1861 | US History Lecture
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 ต.ค. 2024
- The US in 1848-1861 was riven by the political crisis surrounding the expansion of slavery into the new western territories. They could not resolve the conflict, eventually leading to the Civil War. This is a lecture on that.
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See pinned comment and its replies for notes, responses, and errata
assigned readings for this week
William Still, The Underground Railroad: A Record (Philadelphia: Porter & Coates, 1872), 41, 43, 378, 137, 158: bit.ly/2z5AuF3
Correspondence between Lydia Maria Child and Gov. Wise and Mrs. Mason, of Virginia (Boston: 1860), 16, 18-20: bit.ly/2ZcBUIy
1860 Republican Party Platform: bit.ly/3dU8kvo
South Carolina Declaration of Secession (1860): bit.ly/2WBszrY
Bibliography
William J. Cooper, We Have the War Upon Us: The Onset of the Civil War, November 1860 - April 1861 (New York: Vintage Books, 2011). amzn.to/2T8tIFP
Joanne B. Freeman, The Field of Blood: Violence in Congress and the Road to Civil War (New York: Picador, 2018), ebook. amzn.to/3sqKgKW
Stanley Harrold, Border War: Fighting over Slavery before the Civil War (Chapel Hill: The University of North Carolina Press, 2010). amzn.to/2xbEKSp
David M. Potter, The Impending Crisis: America Before the Civil War, 1848-1861, Reprint (1976; New York: Harper Perennial, 2011). amzn.to/3aeYy5q
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Wiki: Slavery’s western expansion created problems for the United States from the very start. Battles emerged over the westward expansion of slavery and over the role of the federal government in protecting the interests of enslavers. Northern workers felt that slavery suppressed wages and stole land that could have been used by poor white Americans to achieve economic independence. Southerners feared that without slavery’s expansion, the abolitionist faction would come to dominate national politics and an increasingly dense population of enslaved people would lead to bloody insurrection and race war. Constant resistance from enslaved men and women required a strong pro-slavery government to maintain order. As the North gradually abolished human bondage, enslaved men and women headed north on an underground railroad of hideaways and safe houses. Northerners and southerners came to disagree sharply on the role of the federal government in capturing and returning these freedom seekers. While northerners appealed to their states’ rights to refuse to capture people escaping slavery, white southerners demanded a national commitment to slavery. Enslaved laborers meanwhile remained vitally important to the nation’s economy, fueling not only the southern plantation economy but also providing raw materials for the industrial North. Differences over the fate of slavery remained at the heart of American politics, especially as the United States expanded. After decades of conflict, Americans north and south began to fear that the opposite section of the country had seized control of the government. By November 1860, an opponent of slavery’s expansion arose from within the Republican Party. During the secession crisis that followed, fears nearly a century in the making at last devolved into bloody war.
Honestly kind of strange that Cypher, Atun-Shei, and the other Historytubers just give out such high quality history lessons that we can learn straight from TH-cam. Almost feels like gaming the system lol
And they don't even directly get paid for it, it's all out of their passion for the truth.
History is the common property of all; nobody should be barred from learning!
Imagine, using social media to learn instead of throwing poop at each other. I wish Cypher was my history teacher all those years ago...
@@donny_doyle My middle school history teacher told me the war was about tariffs 🤮
Historians craft is fantastic (though his focus is more on the ancient world) and has hours of university level lectures.
A lecture where the lecturer actualli sings the relevant folk tune that came out of those events.... I wish I had teachers like you back in uni. 🙂
It's like Tolkein meets PBS!
Nice PFP brah
Truth! 💜
I feel kinda bad that I was looking for a low quality boring lecture to distract me while I fall asleep and instead found a teacher making a genuine effort to teach us history
And John Brown continues marching on
He got what he wanted in the end
@@jtgdIt's more like, he saw where we were inevitably going. Dread Scott made it so. All John Brown did at the end said was "Alright, let's go mf!!!!! Ding Ding!"
His spirit is ever present in every age.
✊🏿❤️💯
GLOOOORRRYY GLORY HALLELUUUUUUJAH
The John Brown song, you should have used Atun-Sheis performance with Johnny Reb yelling STOOOOOOP!!!!
When the COVID pandemic sent students home, and everyone did remote learning for the next year, I thought for sure college/university, high school and maybe even middle school instructors would start churning out lectures and lessons in video form. If history classes were like this, we all would be in better shape.
I asked one of my friends (a college biology professor) why there wasn't a huge surge in content taking over the educational process. Everything I saw was pretty much the teacher/lecturer/professor doing their regular lectures into a Zoom camera, with that level of quality. His answer was more or less, "Because most people our age and older can barely use their iPhones, let alone produce a 50-minute video." Which is a fair point, I guess.
