Road to the Civil War Chapter 15

Missouri Compromise- Problem When Missouri applied for statehood, the Senate was balanced with 11 free states and 11 slave states If admitted as a slave state, the balance of power would be unbalanced Henry Clay’s solution suggested that Maine also be added as a free state, keeping the balance of power

Missouri Compromise- Solution Clay also suggested a law be passed that prohibited slavery in all territories and states made from the Louisiana Purchase north of 36°30”N- with Missouri being the exception Both proposals were passed by Congress in 1820

Argument over Territory North and the South began competing for new territories in the West North wanted to stop the spread of slavery, while the South resented the North for interfering Missouri Compromise settled disputes on land from the LA Purchase, but as new lands were gained, the debate for slave v. free state continued

Wilmot Proviso Debate b/t David Wilmot of PA and John Calhoun of SC over new lands in the West Wilmot’s plan (Wilmot Proviso) called for prohibition of slavery in any lands from Mexico Calhoun argued that the government did not have the power to prohibit slavery in a territory Neither plan passed in Congress, and the heated debate b/t North and South continued

Compromise of 1850 Clay presented a 5-part plan to help settle the issue CA admitted as a free state NM Territory would have no slavery restrictions NM/TX border dispute would go in favor of NM Slave trade (but not slavery) would be abolished in Washington, D.C. Stronger fugitive slave law

Compromise of 1850 The plan as a whole could not pass, so was split into 5 different bills so could be voted on separately in Congress All 5 passed by September of 1850

Fugitive Slave Act Passed as a result of the Compromise of 1850 Said that all citizens should help capture and return slaves who had run away Anyone caught helping runaways could be fined or put in jail Many Northern juries refused to convict people accused of breaking this

Kansas-Nebraska Act plans to make Kansas and Nebraska states were met with opposition b/c both would come in as free states under the Missouri Compromise b/c this would shift the power in the Senate, it was proposed that they country abandon the Missouri Compromise and let settlers in the new states decide whether or not to allow slavery (known as popular sovereignty)

Kansas- Nebraska Act 1854 Congress passed the Kansas-Nebraska Act, opening the door to slavery in the new states Northerners were angry and mistrust grew b/t the two regions

Bleeding Kansas After K/N Act passed, proslavery and antislavery groups went to Kansas to influence voters The actions led to blood shed and fighting b/t the groups continued until the U.S. Army was called to end it

Republican Party Critics of the Kansas-Nebraska Act formed a new political party called the Republican Party Main issue was the abolition of slavery, very strong in the North Disagreed with the extension of slavery into any new states

Dred Scott v. Sanford (1857) Dred Scott (slave) was taken by his owner to the North where he lived for a few years, then back to the South into slavery Scott sued for his freedom, claiming that he could not be taken back into slavery Case was taken to the Supreme Court

Supreme Court Decision 1857 Chief Justice Roger Taney gave the decision that stated that b/c Scott was a slave he could not file a lawsuit Also said that slaves were “property” and belonged to their owners This meant that Congress could not prohibit slavery b/c it would be taking away people’s property

Lincoln-Douglas Debates 1858 Lincoln challenged Senator Robert Douglas, author of the Kansas-Nebraska Act, to a series of debates Lincoln said that African Americans were human beings with rights guaranteed by the Declaration of Independence and opposed any further spread of slavery

Debates Douglas claimed that Lincoln wanted African-Americans to be equal to whites, but Lincoln denied it saying that he just felt slavery was wrong Douglas won the election of 1858 over Lincoln, but the Democrats began feeling increasing pressure from the Republican Party

Harper’s Ferry 1859 John Brown (a white abolitionists) led a slave revolt at Harpers Ferry Virginia Planned more revolts in Kansas and VA Rebellion quickly crushed and Brown was tried and executed, but Brown became a hero to ppl in the North