1. Growing Tensions over Slavery
Chapter 14 section 1
Growing Tensions over Slavery

2. Slavery & Mexican-American war
1820 thru 1848: 4 new slave states, 4 new free states. Each side had 15 stats, but now with the new territory, which group would they join?
David Wilmot (PA) proposed that Congress ban slavery in all area gained from Mexican Cessian  “Wilmot Proviso”  Passed in House, but not in Senate
Democrats, Whigs did not take a firm stand on slavery
Sen. Lewis Cass (MI) said to let people in each territory decide by voting  “popular sovereignty”
Anti-Slave Whigs and Democrats created a new party, “Free Soil Party”  land gained from Mexican-American War was ”free soil” and thus should be added to free states because slavery is banned in free states.

3. A bitter debate
California had enough people to be a state because of the Gold Rush
Northerners argued that most of CA was above the line of Missouri, and thus should be free because of the Missouri Compromise  South feared that there would be an imbalance in Senate
North wanted slave trade abolished, South wanted the North to help catch escaped slaves
Sen. Henry Clay (KY) was nicknamed “Great Compromiser” from the Missouri Compromise  gave proposals for a compromise
Sen. John C. Calhoun (SC) was against compromise  If CA was free, then South would continue to be attacked on slavery  2 ways to resolve: Constitution Amendment to protect states rights, or secede.
Sen. Daniel Webster (MA) supported Clays proposals, wanted to end debate and preserve union

4. Vocabulary & people
POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY: people in the territory or state would vote directly on issues, rather than have elected representatives decide
SECEDE: to withdrawl
FUGITIVES: runaway enslaved people
HENRY CLAY: “Great Compromiser”, suggested proposals to help resolve issues that divide the Northerners and Southerners
JOHN C. CALHOUN: Against compromise, very ill, had someone else read his speech. Felt that if CA was admitted as free state, Southerners would continue to be attacked on slavery. 2 ways to preserve South: Constitutional Amendment or Secession
DANIEL WEBSTER: Supported Clay’s proposals, wanted an end to the divide