Chapter 18 Renewing the Sectional Struggle Pgs. 403-408

The Allure of Asia Americans wanted to open ties with Asia. US representative Caleb Cushing was sent to China on a goodwill mission to discuss trade. The Chinese were welcoming since they wanted to counter the British, who imposing their power upon China. Soon, U.S./Chinese trade began to flourish. Missionaries also travelled to China seeking to “save souls” - though ultimately, they largely kindled resent.

Relations opened up with Japan when Commodore Matthew C Relations opened up with Japan when Commodore Matthew C. Perry steamed into the harbor of Tokyo in 1854 and asked/coerced/forced them to open up their nation. Perry’s Treaty of Kanagawa formerly opened a previously closed Japan to foreign trade. This broke Japan’s centuries-old traditional of isolation, and started them down a road of modernization, then imperialism, then militarism – all for which the United States would eventually suffer for from a “goodwill” mission.

Pacific Railroad Promoters and the Gadsden Purchase Though the U.S. owned California and Oregon, getting out there was quite difficult, since the sea routes were too long and the wagon route overland was dangerous. SO, the only real feasible solution to keep the new Pacific Coast territories from potentially breaking away from the United States was to construct a transcontinental railroad. Southerners wanted a route through the South, but the best one would go through Mexico, so….. Secretary of War Jefferson Davis arranged to have James Gadsden appointed minister to Mexico……. Actually, through the South WAS the best route because: (1) the land was organized, meaning any Indian attacks could be repelled by the U.S. Army and (2) geography— skirting south of the Rocky Mountains was obviously a much easier route to build than through Northern territory.

Finding the greedy Santa Anna in power again, the United States bought what became known as the Gadsden Purchase for $10 million, and despite Northern clamor about the “rip-off,” Congress passed the sale. The South now appeared to have control of the location of the transcontinental railroad, but the North said that if the organization of territories was the problem and the reason why they weren’t granted funds to construct the transcontinental railroad, then Nebraska should be organized and readied for statehood.

Douglas’s Kansas-Nebraska Scheme To do this, Senator Stephen Douglas proposed the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which would let slavery in Kansas and Nebraska be decided upon by popular sovereignty (a concession to the South in return for giving up the railroad). The problem was that the Missouri Compromise of 1820 had banned any slavery north of the 36’30’ line, so Douglas’ proposed NEW act would have to repeal it. Southerners had never thought of Kansas as a possible slave state, and thus decided to back the bill, but Northerners rallied against it. Nevertheless, Douglas’ political skills ultimately rammed the bill through Congress, and it was passed, repealing the Missouri Compromise. However, Douglas’ biggest mistake in proposing the Kansas-Nebraska Act was underestimating the depth of Northern opposition to the spread of slavery into the new territories – whether it be for moral or economic reasons.

Kansas-Nebraska Act 1854

Congress Legislates a Civil War The Kansas-Nebraska Act directly wrecked the Missouri Compromise of 1820 (by opening slavery up above the 36’30’ line) and indirectly wrecked the Compromise of 1850 (when everyone thought the issue was settled and done). As a result, bitter Northerners rarely enforced the Fugitive Slave Law at all, and Southerners became even angrier. The Democratic Party was hopelessly split into two after Douglas’ unfortunate misstep, and after 1856, it would not have a president elected for 28 years.