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Details
It appears that the citizens of the United States could no longer put off the issue of slaver
Founding Fathers tried to keep slavery out of national politics
They seemed to assume it would die a natural death
No legislative procedures were in place to bring it to an end
No provision was made for slavery in new states
Most Northerners hated both slavery and abolitionism
Slavery was backward and inferior like the South
Planters were power-hungry aristocrats
New territories from Mexico complicated the mix
The North schemed to control slavery in the new territories
Free Soil campaign begins in 1846
David Wilmot introduces legislation to ban slavery in any new lands
N Dems felt betrayed by Polk pro-Southern policies
Lower tariffs
Settled for less than 54º40' in Oregon
Were jealous of the disproportion power of the South
The Wilmot Proviso would ban slavery
Limiting competition for land and jobs in the W
Linked racism with the resistance to the spread of slavery
Favored by N Dems and N Whigs
Sectionalism replaced party loyalty
The Proviso did not pass
Some politicians suggested that the Mo Compromise line be extended to CA
Northerners objected, too much land in the S
Main proponentLewis Cass
Called it squatter sovereignty or popular sovereignty
Would allow the territory residents to decide on slavery
Presidential Election of 1848
Cass ran as a D on a platform of popular sovereignty
Zachary Taylor ran as a Whig with no platform
Was a war hero hero of the Battle of Buena Vista
Free-soilers supported Van Buren
Whigs felt betrayed by slave-owning candidate
N dems resented influence of S dems
Taylor tried to arrange immediate admission of Ca and NM
Both seemed to be potential free states
Calhoun denounces this new form of northern aggression
A southern voting bloc begins to form
Federal assumption of Texas debt
A more effective Fugitive Slave Law
Abolition of slave markets in DC
Taylor resists the compromise
Few politicians support the entire omnibus bill
Taylor dies..Millard Fillmore favors the compromise
John Calhoun dies
Stephen Douglas (D-IL) pushes the compromise through in pieces
Fugitive Slave Act was particularly unpopular in MA
Anthony Burns incident
Resurgence of the Underground Railroad
National parties tried to avoid the issue of slavery and focus on expansion and manifest destiny
Election of 1852: Major Candidates
Whig candidate General Winfield Scott, Daughters were raised as Catholics seen as too resistant to nativism
Mexican-American War hero
Linked to antislavery activist William Seward
Democrat Franklin Pierce (NH)
Wins handily
No real personality or platform
Introduced by Stephen A Douglas of IL
Would bring popular sovereignty to KS and NE
Would bring quick settlement to these territories
Would facilitate a N route for a possible transcontinental RR
Destroyed any vestiges of sectional harmony
Whig party disintegrated
Democrats divided along sectional lines
Northern Anti-Nebraska coalition won midterm elections
Piece and Sec of State Wm Marcy hoped to buy Cuba from Spain
Vowed to take it by force if necessary
US ministers to England, France and Spain met in Belgium
Drew up the Ostend Manifesto
Became public in the midst of the KS-NE controversy
Protested by northerners as an attempt to gain a Caribbean slave Empire
Pierce abandoned his plans in Cuba
A political party based upon hostility to immigrants
Millions had come in the 40s and 50s from Ireland and Germany
Most were Catholic and poor
Also a protest of professional politicians and political bosses
The Know-Nothing Party was an offshoot of the Order of the Star Spangled Banner
Won the state and national seats in MA (1854)
Took power in TX, MS and KY (1855)
Collapsed in 1855; inexperienced leaders could not capitalize on their popularity and maintain their power
Anti-slavery Whigs became Republicans
Led by professional politicians
Party grew with opposition to the spread of slavery to new territories
Free soil= The Right to Rise
A small-scale civil war broke out in KS
Lecompton v Lawrence
John Brown joins in the guerilla melee
Republicans used the conflict to note the excessive power of the S
Same year as Sumner-Brooks Bleeding Kansas and Bleeding Sumner
Democrat= James Buchanan
A long-time politician from PA
Dumped Pierce and ignored Douglas
Republican=John Frémont
American Party=Millard Fillmore (leftover Know Nothings)
Buchanan wins by a small margin; good first showing for R party
Methodists and Baptists split into northern and southern denominations
Writers produced pro and anti-slavery works
Uncle Tom Cabin and The Impending Crisis of the South were important
The Dred Scott Case
Chief Justice Roger Taney writes ruling on Scott request for freedom
Determines that blacks(not slaves) are not citizens and have no legal standing
Added that no legislation to limit slavery could be deemed constitutional
Reinforced the N concerns about The Slave Power
The Lecompton Controversy
Lecompton Constitution approved by KS voters, sort of
A pro-slavery constitution
Election was tainted by visitors from MO and a boycott
Buchanan convinced the Senate to accept KS as a state with the
Lecompton Constitution
Stephen Douglas called it a perversion of popular sovereignty
The House would not go along
A new, anti-slavery constitution was accepted in 1858
KS was admitted as a free state
Douglas gained popularity in the N but lost some in the S
Stephen Douglas faced A. Lincoln for the Senate in Illinois
Lincoln: A house divided against itself cannot stand. I believe this government cannot endure, permanently half slave
and half free.
Emphasized the immorality of slavery
Helped bring focus to the R Party
Douglas The Freeport Doctrine
Helped him win the Senate seat
Cost him the presidency in 1860
John Brown and Harper Ferry, VA
18 men participated
ten were killed, the rest executed
Captured by forces led by Robert E. Lee
Polarized national discussions and opinions on slavery
The Impending Crisis of the South by Hinton Helper
Banned in the S
Noted the problems that slavery perpetrated on most white in the S
Lincoln did not make the ballot in most S states
The S began to call for secession
S honor and interests were insulted
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