Compromise of 1850Kansas-Nebraska Act

Getting Closer to Civil WarUSVA History

Unit 61850-1877

State of the UnionThe United States just defeated MexicoWith the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe

Hidalgo the United States has attained the coveted California territory, the territories west of Texas and north to the Oregon territory.

Would slavery extend to the newly acquired lands?

Popular SovereigntyThe concept that the people of a territory

would vote to decide whether to allow slavery or to extend freedom to Africans.

General Lewis Cass: “Father of Popular Sovereignty”

This puts the slavery debate out of the hands of the politicians and into the laps of the people.

Election of 1848 James K. Polk does not want

another run at the Presidency. Democrats: Lewis Cass Whigs: Zachary Taylor “Hero of

Buena Vista” Owned slaves on sugar

plantation in New Orleans Free Soil Party: Martin Van

Buren Against extension of slavery not

on moral grounds but it eliminated the chances of white males establishing commerce in the western territories due to competition with slave labor.

Free Soil Party eventually becomes the Republican Party

1848 ResultsZachary Taylor’s

heroics in the Mexican War won him many votes as he won the Presidential election of 1848 for the Whigs.

California Gold Rush: 1849 (49ers)Thousands rushed to

California for the prospect of striking it rich with the discovery of gold in the region.

Most of these were lawless men, virtue-less women.

Crime, violence, disorganization, vigilante justice abounded in the area.

In an effort to bring law and order to the area the people drafted a state constitution and applied for statehood in 1849. (It contained no provision for extending slavery).

1850In 1850, prior to California,

there were 15 slave states and 15 free states.

The South had the upper hand though with their President in the executive, and a majority in the House of Representatives and in the judiciary.

The South was still concerned that a free California would set a precedent for all future additions to the United States.

Underground RailroadThe South was also very angry

over the number of slaves escaping to the North and the rising abolitionist movement in the North aiding them on their way to Canada.

The Underground RR was an informal chain of anti-slavery homes heading north on the way to Canada.

Harriet Tubman was a runaway slave from Md. Who rescued more than 300 slaves along the RR.

To deal with this growing problem the South wanted a more strict fugitive slave law.

Henry Clay’s Last CompromisePresident Taylor dies and vice-president Millard

Fillmore takes over the Presidency.He supported concessions between the North and the

South with the addition of California.Compromise of 1850

California enters as a free stateTerritory dispute b/w Texas and NM territory goes to

NM, Texas gets 10 million $Slave trade outlawed in the District of ColumbiaMexican cession to be organized into NM and Utah

territories. Slavery issue decided by Popular Sovereignty.New fugitive slave law

Compromise of 1850

The New Fugitive Slave LawAfricans accused of being run-away slaves could not

testify on their own behalfThey were denied a trial by juryFederal Commissioners were paid $5 to release

them, $10 to put them “back” into slavery.Those abolitionists aiding the escaped slaves were

heavily fined, jailed.In response, the North took on an antagonistic

attitude towards the South. Massachusetts made it a state law that it was illegal

for state officials to enforce the new fugitive slave law.

The Fall of the Whig PartyElection of 1852Democrats: Franklin

PierceCommitted to

territorial expansionWhigs: Winfield

ScottSupported

Compromise of 1850Free-Soil Party: John

Hale

1852 ResultsFranklin Pierce and Democrats winThe Whig voters were split

Anti-slavery northern Whigs vs. Southern Pro-Slavery Whigs.

Free-Soil party stole some Northern Whig votes.

1852 Election SignificanceMarks the death of the Whig political partyRise of sectional political party allegiance

rather than ideological.

Transcontinental Railroad A desire to connect the United

States with the newly acquired lands in the west brought on the idea of a transcontinental railroad.

But where would it run? North vs. South

Topographically the best route seemed to be in the South (avoid Rocky Mountains)

Also couldn’t run a RR through unorganized territory.

Gadsden Purchase: 1853 $10 million purchase of territory

south of Utah territory and north of Mexico from Santa Anna for RR to run through.

The North’s RR PlanStephen Douglas: 1854Senator from Illinois “Little Giant” (5’4” tall)Excellent orator and leaderDemocrat: was more concerned with making

money rather than slavery issue.Wants to run the RR from Chicago to the

west to bring commerce and real estate to Illinois.

Desires to organize the Nebraska territory.

Kansas-Nebraska Act 1854Douglas plan to organize the Nebraska

TerritoryNebraska split into two sections:

Kansas and NebraskaThese territories would utilize popular

sovereignty to decide slavery issueMissouri Compromise would have to be

repealed due to the 36° 30’ latitude line.

Kansas-Nebraska Act: 1854

Kansas-Nebraska ResponseNortherners outraged at the repealing of Missouri

Compromise.Republican Party emerges

Originated in Mid-West (Michigan, Wisconsin)Party platform: Moral protest against slaveryOld northern Whigs, some northern Democrats, Free-

Soilers, Know-nothings. Abraham Lincoln among most prominent

Republican party would not be found anywhere south of the Mason-Dixon line.

Further cemented the sectional political allegiances.