1. Westward Expansion and Slavery

2. 1.As the United States expanded westward, the conflict over slavery grew more bitter and threatened to tear the country apart. 2.The issue was always whether the number of “free states” and “slave states” would be balanced, thus affecting power in the Congress.

3. 3.Congress made a number of compromises to keep the balance of free and slave states equal

4. Congressional Compromises on Westward Movement and Slavery

5. Missouri Compromise (1820) Missouri would enter US as a slave state, Maine a free state Line drawn across country at 36’30” degrees latitude All new states above the line are free states and below the line are slave states

7. Compromise of 1850 California would enter as a free state New Mexico and Utah territories would allow popular sovereignty (people) to choose slavery or not

8. Compromise of 1850 Fugitive Slave Act –All escaped slaves in the north can be returned to the south and slavery –A major set back to abolitionist movement

10. Kansas-Nebraska Act Gave people in Kansas and Nebraska the choice whether to allow slavery in their states (“popular sovereignty”). Violated the Missouri Compromise line which upset people in the north

12. Bloody Kansas Bloody fighting in Kansas as pro- and anti-slavery forces battled each other Direct result of the Kansas- Nebraska Act 1 st time white abolitionists fought against pro-slavery groups