Producing something like this is incredibly intensive work. It may be less than an hour, but I probably put at least 30 hours of editing into it and the recording time was 6 hours on top of that. This kind of thing is really too much to ask of most professors
Learning about John Brown definitely helped move me to the left. When fighting against undeniable evil, you have to be willing to fight. Everyone who tried to comprise with it and phase it out over time only made the inevitable war that much bloodier.
Facts
A gorgeous re-telling of perfectly legitimate history that every American should be required to know. Thoroughly enjoyed this history lesson and look forward to listening and learning from others. John Brown was always one of my favorite figures in American history.
Listening through this reminds me of how little the Lost Cause mentality pays attention to the world before the civil war; they downplay slavery as if it meant nothing, but even this detailed but cursory look into the decades leading up to the civil war demonstrates just how important slavery was to the south and how they were losing in that fight; in light of how important slavery was, it's seems abjectly unhinged to insist the south could have seceded over anything but. The reminder that anti-slavery and abolitionist weren't the same thing and that both were multi-faceted movements is important as well; I think we tend to look at movements as if they were a monolith and the truth is, if there's a position humans can disagree on, there WILL be disagreement. It's just part of our nature, and it this texture is important for understanding the people in those movements.
One thing you will quickly learn is that reactionaries don't actually care about such unimportant concepts as "historical fact" or "the truth". They care, exclusively, about pushing a narrative
Look back further. The South needed slaves, because, for one thing, England needed Cotton, and if I'm not mistaken, helped fund, or was going to add funds for the Civil War.
My 3rd Great Grandfather, and his two Sons, one of which was my 2nd Great Grandfather, fought together for the North, in the Civil War. This is written about in our County History book on the Civil War.
Thank you for posting this. I have found over the years that when you try to learn about a new subject be it from a TH-cam video or podcast that it is difficult to bridge that gap from a basic introduction to a more in depth look. It is always wonderful to find something that can increase my knowledge of a subject by bridging that gap as this video does. Sadly I am as thick as a planck so university was never an option for me! Please post more in depth lectures like this, they really are excellent to listen to.
If you're "thick as a Planck" this is a brag! The Planck length is the narrowest measure physicists believe is possible in our universe. Remember always when learning that repetition is necessary for retention.
Came for the lecture…
Stayed for the tune 😊 27:34
If I'd only had a professor who sang! Nice voice btw. And, I knew u could count on you for an engaging "lecture."
Hope everything is going smoothly with your doctorate. (If I missed things, family matters have taken me away.)
Looking forward to watching more!✌️😎🍀
I casually listen to the Battle Hymn of the Republic. It is truly a bop
This video just came out 48 minutes ago.
Lunch Break time !!
Perfect timing!!! 😃
Cypher’s analysis of the lead up, causes of, and reasoning behind the Civil War is absolutely solid, even if I disagree with other opinions or even other historical analyses he’s put on his channel.
In this video I was a little surprised that I didn’t hear about the Cotton States (the Deep South) developed a new identity that was completely counter to the ideals of the American Creed, seeing themselves as the “Cotton Kingdom”.
I thought it may lead into that with mentioning the Knights of the Golden Circle, but just left it at that.
The important take away is that even though the United States is perceived to be an indestructible shinning city on a hill, as many statesmen and Presidents have warned, that American Citizens must be vigilant and freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.
The Cotton Kingdom Ideology is a window into a very dark anti-Liberty alternative for America
@philagelio336 yup I would say that you get an insight into the Anti-slavery movement based their perception of the South becoming a 'Slavocracy' that would stifle & control the rest of the country in Congress. They were correct of course as the Southern Planter class consistently kept pushing the expansion of Slavery into the new territories & the most extreme among them pretty much were the Fireeaters Pre-Civil War.The average politician was not yelling to the heavens for the complete abolition of the institution. I would recommend the History of The Republican Party by Dr. Heather Cox Richardson as a book, she also has a video series here on TH-cam.
I also think that its interesting that at the time Within the issue of Slavery both Lincoln & Stephen Douglass were moderates within their respective parties but also were basically both against Slavery & the expansion of the power of the Planter Class along with the fact that we now know that around a Third of Free White Southern Households on average participated in the Slavery system of Labor in the end of the Antebellum Era.
Wow! You research history AND sing! Awesome!
How could I not find your video till today like heh? Maybe that's the signal to get the bell for all notifications on it seems.
This is the lecture I’ve been waiting for!
