Transcript Slide 1

RENEWING THE SECTIONAL
STRUGGLES- 1848—1854
Chapter 18
The Popular Sovereignty Panacea
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Mexican American War set the stage for
Slavery Controversy
Threatened to divide the union
Issue: What to do with new territory?
Wilmot Proviso
 What it said
 What happened to it
Whigs and Democrats wanted to keep lid
on Slavery Controversy
Election of 1848
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Polk is in ill-health from over-work and does
not run again.
Democrats nominate Lewis Cass. Not very
warm or easy for the electorate to like.
Democratic platform is silent on slavery, but
Cass is the reputed father of “popular
sovereignty.
What is Popular Sovereignty?
Popular Sovereignty is very popular with the
people.
During the debates over the organization of
the Mexican Cession, Douglas evolved his
doctrine of popular sovereignty
Election of 1848
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Whigs nominated Zachary Taylor, hero of the
Mexican-American war. (Va.-born, slave-owner).
Known as "Old Rough and Ready", Taylor had a
40-year military career in the U.S. Army, serving in
the War of 1812, Black Hawk War, and Second
Seminole War before achieving fame leading U.S.
troops to victory at several critical battles of the
Mexican-American War.
Taylor had never even held office
Whig platform is silent of slavery and generally is
wishy-washy.
Taylor does not take a position on slavery, but he
is assumed safe for the southern Whigs. Why?
Free Soil Party Splits the Vote
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Northern Whigs unhappy with
Taylor because he’s a slave owner.
Free Soil Party.
Agreed with the Wilmot Proviso
and stood against the expansion of
slavery. This is primary issue.
 Supported free government
homesteads for settlers in Western
territories.
 Types of people in party?
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Enough Northern Democrats vote
Free Soil, especially in New York, to
give the election to Whigs and
Taylor.
California Gold
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The discovery of Gold in
California in 1848 blew
the lid off the slavery
issue.
California Gold Rush Country
California Constitution
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Citizens write a constitution
and apply or statehood as nonslave state.
Californians don’t want to
compete with slave labor
This will put slave states in the
minority.
South rises in violent
opposition to admission of
California.
Concerns of the South
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South not concerned about the
immediate outright abolition of
slavery
Loss of balance in Senate
Rest of the Mexican Cession
Slavery in D.C.
Texas land claims
Run-Away Slaves and
enforcement of Fugitive Slave
law
Underground Railroad
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Underground Railroad
 mythologized
Harriet Tubman
Fugitive Slave Law
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South demanded a harsher fugitive slave law.
Why?
 Only losing about 1000 slave a year out of
population of 4 Million.
 More slaves are freed by self-purchase and
manumission.
Twilight Of The Senatorial Giants
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1850 all these issues come
to a head.
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Southern fire-eaters
threaten cession
Crisis was looming.
Three Senatorial Giants
tackle the issue in the
Senate. Henry Clay, John
C. Calhoun, and Daniel
Webster.
Webster and Clay urge
compromise and
reasonable concession to
south.
Calhoun argues for Const.
Amendments to protect
the South.
Deadlock in the Senate
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The Young Guard from the North.
William Seward, Senator from New York.
Seward’s position.
Deadlock seemed certain as debate
progressed. And if there was deadlock the
south would likely secede.
Breaking The Logjam
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Taylor was poised to veto the
compromise. Why?
1850 President Taylor suddenly died;
Vice President Millard Fillmore took
the presidency.
Fillmore supports the compromise
Clay, Webster and Stephen Douglas
work hard to get Compromise
supported in North, and it generally is.
Fire-eaters in South unhappy.
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Nashville convention
Second (short lived) era of good
feelings.
Terms of the Compromise of 1850
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Pro-North:
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California admitted as a
free state;
Terr. in dispute between
TX and NM goes to NM, so
more likely to go free
abolition of slave-trade
(but not slavery) in Wash.
DC.
Pro-South:
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NM and Utah slavery issue
to be decided by popular
sovereignty;
more stringent Fugitive
Slave Law.
$3.10 Million to Texas
Accessing the Compromise
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Who got the better deal?
Backfiring Slave Law
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Reaction in North to Fugitive
Slave Law.
Provisions:
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Slaves not allowed to testify and
denied a jury trial.
Commissioner who handled the case
got twice as much if the slave was
returned.
Northerners who aided slaves to
freedom subject to heavy fines and
jail.
Northerners could be ordered to
assist in capture of run-aways
Election of 1852
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The election of 1852 was in many ways a replay of
the election of 1844. Once again, the incumbent
President was a Whig who had succeeded to the
presidency upon the death of his war hero
predecessor
The Whig party passed over the incumbent for
nomination — casting aside Fillmore in favor of
General Winfield Scott
Democrats. Hopelessly divided.
Nominate Franklin Pierce, a pro-southern,
northerner. Compromise candidate.
Weak and indecisive.
 Scant public record, and thus not much to offend
either part of party
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Platform for Compromise of 1850 and Fugitive
Slave Law
Election of 1852--Whigs
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Winfield Scott.
Great general, but not well liked
by people. Stuffy.
Election turned largely on issues
of personality.
Pierce wins in a landslide.
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Effective end of Whig Party.
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President Pierce The Expansionist
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Pierce cabinet full of southerners
 Jefferson Davis is Sec. of War
South losing political power
Eyes slave state over southern
border
 Fueled by ideas of Manifest
Destiny.
Nicaragua--William Walker
Clayton-Bulwer Treaty
Coveted Cuba
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Some in the South saw Cuba as the
most desirable slave territory available.
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Right off our Southern shore and perfect for
a slave economy.
Already had lots of slaves there.
Carved into several states it would restore
the north-south balance
Pierce offers Spain 100 Mil. to buy.
Spain refuses.
Pierce and cabinet plot to seize it.
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Ostend Manifesto
Consequences
The Gadsden Purchase
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Nation desperately needs a transcontinental RR to tie California to nation.
Both North and South want the route.
 Why?
Southern Route is easier.
Gadsden Purchase.
Nebraska territory.
South doesn’t want this. Why?
Gadsden Purchase, 1853
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Kansas-Nebraska Act
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The “Little Giant”
Stephen A. Douglas proposes
Kansas-Nebraska Act.
Terms.
Assumptions about Kansas
Impact on Missouri
Compromise
Abolitionist Reaction
Reaction of moderates
Kansas and Nebraska, 1854
One of the
most
momentous
measures to
pass Congress.
 Led to open
warfare in
Kansas and the
unofficial
opening of the
Civil War.
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End of Chapter