The Battle Hymn of the Republic

The tune had been called “John Brown’s Body” before Julia Ward Howe added her new lyrics for what would become “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.”

Even though this has some recording problems about 2 minutes in, I found this to be the most touching version, since it was from a National Remembrance in England in the wake of the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. Here are British voices raised singing our song…

Here are the lyrics for the Battle Hymn of the Republic:

For more background, here is information from the Library of Congress: http://www.loc.gov/teachers/lyrical/songs/john_brown.html

Lincoln’s Evolving Views on Slavery

The most recent work by a serious historian on Loncoln and Slavery is Eric Foner’s The Fiery Trial: Abraham Lincoln and American Slavery, published in 2010. Here is a link to a story on NPR reviewing this work: http://www.npr.org/2010/10/11/130489804/lincolns-evolving-thoughts-on-slavery-and-freedom

Not only is Eric Foner an historian with whom you should be familiar, but this is a very good work on its own merits.

19:1 MC practice

1. The pro-slavery government of Kansas Territory was headquartered in
A. Kansas City
B. Wichita
C. Shawnee Mission
D. Topeka
E. Leavenworth

2. The trick of the Lecompton Constitution was that
A. it allowed slaveholders more representation than non-slaveholders.
B. rejection of the constitution automatically made Kansas a slave state.
C. the vote on it was held directly over the border between Missouri and Kansas.
D. voters had to present proof of ownership of slaves before being allowed to cast a ballot.
E. even voting for the constitution “without slavery” allowed slave-owners in the territory to keep their slaves.

3. In 1856, the breaking point over slavery in Kansas occurred with
A. the passage of the Lecompton Constitution.
B. the influx of a large number of slaves.
C. the establishment of abolitionist churches within Kansas.
D. an attack on Lawrence by a gang of proslavery raiders.
E. the arrival of John Brown.

4. In 1857, the Supreme Court ruled in Scott v. Sanford that
A. slavery was constitutional, but the slave trade was unconstitutional.
B. protection of slavery was guaranteed in all the Western territories.
C. slavery was inconsistent with the Constitution and must be abolished.
D. slavery could only be abolished through the vote of state legislatures.
E. slavery would be allowed only in those territories where there were already at least 10% of the population enslaved.

5. When the British and French people read Uncle Tom’s Cabin, their governments
A. concluded they must end slavery in their own territories.
B. decided to give aid to the slaveholding South.
C. banned the book.
D. distributed the book as anti-American propaganda.
E. realized that intervention on behalf of the South would be deeply unpopular.

6. Nativists in the 1850s were known for their
A. anti-Catholic and anti-foreign attitudes.
B. support of slavery.
C. support of Native Americans (indigenous peoples).
D. opposition to alcohol and Sabbath-breaking.
E. opposition to old-stock Protestants.

7. A significant reason the Republicans lost the election of 1856 is
A. the division between Democrats and Know-Nothings.
B. southern threats that a Republican victory would be a declaration of war.
C. their refusal to address the issue of slavery over economic concerns.
D. the North’s unwillingness to leave the South alone.
E. lingering support for slavery in the North.

8. In the presidential election of 1856, the Republicans
A. lost behind their most popular leader, William Seward.
B. revealed astonishing strength for a brand new party.
C. made their debut as the most successful third party in American political history.
D. finished third behind the Democrats and Know-Nothings.
E. proved unable to present a clear platform on slavery expansion.

9. The panic of 1857
A. was caused by over-exportation of southern cotton.
B. finally caused southern congressmen to support free homesteads in the West.
C. demonstrated the economic dominance of the North.
D. hit hardest among grain growers in the Northwest.
E. stimulated Northern demands for lower tariff rates.

10. As a result of the Lincoln-Douglas debates
A. Lincoln was elected president.
B. Lincoln was elected to the Senate.
C. Douglas increased his chances of winning the presidency.
D. Illinois voters rejected the concept of popular sovereignty.
E. Douglas defeated Lincoln for the Senate.

Biblical Verses used by Slaveowners to Justify Slavery

Psalm 123:2 (New International Version (NIV)): As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid look to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the LORD our God, till he shows us his mercy.

Ephesians 6:4-6: Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart.

Ephesians 6:5:Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ.

Ephesians 6:9:And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.

Colossians 3:22:Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord.

Colossians 4:1:Masters, provide your slaves with what is right and fair, because you know that you also have a Master in heaven.

Titus 2:9:Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them,

1 Peter 2:18:Slaves, submit yourselves to your masters with all respect, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh.

Slaveowners would read these verses to slaves as part of the worship services that they allowed (and controlled) as a means of encouraging the proper attitude among their slaves. Based upon these isolated verses, slaveowners claimed that the Bible supported slavery and taught slaves to be obedient to their masters.