Thank you for your videos. I think I've binge watched your entire cataloge since discovering you a few weeks ago. I'm ashamed to say that I never learned any of this stuff in school. I was too busy shooting spit wads at my friends and getting kicked out of class.
Thank you so much for sharing these with us! You are the best!
Such great work! I wonder how long it takes him to produce a TH-cam video of this length and research!
With my state of Oregon when it came to the slavery issues it went:
You can’t have the issue of slavery if you banned black people in the state.
*points at temple*
They. .... Forbade.....Black People....From being in Oregon......???????.....????? Well,.....that's a thing I just learned.
Another banger video by our man!
I'm curious what Latin America and the Caribbean was thinking when some Americans wanted to invade and annex their land.🤔
They wouldn't have been happy. It's why Nicaragua and Costa Rica still celebrate their victory over William Walker during the Filibuster War, and why the Mexicans fought hard against both the American, and then later the French invasion of their nation. They for sure weren't ready to give up territories without a fight.
Latin America was also stealing each others land. Gran Colombia’s dispute with Peru over Ecuador. The Argentina-Brazil-Paraguay catastrophic wars over Uruguay/Cisplatina. The stealing of Bolivia’s coastlines. Haiti’s blatant illegal invasion of independent Dominican Republic.
Only thing John brown did wrong was he didn’t succeed
Feels like there should be a massive asterisk on that usage of "popular sovereignty"-"explicitly excludes the part of the population most affected by this debate"
Please explain more if you have the intelligence to explain your point.
*and women
@@christophereichten9005 Slaves had no say in whether or not they had slavery. Their lives were most directly affected given that they could be killed without recourse for any reason.
@@christophereichten9005 a real genius you seem to us indeed
@@richardarriaga6271 Wow really? Thank you so much for telling me something I already knew
This vid was well worth my time to watch !! I wonder why You Tube put a thing on your vid about Zac taylor?
I love these lectures.
Always a fan albeit I will offer light pushback on dismissing slave patrols to police departments as a 'complete' myth because while it is largely not true there are instances of confederate politicians who held mayoral positions prior to the civil war and had charge of establishing a local slave patrol, also establishing the local police department after 1865. It's not a one to one but it's also not quite so cut and dry (albeit I know the popular discussion doesn't branch from that) I came across it studying how norms and policies create institutions while diving into some local Louisiana history. I know comments aren't great but this is more about offering something to hear your thoughts!
Interesting topic for today 😮
Do you think a episode on ancient or natural history, I think it could be interesting.
As a Jayhawker, I can vouch for the theory that us Wheatfield kids were told he was a hero, our first.
OMG you got a context note on a video providing context. Only on TH-cam.
Wow, thanks for telling me. It's not even the correct article, LOL
Makes me smile knowing that a novel helped kill Chattel Slavery.
Awesome singing! 5 stars - approved 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
It wasn't until my adulthood that I ever heard someone suggest that the Civil War was not about slavery. If you want to learn about the factors that led to the Civil War, resist one-word answers, and you're going to need at least an hour to understand. Or this video is only about 45 minutes; I highly recommend.
at 21:44 my home town is spelled wrong: Oostende (meaning East End). Cool mention thou :)
Keep up the good work.
His truth is marching on.
Good video
Can you imagine supporting an economic policy that hurt you by keeping tou unemployed but also hurts other people more by forcing them to work for free. Absolute insanity.
Whats really funny is Athens and Sparta already fought this fight and with the same result hundreds of years before that. But you know what they say about history and not learning from it.
You ever realize how the fact that we let each state run itself like an individual fiefdom with its own laws and constitutions is one of the dumbest things we ever did?
"States Rights" IE, the idea that the states HAD any rights outside of federal law and jurisdiction is a poison to this country, always has been
Unfortunately our System of 'Dual Federalism' was a Compromise in between both what would become the Federalists & Anti-Federalists at the time.The problem is we need a new Constitution in & of itself.
@@chazcmeekins83 Most modern countries have gone through at least a couple. We can at least call a convention about it and TRY to be civil about it.
It's something I've always struggled with as a European from a very centralized country who's lived in the US.
@@samrevlej9331 have you been to Germany? They are a federalist country.
Federalism is a double edged sword. Gay people could be married in a part of the us as of 2004 due to states rights. Which slowly spread across the country. Women are keeping right to abortion in certain states due to states rights. Medical marijuana is exclusively legal due to states rights. States rights has also been the history of slavery and discrimination as well as tax havens as well as the death penalty. Without states rights you are relying on all of the country to agree to radical change for good or bad to effect everywhere. Historically the us digs its heals in at change. That means more people in more states suffer longer because of other states refusing to agree. Double edged sword.
