1. Slavery and Westward Expansion
Chapter 8 Section 1
Slavery and Westward Expansion

2. Conflict statements: What conflicts have arisen so far
Conflict statements: What conflicts have arisen so far? How does the idea of sectionalism play into this? How would you have solved any of these sectional conflicts?

3. Do Now #1-Was there a way to prevent conflict?
#2-“Many in the South once believed that slavery was a moral and political evil. That folly and delusion are gone. We see it now in its true light, and regard it as the most safe and stable basis for free institutions in the world.” –John C. Calhoun (What do you think?)

4. I. Impact of War with Mexico
Southerners believed they had the constitutional right to retrieve an escaped slave
Northerners disagreed
Mexican War heightened tensions between opposing viewpoints

5. I. Impact of War with Mexico
President Polk Sees Trouble Ahead
Polk thought no one would take a slave into SW b/c of the dry climate- it would support farming
Angry debate in congress
Wilmot Proviso
8/1846 David Wilmot proposed “neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall exist” in the new territory
He viewed Polk as “pro-southern”
Polk had helped the south at the expense of the north
Provided, territory from that, as an express and fundamental condition to the acquisition of any the Republic of Mexico by the United States, by virtue of any treaty which may be negotiated between them, and to the use by the Executive of the moneys herein appropriated, neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall ever exist in any part of said territory, except for crime, whereof the party shall first be duly convicted.

6. I. Impact of War with Mexico
Proposal outraged southerners
They believed an anti-slavery proposal would threaten slavery everywhere
N. democrats and Whigs passed the Proviso in the H.o.R
Senate refused to vote
Calhoun tried to prepare resolutions to counter- he argued that states owned territories together and Congress had no right to ban slavery; he warned if the north failed to heed to southern concerns revolution, anarchy and civil war would erupt

7. I. Impact of War with Mexico
C. Popular Sovereignty
Wilmot Proviso made the issue of slavery sectionalize the country even more
Senator Lewis Cass proposed a solution- citizens of a new territory should decide for themselves Popular Sovereignty
Appealing because it removed the issue from national politics, it was democratic
Abolitionists said it still denied African Americans the right to not be enslaved
North supported b/c they felt it would be the north to settle new territory and therefore outlaw slavery

8. I. Impact of War with Mexico
D. The Free Soil Party Emerges
Election of 1848-Whigs chose Zachary Taylor-Whigs were split
Northern Whigs known as Conscious Whigs opposed slavery and Taylor
Northern Whigs who supported Taylor and voted with Southern Whigs were known as Cotton Whigs
Conscious Whigs quit with the nomination of Taylor and joined with anti-slavery democrats and abolitionist party to form the Free Soil Party

9. I. Impact of War with Mexico
D. The Free Soil Party Emerges
Opposed slavery in “Free Soil” of western territories
Condemned slavery as immoral
Wanted preservation of w. territories for white farmers
Slavery would make it difficult for free men to find work

10. I. Impact of War with Mexico
E Election
Dem. Lewis Cass
Supported popular sovereignty, promised to Wilmot Proviso
Free Soil: VanBuren
Strongly against slavery backed Wilmot Proviso
Whig: Zachary Taylor
Avoided the issue
Taylor won!!!

11. II. The Search for a Compromise
Slavery came to center stage
Discovery of gold in California led to application for statehood-controversial issue slave or non-slave state
1848 gold brought thousands to California
1849 more than 80,000 “49ers” arrived
Mining towns sprang up-needed to organize a government
Polk urged congress to create territorial government for California and New Mexico
No agreement about slavery
Taylor was a southern slaveholder-didn’t believe expanding slavery would aid its survival
Believed the people of California should decide
California applied in Dec as a free state

12. II. The Search for a Compromise
The Great Debate Begins
Problem: if CA enters as a free state it upsets the balance- southern slaveholders become minority- begin talking secession
1850 Henry Clay: “the great compromiser”

13. II. The Search for a Compromise
The Great Debate Begins
Resolutions grouped into pairs
Allowed California to come in as a free state-organized the rest of Mexican cession w/o restrictions
Settled border between New Mexico and Texas in favor of New Mexico-Texas would have the federal government assume their debts
Outlawed slave trade in D.C. but not slavery itself
Final 2 were southern concessions
Congress prohibited from interfering with the domestic slave trade and would pass a new fugitive slave act to help southerners recover slaves

14. II. The Search for a Compromise
The Great Debate Begins
Triggered debate
Any compromise would require Calhoun’s approval
Calhoun’s address agitated-didn’t think Clay’s compromise would save the union-again threatened secession
Daniel Webster-called for senate to put national unity above sectional loyalties-supported Clay

15. II. The Search for a Compromise
B. The Compromise of 1850
Congress didn’t pass-Taylor opposed-then Taylor died
Millard Fillmore takes over-supports behind compromise
End of summer-Calhoun dies
Compromise divided into several smaller bills
By fall Congress passed
For a short time it eased tensions over slavery