The Union in Peril

 Across the United States a debate is raging, dividing North from South  Is slavery a property right, or is it a violation of liberty and human dignity?  The future of the Union depends on compromise-but for many people on both sides, compromise is unacceptable.  It is possible to compromise on an ethical issue such as slavery?

NORTHSOUTH  Industrialized rapidly  Factories  Textiles  Sewing machines  Farm equipment  guns  20,000 miles of track laid during the 1850’s  Population: mainly European immigrants  Rural Society  Plantations  Small Farms  Relied heavily on crops like cotton.  More than 50% of the population consisted of African Americans.

 For two reasons…  1) It might bring slave labor into direct competition with free labor, or people who worked for wages.  2) It threated to reduce the status of white workers who could not successfully compete with slaves.

 August 8, 1846, Pennsylvania Democrat David Wilmot heightened tensions between North and South by introducing an amendment.  “neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall ever exist” in any new territories acquired as a result of the war with Spain.  Wilmot Proviso: meant that California, Utah and New Mexico would be closed to slavery forever.

Year Members of Free StateMembers from Slave States

 In the late 1849, California joined the Union as a free state.  Why did California’s application for statehood cause an uproar?

 Clay’s Compromise: wanted to resolve the issue of slavery and help the Union stay together.  Terms of Compromise:  California admitted as a free state  Utah and New Mexico territories decide about slavery  Texas was paid $10 million by federal government  Sale of Slaves banned in D.C. but slavery could continue there.  Fugitive Slave Act (1793) enforced more rigorously

 Calhoun’s Goals  Webster’s Goals

 After eight months of effort, the Compromise of 1850 was voted into law.  “ final settlement” of the question of slavery and sectional differences.

 June 2, 1854  “ The funeral of Liberty”  Fugitive Slave Act: required free states to return any fugitive slaves to their owners  Fugitives were not entitled to a trial by jury, despite the 6 th Amendment.  Compensations or fines  Federal commissions - $10.00 is returned any fugitive  Helping any fugitive- $1,000 or imprisonment

 Personal liberty laws  Forbade the imprisonment of runaway slaves  Guaranteed jury trials  9 states  Underground Railroad (page 313)  10 years  From states to Canada  “conductors”  “stations”  Harriet Tubman

KANSAS-NEBRASKA ACT“BLEEDING KANSAS”  Douglas proposed a bill to divide the area into two territories: Nebraska to the north and Kansas to the south.  Popular sovereignty  Repeal of the Missouri Compromise  Became law in 1854  The race for the possession of Kansas was on.  “Come on, then, gentlemen of the Slave States… We will engage in competition for the virgin soil of Kansas and God give the victory to the side that is stronger in numbers as it is in right.”

 “The Caning of Sumner”  This event marks the end of compromise between the North and South on the issue of slavery.