Renewal of Sectional Struggle ( ) Chapter 18

Popular Sovereignty Panacea Political parties helped protect national union Democrats –Lewis Cass (MI) – supported popular sovereignty for slavery in territories –Put burden of slavery on voters not politicians Whigs –General Zachary Taylor –Avoided taking any political positions Free Soil Party –Martin Van Buren –Created as abolitionist party –Supported internal improvements and homesteads to increase national appeal –Included wide range of supporters. Anti-Polk, anti- expansionists, racists who wanted to keep blacks from west –Conscience Whigs – oppose slavery on moral grounds –Took votes from Cass Taylor wins election Lewis CassZachary Taylor

Californy Gold 1848 – gold discovered in American River near Sutter’s Mill California –By San Francisco Attracted large number of people –Clipper ships allowed for fast ocean travel to California Replaced by steamships when rail line was built through Panama –Most did not strike it rich –Many came to create businesses and make money off of those who came to mine Sudden influx of people overwhelmed government resulting in chaos and crime California quickly organizes and applies for admission as a free state in 1849

Pan mining (placer mining) Take a tin, sift sand and gravel through and look for gold specks –Done mostly by individuals

Hydraulic mining –High pressure water blasted into mountain to find gold

Sectional Balance and Underground Railroad UNDERGROUND RAILROAD Organized system of routes and safe-houses to help slaves escape south to Canada Conductors” led groups of slaves to freedom –Harriet Tubman runaway slave who became a conductor 1,000 slaves per year were rescued Led to South demanding stricter Fugitive Slave laws Southern states dominated presidency, Supreme Court and was equal in Senate Southern economy restricted Northern industry South feared loss of power, especially by adding free states Texas was upset that federal government would take some of its territory away from it Southerners did not want to end slave trade in DC

Compromise of 1850 Seventh of March Speech (1850) by Daniel Webster argued that Compromise was only way to settle slavery issue –Webster argued union more important than abolition William H Seward opposed concessions, demanded abolition –Must follow “higher law” not the Constitution Zachary Taylor dies and is replaced by Millard Fillmore –Fillmore supports compromise “Fire eaters” of south vigorously opposed compromise Compromise of 1850 Developed by Henry Clay; passed by Stephen Douglass –California is free state –Fugitive Slave Act requiring runaways to be returned –Slave trade abolished in DC –Popular Sovereignty to determine slavery in territories of Mexican Cession –Texas gives up disputed land to New Mexico, but gets $10 million from federal government South wanted more territory in Caribbean to offset new free territories The United States Senate, A.D Clay introduces Compromise of 1850

Fugitive Slave Act Called “Bloodhound Bill” or “Man-Stealing Law” by northerners Law said Northerners had to capture and return runaways –Federal officials paid for returning blacks to slavery Forced many moderate northerners into radical abolitionist camp MA passed state law making it illegal to enforce federal Fugitive Slave Act (nullification) Personal Liberty Laws –State laws passed that refuse to follow Fugitive Slave law and deny access to jails South was angry because North refused to enforce the law –Undermines legitimacy of compromise Law polarized Northern and Southern opinions

Election of 1852 Democrats united behind Franklin Pierce –Dark horse candidate from New Hampshire –Tended to be pro-Southern Northerner –Supported territorial expansion Whigs split North and South –Nominate Winfield Scott because he was military general Supported Fugitive Slave Law that made him unpopular with northern abolitionists Campaign became personal and childish Pierce wins election Election led to collapse of Whig party and collapse of national political parties in favor of sectional ones Winfield Scott Whig Franklin Pierce Democrat

Expansionist Stirrings South of the Border Manifest Destiny encouraged desire for new territories –Slave states wanted more “slave friendly” territory in south Control of trans-isthmus trade route in Central America connecting Atlantic and Pacific was important to US and European nations Mallarino-Bidlack Treaty (Treaty of New Granada) –Granted US transit rights through Panamanian isthmus and right to intervene militarily –US promise to allow all nations to trade through it Panama Railway constructed through Nicaragua Clayton-Bulwer Treaty –US and Britain agreed not to fortify trade route

Expansionist Stirrings South of the Border Filibustering –Private armies invaded Latin American countries to gain territory for US including Cuba –William Walker “grey eyed man of destiny” Led private military forces first to take Baja California, then Nicaragua Cuba –Polk offered $100 million to Spain, but Spain rejected offer Black Warrior –Cuba seized American ship; used as excuse by some to declare war on Spain Ostend Manifesto –Offered $120 million for Cuba; if not, US would invade –When became public, made abolitionists angry and forced US to abandon idea

Allure of Asia China Treaty of Nanking –Gave Britain 5 treaty ports and Honk Kong from China Cushing sent by US to protect US access to Chinese ports in 1844 –Treaty of Wanghia (1844) First US-Chinese treaty Got most favored nation and extraterritoriality Allowed US missionaries into China Japan Tokugawa Shogunate had kept Japan isolated 1852 Fillmore sends Matthew Perry to Japan –Arrived via steamship in Edo Bay July –Treaty of Kanagawa (1854) Gave protections to American sailors, allowed US to use Japan as coaling station

Pacific Railroad and Gadsden Purchase US needed faster, cheaper way to get from Atlantic to Pacific –Cost so high, could only build one railroad –Region where railroad was built would get economic advantage Gadsden Purchase (1853) – Land purchased from Mexico to allow expansion of railroad –Gave south claim for a southern railroad, easier geography, all territory organized (unlike northern route) –Led to push to have Nebraska organized to allow for northern alternative Completed territory of continental US Mexican Cession Annexatio n of Texas Gadsden Purchase

Kansas-Nebraska Act Growth of railroads spurred settlement of west Douglas wanted lands west of IA and MO organized so railroads would go to Chicago –Created Kansas Territory and Nebraska Territory –Douglas propose popular sovereignty in Kansas and Nebraska territories to get Southern support for northern railroad Assumed Kansas would be slave and Nebraska free Violated Missouri Compromise Law was vigorously opposed in Congress, but Douglas got it passed Compromise between regions was made virtually impossible. –North stopped enforcing Fugitive Slave Law –Made Northerners and Southerners feel like they couldn’t live with each other.

Created in 1854 to oppose extension of slavery –Called slavery a great moral, social, political evil –Demand repeal of Kansas-Nebraska Act and Fugitive Slave Act Weakened Whig and Democrat parties –Whigs did not recover Became popular very fast –Was purely sectional in nature Republican Party