18 Renewing Sectional Divisions

The Election of 1848

Political changes happened quickly Political changes happened because of people’s dichotomous views on slavery

12 Zachary Taylor

13 Millard Fillmore

The Election of 1848 Expansion was pretty much done by 1848 (except the Gadsden Purchase, Alaska, and Hawaii) The issue of slavery was the most important political issue

Discuss Civil war by this point seems inevitable. What actions could be taken to postpone it?

California Gold

The Mining Life

Gold in CA  the quick creation of the state and a diverse population of young men Life as a miner was difficult The US economy benefited greatly from the discovery of gold

Population Boom and Ethnic Tensions

“Nothing can be more unjust and immeasurable than for persons not citizens of the United States…to dig the gold found in California, on lands belonging to the American Government.” --General Persifor Smith

Population Boom and Ethnic Tensions

Mining  huge population with great diversity in a short time Diversity + ideas of white supremacy + xenophobia + anti-Catholic sentiment + limited gold  racism and discriminatory practice in CA

Discuss Compare the plight of immigrants in California to that of immigrants in the East, and of slaves in the South.

The Compromise of 1850

The North and South’s contention over slavery would rise again Younger politicians would come to power and would be less concerned about disunion and more focused on protecting or eliminating slavery The Compromise was another truce instead of disunion, but was not pleasing to the South or the North, and was not a final settlement

Discuss What potential problems do you anticipate arising from the Compromise of 1850?

The Fugitive Slave Act and the Crisis of the Union

14. Franklin Pierce

The 1852 Elections

Pierce and the Ostend Manifesto

After the Compromise of 1850, most political events boiled down to the question of slavery.

Discuss Whish was more damaging to the South, the publishing of Uncle Tom’s Cabin or the Ostend Manifesto?

Douglas’s Kansas-Nebraska Act

Hotly debated topic Showed the shift away from compromise Political parties becoming more sectional, less national

Innovations in Party Politics

Republican party quickly gains support from unhappy Northern Democrats American Party and Know-Nothing Party show the persistent influence of nativist sentiment Unlikely allies against the Dems.

Discuss What were important issues that caused the end of old political parties and the creation of new political parties? What important events were connected to these issues?