1. Bell Ringer
How could gaining this land after the Mexican American war led America on the path to Civil War?
What issues could be brought up about settling new land?
If you don’t know, use your web- enabled electronic device or a book to help you find the answer.

2. The Union in Crisis

3. Slavery, States’ Rights, and Western Expansion
Slavery was certainly not a new issue by the time we began to decide how to settle the lands won from the Mexican American War
The North, however, had grown into an industrial society focused on technological advancements and had a multitude of paid factory workers (mostly immigrants)
The South was still agrarian that focused on harvesting cotton
Slavery had spread all the way to Florida and out to Texas by the mid-1800s
The question became: Do we allow slavery to expand in the new territory?
The answer became war

4. Slavery, States’ Rights, and Western Expansion
Americans has simply ignored the issue allowing it to exist in the areas it was already in
When the new land was added it reopened the debate
The Wilmot Proviso was proposed saying that “neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall every exist in any” lands from the Mexican American War
The Southerners were infuriated
Most Northerners had little contact with black people
Slavery had dissipated in all the northern states, but racism thrived amongst the region
Only a few held strong abolitionist beliefs

5. Slavery, States’ Rights, and Western Expansion
Some Northerners were against abolitionism
They didn’t want slavery to end because they either made money off of it, or was afraid that they would have to compete for jobs when the slaves were freed
Southerners, obviously pro-slavery, supported it for many reasons
It was the only way to maintain their economy
It did less harm than the “wage slave” system
White supremacy, justified by the Bible made slavery “necessary and proper”

6. Election of 1848 Slavery became the crux of the debate
Free soil party called for the new territory to be free (nominated Martin V. Buren)
Whigs and the Democrats avoid the topic by calling for popular sovereignty
Popular Sovereignty is the idea that each state or area would get to choose for itself whether it would be free or slave
The election came down to Zachary Taylor (Whig) and Lewis Cass (Democrat)—Taylor won
He died in office shortly after taking office

7. A Compromise Avoids a Crisis
As the Gold Rush of 1849 pushed people westward the question of slavery went all the way to California
CA became wild and lawless forcing them to call for statehood
They requested to join America as a free state
This created an uproar, particularly because it would upset the balance of power that existed amongst free and slave states
Henry Clay who had helped with the compromises of the Constitution would also see compromise on the slave issue (at first)
“The Great Pacificator” said that CA could come in as a free state BUT it pushed through tougher Fugitive Slave Laws
This would also decided the slave issue in UT and NM

8. A Compromise Avoids a Crisis
John C. Calhoun expressed that “the agitation on the subject of slavery would, if not prevented by some timely and effective measure, end in disunion.”
He felt Clay’s proposal didn’t protect the South and argued that if the North did not agree then they should let the South go peacefully. (secede)
Daniel Webster who had been a statesman, was older and unable to give speeches anymore but called for popular sovereignty because it was unlikely (in his mind) that they would jump into creating money

9. Senate Adopts the Compromise of 1850
Henry Clay’s proposal is passed, being called the Compromise of 1850
Fighting broke out in the House of Representatives—including a gun being pulled on another congressman
The Compromise of 1850 contained the following provisions
Congress would admit CA as a free state
The people of NM and UT would get to choose free or slave by popular sovereignty
Slave trade (not slavery) banned in D.C.
Fugitive Slave Act strictly enforced
TX gave up claims to NM in exchange for $10M

10. Assignment Make notecards for the vocabulary on p. 73 under assessment
Answer questions 4-7.