Effects of Territorial Expansion CHAPTER 5, SECTION 3

America Achieves Manifest Destiny  In February, 1848, the U.S. and Mexico signed the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo, ending the Mexican-American War.  The U.S. agreed to leave captured Mexico City and pay $15 million for the territory acquired (1.2 million miles)  In 1853, the U.S. purchased an additional part of Mexico to build a southern railroad route.  This was known as the Gadsden Purchase.  In total, the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo and Gadsden Purchase increased the size of the U.S. by 1/3.

The Wilmot Proviso  The issue of slavery in the new territories was being debated even before the war was over.  David Wilmot had proposed a law that would ban slavery in the newly-acquired territories, whether located North or South of the 36’30° line. This became known as the Wilmot Proviso.  This was the parallel established under the Missouri Compromise as being the dividing line for slavery.

The California Gold Rush  In 1848, gold was discovered at John Sutter’s sawmill in California.  This led to a flood of settlers to the west, seeking gold. These were known as forty- niners because most of them arrived in  New mining techniques developed to extract as much of the gold as possible– placer and hydraulic mining.

Effects of the Gold Rush  Indian and Mexican miners faced discrimination as more settlers moved westward.  Often times they were excessively taxed, forced off their land, or beaten.  California applied for statehood in Their application once again raised the debate over slavery.  California wanted to enter as a free state, tipping the balance once again between the # of free and slave states.

Compromise of 1850  When California applied for statehood in 1849, it threatened to disrupt the balance between slave and free states.  Once again, the Great Compromiser (Henry Clay) came up with a middle ground.  California would be admitted as a free state;  The voters in a territory would decide via popular sovereignty whether or not to allow slavery;  Slave trade would end in D.C.  Congress would pass a stronger Fugitive Slave;  Texas would give up claims to New Mexico for $10 million

Outrage over the Fugitive Slave Law  Though the North was granted more concessions (allowances) in the Mexican-American War, the one aspect that Southerners would not budge on had been a stricter Fugitive Slave Law.  They were granted this concession, but its passage angered many Northerners.  Many Northerners though it violated their personal liberties (freedoms) by forcing them to do things against their will, or risk being thrown in jail or fined.  It also invigorated the fight against slavery in the North.