Sectionalism MAPPING

SECTIONALISM

Western Farmers

Northern Workers

Southern (yeoman) Farmers

Social Characteristics

• Used enslaved labor
• Strict social hierarchy - not a lot of chances to improve your social class
• Planters - plantation owners of the elite class, owned large amounts of slaves
• Yeomen farmers - self-working farmers, owned a few slaves and worked alongside them

What is Sectionalism?

As the United States moved closer to civil war, the country divided more and more. Sectionalism became a big problem. This is the loyalty to a part of a nation, but not the nation as a whole. Americans saw themselves as Southerners or Northerners. People who lived in different parts of the country often disagreed. Sectionalism began to grow early in the 1800s, right after the War of 1812. As more factories were built in the North, the South and the North grew further apart. When more people moved to the West, the country began to divide in this way, too.

DIRECTIONS:Take notes on the PEGS of the North, South, and West. You may create notes using images, bullet points, and hashtags.

Political Characteristics

• Favored gradual abolition of slavery
• Abolition = to do away with
• Supported federally funded public works, like building railroads, canals, and roadways

Social Characteristics

• Some territories allowed slavery and this was a conflict in the region
• Lots of immigration due to Gold Rush and Manifest Destiny
• Mostly male population initially

Political Characteristics

• Wanted to protect and expand slavery
• Supported states' rights
• Did not want federally funded public works projects

Life as a Western Farmer

Daily Life: Settlers emigrated west to California and Oregon to establish small family farms. They plowed the natural plain grasses to plant crops like corn, barley and oats. They had to be self-sufficient and make thier own food, clothing, and fuel. Life was isolating and sometimes dangerous. Settlers suffered from diseases and conflict with the Natives. Power in Society: Most of the power in the West was held by wealthy, white landowners. The social and economic elite held political office and wrote laws that benefitted them. Voting was unequal and although most white men could vote, women and minorities could not. Political Issues: An important political issue was slavery. Many Westerners accepted Southern slavery, and did business with enslavers. However, many did not want the Western territories open to slavery. They did support homesteading, the idea that the government should give free Western land to settlers, and the building of railroads to connect the West with the East.

Social Characteristics

• Lots of immigration to cities
• Focus on social reform movements like women's rights and abolition of slavery
• Rapid growth of cities

Economic Characteristics

• Wanted low tariffs
• Economy based on agriculture (farming) - Cotton!
• Use of enslaved labor
• Use of plantation system by most wealthy

Economic Characteristics

• Favored high tariffs to protect American manufacturing
• Tariff is a tax on imported goods and helps protect American made goods
• Economy was based on industry and manufacturing (factories)

Political Characteristics

• Allowed new territories to vote on slavery issue (popular sovereignty)
• Supported federally funded public works, like building railroads, canals, and roadways

Economic Characteristics

• Favored high tariffs
• Economy based on mining, farming, ranching
• Land was cheap
• Few cities

Life as a Northern Worker

Daily Life: The Industrial Revolution brought great changes to the North and thousands of laborers moved from small farms to cities where they worked in factories and shops. In addition, immigrants from Europe moved to cities in the North. Due to the rapid ubranization, people lived in crowded housing conditions with poor santitation. Work in the factories was dangerous and workers worked long hours. Power in Society: Political power was concentrated among the rich (business owners rather than workers. Laws were passed that benefitted the businesses, like low taxes and only cleaning up wealthy areas. Voting rights were unequal with most white Northern men being able to vote. Women and many free Black men were denied the right to vote. Political Issues: An important politcal issue was slavery. Most Northern workers accepted Southern slavery, but did not want slavery to expand into the West. There was a small group of Northerners, called abolitionists, who wanted to end slavery. Nothern workers also supported homesteading and building railroads to connect the East and West.

Life as a Southern Farmer

Daily Life: Most Southern workers (80%) labored on farms as hired workers, not landowners. Of those that did own land, most owned small farms and could not afford ensalved labor. The Southern economy relied on slavery with 20-25% of white Southerners owning slaves. Planters owned plantations that used enslaved labor and were the wealthiest people in Southern society. Power in Society:Political power was held by the planters and enslavers. They made laws that benefitted them and supported the practice of slavery. Voting right were unequal. White men could vote while women and enslaved people could not. Political Issues:An important politcal issue was slavery. White Southerners not only supported slavery, they also wanted slavery to expand to the West. Southerners supported homesteading as long as the West was open to slavery. Southerners did not support a transcontinental railroad because most railroads were in the North.