Transcript The Divisive Politics of Slavery - Mrs. Madison`s United States

THE DIVISIVE
POLITICS OF
SLAVERY
By: Natalie and Meagan
SLAVERY IN THE
TERRITORIES:
 August

8, 1846 – David Wilmot
Amendment to a military
appropriations bill proposing
“neither slavery nor involuntary
servitude shall ever exist” in any
territory the U.S. may acquire as
a result of war with Mexico
 Wilmot
Proviso: meant
California, as well as
territories of Utah and New
Mexico, would be closed to
slavery forever
THE WILMOT
PROVISO:

Divided Congress along regional lines
 North: mad at South for not supporting internal
improvements; they supported the Proviso
 Feared adding a slave territory would give slave
states more members in Congress and deny
opportunities to free laborers
 South: rejected – said there were complex Const. issues
 Slaves were property, which was protected by the
Const.
 Felt it would shift power to North permanently
 The House of Representatives approved however the
Senate did not
ALEXANDER H. STEPHENS
PREDICTION
The North will be for Wilmot
Proviso, the South will be
against it, and it will
eventually lead to a war.
STATEHOOD FOR
CALIFORNIA:
 Able
to skip the territorial phase of
becoming a state

1849 -- Const. convention, adopted state Const.,
elected governor and legislature, applied to join
the Union

Forbade slavery, however southerners were still
hoping the MO Compromise line would apply
 South

saw no slavery as an attack
Questioned if they should stay in Union?
THE SENATE
DEBATES:
 December




1849 – 31st Congress opened
Top of agenda: California as a state?
Second: border dispute in which slave state
Texas, claimed the eastern half of New Mexico
Territory where the issue of slavery wasn’t yet
decided
North was demanding abolition of slavery in
D.C.
South accused North of not following the
Fugitive Slave Act of 1793

South threatened secession
CLAY’S COMPROMISE:
 January
21, 1850 – Clay visited rival
Daniel Webster
 Made a series of resolutions later
called Compromise of 1850

Hoped to settle slave controversy
Clay felt the only choice was to accept the
Compromise and if it wasn’t the only
choice left was disunion which would
surely lead to war.
COMPROMISE:
 To
appease the North and
South:


California added as a free
state (North)
New and more effective
fugitive slave law (South)
 Some
applied to all
people:

Popular sovereignty: right
of residence in an area to
vote for or against slavery
 Pay
Texas $10 million to
surrender land in New
Mexico
CALHOUN AND WEBSTER
RESPOND:
 Clay’s
speech marked start of great
political debate
Clay presented South’s case for slavery in 1
month
 Daniel Webster spoke next

urged North to stricter fugitive slave law
 South to think more cautiously about danger of
secession

WEBSTER’S RESPONSE TO THE
COMPROMISE
Daniel Webster wasn’t afraid to voice
his opinion on the idea of the south’s
idea of secession. He felt that
secession would only lead to war.
ADOPTED:
 Senate

rejected compromise in July
Discouraged Clay left Washington and
Stephen A. Douglas continued the work

compromise into individual laws so Congress could
vote on each
 Taylor
died leaving Millard Fillmore as
president


Supported the compromise
South was willing to negotiate
(best choice available)
 Viewed
as “first settlement”
between slavery and sectional
differences
VIDEO:
WORKS
CITED:



Kash. “The Missouri Compromise of 1850.” Mr. Kash’s History Page. Web. 17
Oct. 2011. <http://mrkash.com/activities/compromise.html>.
U.S. Coin Values. “The 1850s: Coin Availability Improves as Nation Drifts
Toward Civel War.” Rare Coin Values and Proven Trends: Smart Strategy for
Buying Collectible Coins. U.S. Coin Values. Web. 17 Oct, 2011.
<http://
www.us-coin-values-advisor.com/the-nation-drifts-towardwar.html>.
“US History 1 throught he Civil War Class 11.” Paul Roebuck: Archaeology,
Geography, Ethiscs Hitory, Social Theory. U.S. History. Web. 18 Oct. 2011.
<http://www.roebuckclasses.com/201/classdocs/lecturenotesch14.htm>.



Wikipedia. “Stephen A. Douglas.” Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, 26
Sept. 2011. Web. 18 Oct. 2011. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Stephen_A._Douglas>.
Keller, Bob. “Bob’s Rock Shop:Rock and Fossil Stamps of the United States.” Bob’s
Rock Shop: The First ‘Zine for Mineral Collectors and Rockhounds. Rock and
Fossil Stamps of the United States. Web. 18 Oct. 2011. <http://
www.rockhounds.com/rockshop/stamps/united_states/united_states_toc.html>.
Reed, Dale. “Causes of the Civil War- Popular Sovereignty and Westward
ExpansionYouTube.” YouTube- Broadcast Yourself. American Civil War
Volume 1.
Web. 18 Oct. 2011.
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LQQJDR_rX30>.