Interesting tidbit, the principality of Orange, from which the Dutch royal house gets their name is actually in the south of France. On a more serious note it would be great to have a series on the development of the American party systems.
I have one on the Sixth Party System
@@CynicalHistorian Yes I know, that's what gave me the idea. I truly enjoy your lectures, in Finland American history is not a priority so for a history hobbyist your lectures are gold.
As a Nexican, I'm appreciating the detail of my disputed homeland. The idea that Texas starts on the other side of the river (300 yards away) makes me feel territorial
You're a legend. And I was surprised when I saw who your dad was lol
This will be interesting!
Thanks!
And thank you too
John Brown did nothing wrong.
Incorrect. He clearly should’ve planned his rebellion better. Lol.
@@MelGibsonFan His idea was dumb. But you can’t deny how much of a catalyst and martyred he became.
He definitely became a symbol for the union after his death.
Where do you get the John Brown was a Unitarian minister?
never said he was one. he tried to become one, but failed
"Unitarian and failed preacher" per the video.
Very dense video
32:26 "...Dunmercrats..."
That is oddly appropriate.
John Brown's actions are the morally conflicting to me, one side of me wants to say hoorah to actions but the other side recognizes that his actions violent and potentially unnecessary.
Sadly, far too many people on the internet are unwilling to understand who John Brown was in favor of his myth. You're clearly making strides towards learning rather than mythologizing
@@CynicalHistorian I remember seeing a western movie where John Brown was depicted as a radical fanatic, and a lot of critics, such as Pauline Kael, couldn't handle that John Brown might be depicted that way.
The multiple angles of evil are rather disturbing. There were dozens of ways that people justified what could never be just. Legalize could never be anything other then sheer barbarity . It doesn’t matter who tells you that another person can be property, the human soul is created to be free.
Furthermore, I am of the mind that John Brown did nothing wrong.
…Well despite having his heart in the right place he was a terrible planner.
John browns body lays a-moulding in the grave, but his soul goes marching on.
California had some major caveats to the free state provision. CA still enslaved native people.
Older people in Virginia, especially the black ones say “John Brown”instead of got damn.
17:46 He also attacked the honor of South Carolina senator Andrew Butler, who was Preston Brooks’s cousin. That’s why Brooks attacked Sumner.
He had honor?
@@oceanberserker He thought he did.
@@docjoe86 Didn't they all, he said sarcastically.
Do you know if the charges weren't true?
Brooks extreme behavior gives me pause.....🤔
@@whoamarshrobert2781 Charles Sumner said that that Butler had chosen slavery as his mistress. This was taken to refer to both the opening of Kansas to slavery and to the rape of female slaves that was widespread and likely true for Senator Butler. Senator Sumner may have also made fun of Butler’s difficulty speaking after a recent stroke. (“He cannot open his mouth, but out there flies a blunder.”)
This speech caused Brooks to attack.
Assassin's creeds path to freedom you n could you measure the assassin Creed bloody Kansas halogen sit in the civil war before the civil war in this. This could work
How such evil persisted for so long staggers and disgusts me
Would you say the nation's divisiveness was as bad then as it is today?
Obviously far worse back then
@@CynicalHistorian so far…
How was the Republican Party "explicitly sectional"? Did the Republican Party spurn anti-slavery folk from the South just because they came from the wrong section? If not, then the RepublicanParty was not "explicitly sectional". What made things sectional was the use in the South of violence against any who dared to speak against slavery there. Brooks attack on Sumner was notable mainly for the location rather than because violence against those who spoke against slavery was a rare thing in itself. That goes along with the reference to Congress banning petitions about slavery, without mentioning it was principally the work of pro-slavery members and their allies.
John Brown vs Bloody Bill on WCW 2057
Assassin's Creed game apart before the civil war😮
Bro, john brown wasn't a insurrectionist. It was a pacific march, they where mere turists 🤣
Comment
11:00
That’s the view of “race realists” today
And we all know what sorts "race realists" are.
@@MrZauberelefant Remove the "e real".
_Insert bad comment here_
"The Boys" is overhyped.
Great lecture and vid as usual. Would consider using non-gendered terminology when referring to Texas (it/the State, rather than she).
:)
We should have taken all of Mexico, then Central America.
No.
john brown should've listened to the hotline miami soundtrack before dealin with the likes of u
After the Mexican War, some suggested the US claim all of Mexico
It was decided that would include too many non whites and Catholics
So we settled for the less populated areas