Civil War: Politics In Texas In 1860

government's inability to prevent Indian attacks, slave-stealing raids, and other border-crossing acts of banditry. It accuses northern politicians and abolitionist of committing a variety of outrages upon Texans. The bulk of the document offers justifications for slavery and white supremacy, saying that remaining a part of the United States would jeopardize the security of the two. The declaration includes this extract praising slavery, in which the Union itself is referred to as the "confederacy".Following the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860, public opinion in the cotton states of the Lower South (South Carolina through Texas) swung in favor of secession. By February 1861, the other six states of the sub-region had separately passed ordinances of secession. However, events in Texas were delayed, largely due to the resistance of Southern Unionist governor, Sam Houston. Unlike the other "cotton states" chief executives, who took the initiative in secessionist efforts, Houston refused to call the Texas Legislature into special session to consider the question, relenting only when it became apparent citizens were prepared to act without

The recent study of these Northern counties, John R. Lundberg’s article, disputes the prominent narrative for why the North Texas counties voted against secession during the secession referendum. Most historians, for example, Buenger, cite the reasons for voting for or against secession stems from the growing Indian raids on the exposed frontier. Also, Houston’s failure to protect the settlers from those

Following the secession referendum, Texas seceded from the Union and joined the Confederacy. Those who supported the Unionist vote experienced repercussion from secessionist throughout the

The election of Lincoln in November 1860 was the final trigger for secession.[74] Efforts at compromise, including the "Corwin Amendment" and the "Crittenden Compromise", failed. Southern leaders feared that Lincoln would stop the expansion of slavery and put it on a course toward extinction. The slave states, which had already become a minority in the House of Representatives, were now facing a future as a perpetual minority in the Senate and Electoral College against an increasingly powerful North. Before Lincoln took office in March 1861, seven slave states had declared their secession and joined together to form the Confederacy.

One reason that Texas fought in the civil war was to protect state rights. Abraham lincoln did not want any states to secede saying “ I hold that...the union of these states is perpetual….(N)o state upon its own mere motion, can lawfully get out of the union”(Document c). But the state disagreed saying that the state was taking their rights away which

The secession of seven southern states. After Lincoln was elected southern states were furious. The reason why they were furious was that they never voted for him. They felt that their votes did not matter to them. Some states threatened to secede from the union. Secession was declared unconstitutional, but the states did not care. Lincoln argued that “The government was a union of people and not of states.”. He could of of helped the states or let the states go and let the United States look weak and apart. He picked the second choice, eleven states seceded, South Carolina was the first to go. The states were Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina, Tennessee,

There exists one book that every scholar references during their studies on Texas secessionism, that is E. W. Winkler’s, edited book, Journal of the Secession Convention of Texas, 1861. Scholar’s mentioned within this paper references portions of this Journal when the information pertains to their subject matter of discussion. On the fiftieth anniversary of the secession of Texas the thirty-second legislature made an appropriation for the Library and Historical Commission to produce a book, containing the “Journal” that “appeared in the newspapers at the time the Convention was in secession.” Winkler’s historical book provides the day-to-day motions and resolutions conducted by convention members of the First Secession Convention that occurred between January 28 and February 4. He continues by adding the follow-on or Adjourned Session that occurred after the returns received by the committee following the February 23, 1861 secession referendum, where the citizens of Texas voted for or against secession – March 2 – 25. Winkler adds Appendixes that includes copies of address or communications made by committee members, legislatures, and the governor to the people of Texas. Also, it includes the reports of the Committee on Public Safety, the list of the delegates, and the certificates of election. Due to the extensive utilization by scholars as reference material, Winkler’s book becomes the foundation for this paper in its discussion on the secession movement in

Houston felt that secession would be the wrong thing to do but many Texans disagreed with him. Secession was a big choice. Secession could cause war and Mexicans taking over Texas. The people wanted secession and Houston must make a choice. Would secession put the Texans in danger or help them thrive?

The people of Texas fought in the Civil War to preserve slavery. “African race … is mutually beneficial to both bond (slave) and free, and is … justified by the experience of mankind…” (Doc B) Texans believed that slavery was right, and that Africans benefited from slavery. I think that this is the most important reason that Texans fought because it’s literally what divided the nation. If everyone agreed on things regarding slavery, the country wouldn’t have split and the American Civil War would be non-existent.

After the new states were being proclaimed argument for what states were to be slaves and which were not. This lead to distress in the senate and had planted the seeds for the civil war. Texas was later taken over by former southern American slave owners that had declared their own independence calling them the lone star state which started distress with Mexico who had stated that texas’ borders were on a closer river than the Rio grande and had started a war with

In August 1859, the citizens of Texas elected Sam Houston as their governor. The result of this election placed the Unionists in control of the state, but in just eighteen months’ individual events or circumstances allowed the secessionists to regain power. Following the 1859 Gubernatorial election, the secessionists sought to restore political and social power in Texas over the Unionists. Texas’ one party system continued to support the other Southern states ideologically in dealing with slavery despite cultural and economic differences between the Upper and Lower South. Sam Houston’s continued popularity among Texas citizens temporarily outweighed his support for Unionist views, but the Southern Democratic propaganda machine eventually led to his defeat. Texas became the only state to bring a vote of secession to the people of the state and historians continue to debate the voting returns from the referendum on the Ordinance of Secession, 1861. The secession movement in Texas became a hotly debated topic as past, and present historians determined how the secessionists obtained enough power to overcome the Unionist-controlled government.

Until the 12th of April, 1861, the United States had never seen a war as big as the Civil War. The country, that, during the Revolutionary War, was small and united; now, was deeply divided by a (somewhat) imaginary line. This separated the Union into two independent countries: the Confederate States of America, also called the South or Confederacy, was pro slavery; and the United States of America, also called the North or Union, was against slavery. This division was long awaited. As someone who was against slavery on moral grounds, the election of Abraham Lincoln caused the secession of the following slave states in the Deep South: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Texas. After the Battle of Fort Sumter,

The initial effects of the Civil War on Texas were titanic. The most obvious example is the abolition of slavery. During reconstruction the Union army forced Texans to desegregate public places, such as hotels, theatres, and restaurants. They also established a strong government to control the largely hostile state. This changed in 1876, when a new constitution was created.

The Southern states had seceded and the South had fired on and captured Fort Sumter on April 12 1861.

The secession of South Carolina on December 20, 1860, by a vote of 169-0 was a response to the election of Abraham Lincoln of 1860. Lincoln perceived as an abolitionist wanted to contain slavery rather than ending it. The majority party above the Mason-Dixon line were Republicans and below were primarily Democrats and Republicans were viewed as abolitionists. The election of a Republican threatened the South’s status quo. The primary catalyst for secession was based on slavery. Different social cultures and political beliefs developed due to the South’s intimate and reliant relationship on slavery. Southern whites feared the end of slavery and this paranoia was shared among plantation slave owners and white Yeoman farmers. Southern whites felt that the North were threatening the supposed tranquility of the South. The South’s agrarian economy, honor, and independence were believed to be in danger. Slavery was intertwined with the South’s social, cultural, and economic makeup. As a result of slavery, the South developed a paternalistic culture and racial ideology of white supremacy. The perceived notion that the North was influencing it’s political and social beliefs on the South lead them to believe that secession was the only act of self-preservation. The growing differences between the South and North made it difficult to negotiate. This fear was exaggerated and accelerated the South’s eventual implosion. The South believed that without slavery it would self-destruct and