On the surface, this certainly appears true. However, When looking at the evidence, one has to remember that the Bible was created in a time when slavery was certainly condoned. Paul’s letters mention slavery so often because Christianity appealed to slaves. Many slaves converted to the new religion of Christianity because of Christianity’s message of justice and freedom. Nonetheless, Christianity was an outlawed religion in the Roman Empire. Therefore, Paul counseled his followers, if they were slaves, to be peaceable and obedient so that further oppression would not be brought down on the heads of slaves as well as upon the members of the Church in general. The verses about obedience are not condoning slavery but are practical matters to try to prevent further suffering of Christians, whether slave or free.

The most compelling argument AGAINST slavery in the New Testament is Paul’s letter to Philemon, in which Paul asks a Christian to free his Christian slave. Most Christians countered these claims of Biblical support that owning slaves violated the spirit of Christian teaching.

The Significance of the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850

This video can also be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDe4eVUB

A discussion of the real significance of the Fugitive Slave Law, putting forth the theory that the FSL of 1850 is actually a perfect example of how the Southern support for this law went against their support of “states’ rights.” Fascinating. I just wish these things wouldn’t end so abruptly.

This video can also be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbuEDROTIic

Professor James Horton of George Washington University recounts stories of victims of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 and recounts the impact of that law.

18:3 MC practice

Bring the answers with you on Friday.

1. In retrospect, it is apparent that the South made a crucial blunder in the Compromise of 1850 by
A. allowing popular sovereignty in Nebraska.
B. not demanding federal protection of slavery in the territories.
C. allowing the admission of California as a free state.
D. demanding a stronger fugitive slave law.
E. allowing a ban on the slave trade in Washington DC. 426

2. This first formal treaty between the US and China was concluded in 1844.
A. Treaty of Wanghia
B. Clayton-Bulwer Treaty
C. Chinese Open-Door Treaty
D. Hong Kong Treaty
E. Treaty of Kanagawa 430

3. Stephen Douglas’s plan for organizing the Kansas and Nebraska territories required repeal of the
A. Compromise of 1850.
B. Missouri Compromise.
C. Dred Scott decision.
D. Wilmot Proviso.
E. Northwest Ordinance. 433

4. Which of the following was NOT a reason for building a transcontinental railroad route in the South, according to page 432 in your text?
A. The route would not pass through unorganized territory.
B. The South would be helped in catching up with the North economically.
C. There were not enough troops available to guard the trains as they passed along the Mexican border.
D. The mountains along the proposed route were less high.
E. There was a fear that if a route was not built soon, the new western possessions along the Pacific Coast might break away. 432

5. Which of the following is NOT true regarding Stephen Douglas’s efforts to pass the Kansas- Nebraska Act?
A. Douglas supported the bill so that a northern route for the transcontinental railroad could be chosen.
B. Passage would actually help Douglas personally, as it would increase the value of land and stock purchases he had made for himself.
C. He pointed out in debates that land would have been open to slavery anyway based upon the Dred Scott decision.
D. His home state strongly supported the concept of popular sovereignty, so he was not taking much of a political risk of losing his Senate seat.
E. Southerners and President Pierce supported the measure. 433-4

6. It was assumed that Kansas would eventually become a slave state because
A. southerners already made up a majority of the population in Kansas.
B. the climate and soil was conducive to the growing of cotton.
C. Some of the Indian tribes in Kansas already owned slaves.
D. slaves would be necessary to build railroads across the state.
E. it lay directly west of Missouri, also a slave state. 433

7. Which of the following was NOT one of the SIX candidates in the presidential election of 1852?
A. Free Soil candidate John P. Hale
B. Democrat candidate Franklin Pierce
C. Whig candidate Winfield Scott
D. States’ Rights candidate John C. Calhoun
E. Union party (Whig) candidate Daniel Webster 427-8

8. The discovery of gold in California led to further pressure to
A. take the US off the gold standard for our currency.
B. build some kind of transportation route across the isthmus between North and South America.
C. take over the entire west coast of North America, including land held by Canada and Mexico.
D. stop immigration of Chinese into the US.
E. create a new political party that could gain support from both slave and free states. 428

9. The first “transcontinental” railroad was built
A. from Iowa west to Sacramento, California.
B. with no federal aid or subsidies.
C. from New Orleans through Houston to San Diego.
D. with slave labor.
E. through the jungles of the country we now call Panama. 428

10. Which president offered $120 million to Spain for Cuba but also contemplated war if Spain refused?
A. Pierce
B. Polk
C. Fillmore
D. Jackson
E. Buchanan 431-2

Virtual Underground Railroad

The Routes of the Underground Railroad

Go to http://www.nationalgeographic.com/railroad/ and enjoy a brief audio-visual presentation on the Underground Railroad.

A commentary on Whig presidential candidates

What symbols are used in this cartoon? What kind of commentary is this making regarding the Whig party? What apparently is the “one qualification for a Whig president?”