Expansion & Conflict: The Road to the Civil War Manifest Destiny & the Contentious Politics of the 1840s-1850s
Territorial Expansion What were the arguments for and against expansion? How did these acquisitions cause political tension? Texas Oregon Territory Mexican Territory Mexican War California Gold Rush Wilmot Proviso
Main Issues Leading to Sectionalism & Conflict: States Rights vs. Federal Power Slavery & Expansion of Slavery Differences in North/South Economy & Social Values Create Distinct Political Ideologies
Differences in Political Ideology Northern Politics Southern Politics Republican party emerged Values of individualism Political identity=economic autonomy Free labor=prosperity Free soil=access to land and economic independence Democrats split over slavery Values of communal identity, code of honor Politics seen as local, not national Proslavery argument a critique of North
Background of Fed. vs. State & Expansion of Slavery Decl. of Ind. (1776)—omitted slave trade clause Federalists/Anti-Feds (1780’s) 3/5th & Slave Trade clauses of Constitution VA & KY Resolutions (1798) & “Compact Theory” Contentious Supreme Court Cases (Fed. vs. State) Missouri Compromise (1820) S.C. Nullification Crisis (1828) Growing abolitionism/ Turner’s Rebellion (1830’s) “Gag Resolution” for slave petitions in Congress (1836) Acquisitions of Texas & CA (1840’s)
Escalation of Conflict in the 1850s Wilmot Proviso (late 1840s) Compromise of 1850 Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854) “Bleeding Kansas” (1856) Buchanan’s presidency (1856) Dred Scott Supreme Court Decision (1857) John Brown’s Raid on Harper’s Ferry (1859) Lincoln’s Election (1860)
The Compromise of 1850 Parts of Compromise of 1850: 1) CA enters union as a free state 2) NM & Utah territories will choose status by “popular sovereignty” 3) No slave trade in DC
Most controversial part of compromise: 4) A new, stronger fugitive slave law passed
Create a chart or diagram that demonstrates the significant events leading to both compromise and escalation of conflict between 1820 and 1861. How effective were the compromises? What are the most significant factors that led to Civil War?