Causes of the Civil War

Expansion of Slavery Mexican-American War reignited the debate over slavery

Expansion of Slavery Some proposed extending the Missouri Compromise line

Expansion of Slavery Wilmot Proviso—stated that slavery was not permitted in the Mexican Cession –Not approved by Congress David Wilmot

Expansion of Slavery Popular Sovereignty— principle that would allow voters in a particular territory to decide whether they wanted to ban or permit slavery Lewis Cass

Compromise of 1850 =+

Henry Clay: created the Compromise of 1850 to resolve the issue of California’s admission to the Union

Compromise of 1850 Step 1: = Free State! California would enter the Union as a free state

Compromise of 1850 Step 2: = Popular Sovereignty! The rest of the Mexican Cession would be divided into 2 territories- Utah and New Mexico- where the people who lived there would decide on slavery

Compromise of 1850 Step 3: Stronger fugitive slave laws would be passed

Fugitive Slave Act—law that made it a crime to help runaway slaves; allowed for the arrest of escaped slaves in areas where slavery was illegal and required their return to their owners

Fugitive Slave Act –Suspected fugitive slaves could be taken before a U.S. commissioner –Slaveholders prove ownership through testimony of white witnesses –Accused fugitives could not testify in own defense

Fugitive Slave Act –Commissioners paid $5 when they rejected claim –Commissioners paid $10 when they returned a suspected fugitive –Penalties for not following: 6 months in jail & $1000 fine

Fugitive Slave Act –Opposed and resisted by abolitionists

Compromise of 1850 Step 4: Slave trade banned in Washington D.C.

Compromise of 1850 Step 5: Texas would give up claims in NM in exchange for money to pay debts from Republic days

Uncle Tom’s Cabin Sojourner TruthFrederick Douglass

Uncle Tom’s Cabin Uncle Tom’s Cabin: –Novel written by Harriet Beecher Stowe (1852) –About an old slave who is sold to a vicious cotton planter Harriet Beecher Stowe

Uncle Tom’s Cabin Sold 2 million copies Sparked outrage in the South “book told lies” Northerners saw what slavery was like