An Uneasy Peace Ashley De Armas Period 6

Uneasy State After the Mexican War, the U.S. increased its territory by more than ⅓ as a result of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Abolitionists feared that cotton would be planted, bringing slavery. Slaveholders thought that if slavery were not allowed in the new region, then the slaveholding states would would power in Congress. With no clear solution, the Compromise of 1850 was passed to avoid further dispute.

The Wilmot Proviso David Wilmot opposed the extension of slavery into the new territories. “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall ever exist” in lands won in the Mexican-American War, declared Wilmot. He proposed The Wilmot Proviso which was designed to eliminate all slavery within the land obtained from the Mexican War. He and his supporters were fueled by anger caused by President James K. Polk, who was fighting for southern territory. Wilmot believed that the Cabinet was completely dominated by southern minds. The Wilmot Proviso was passed because the north was more populated and had more Representatives in the House.

David Wilmot

Popular Sovereignty Even after the Wilmot Proviso was established, the issue remained. Lewis Cass of Michigan, devised the term “popular sovereignty” for a new solution. The solution being to allow the people of each area decide for themselves whether slavery would be permitted or not. Voting became a problem. Fair voting was questioned as well as the ownership of slaves. Slave owners thought if slavery was voted against, their slaves would be taken from them. With the election of Zachary Taylor, the issue was ignored.

Lewis Cass Zachary Taylor

Clay, Calhoun, and Webster California became the 31st state as a result of the Gold Rush. Henry Clay served 30 years in Congress and had three unsuccessful attempts at the presidency. He composed the Missouri Compromise (1820) as well as the Compromise Tariff of 1833. John C. Calhoun, ill and nearly dead, sat firmly in the Senate chamber. He spoke that in order for the south to remain in the Union, northerners had to agree with the federal protection of slavery. Daniel Webster wanted the northerners to comply with the southern demands for the sake of the Union and the nation. He urged the Compromise of 1850 as a Union-saving measure.

Henry Clay Daniel Webster John C. Calhoun

The Compromise of 1850 After President Taylor died, Millard Fillmore helped Clay’s Compromise become a law. Once California became a free state, the south was assured that that no federal restrictions would be placed on slavery on Utah or New Mexico. Texas was compensated with 10$ million from Congress when its boundary claims in New Mexico were lost. The Fugitive Slave Law was passed, stating that northerners must return runaway slaves to their owners and it imposed penalties on those who aided their escape. All in all, the north seems to have won.

Modern Historians David McCullough was born on July 7, 1933. He is an American author, historian, narrator, and lecturer. He graduated from Yale University. He views history as pleasurable to learn about and should never be ignored as it shaped our nation and who we are today. Stephen E. Ambrose was born on January 10, 1936 and died on October 13, 2002. He was an American historian and biographer of U.S. presidents Eisenhower and Nixon. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin- Madison. He believed that things in history are not always told as they should but we still learn from them and it is very useful to us.

Stephen E. Ambrose David McCullough

Review Questions What did the Northerners fear would happen to the land obtained after the Mexican War? Crops would be destroyed for industrialization Cotton would be planted, which would bring slaves Mexico would take it back They would lose their power in Congress 2. What document increased the territory in the U.S. by more than ⅓ after the Mexican War? Wilmot Proviso Missouri Compromise Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo Compromise of 1850 3. What was the purpose of the Wilmot Proviso? To eliminate slavery within lands acquired as a result of the Mexican War Expand U.S. territory to Canada Allow Congress to monitor slave trade activity Impose slavery on the north

4. Who coined the term “popular sovereignty”? Henry Clay David Wilmot James K. Polk Lewis Cass 5. What was the idea behind “popular sovereignty”? People of each area would decide for themselves whether slavery would be permitted Congress would decide whether slavery was allowed in each region Slaves would vote out slavery Only white male property owners could vote whether slavery would be allowed 6. After California became a state but was not yet free, what did the southerners realize? It would never become a free state It could become a free state, putting the non-slaveholding states at an advantage in the Senate California could be used to transport slaves and cotton The new land could be used to house slaves banned from Mexico

7. Who composed the Missouri Compromise, the Compromise Tariff of 1833, and the Compromise of 1850? David Wilmot John C. Calhoun Daniel Webster Henry Clay 8. What was the meaning of the Fugitive Slave Law? Stated no slave was to run away Stated that runaway slaves were to be jailed Stated northerners were to return runaway slaves to their owners or be penalized Stated that slave owners were to not recapture runaway slaves 9. What happened to Texas when boundaries in New Mexico were lost? Texas was compensated with $10 million from Congress Surrounding states had to give up their borders Texas reclaimed them Texas was compensated with $1 million 10. Who “won” the entire ordeal pertaining slaves and legislature? The north The south Congress Neither side

Bibliography http://www.history.com/topics/wilmot-proviso http://www.ushistory.org/us/30a.asp http://explorepahistory.com/hmarker.php?markerId=1-A-123 http://www.ushistory.org/us/30b.asp http://www.ushistory.org/us/30c.asp https://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/ourdocs/Compromise1850.html http://www.ushistory.org/us/30d.asp http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/s/stephen_ambrose.html