1. Renewing the Sectional Struggle 1848-1854 AMH2010 Chapter 18

2. Themes Effect of the Mexican War on the slavery question Compromise of 1850 New political party alignments Kansas- Nebraska

3. Popular Sovereignty Panacea By 1848, the two major political parties in America were the Democrats and Whigs. The dealt with slavery by not dealing with it, swept under the rug. Acquisition of the Southwest had upset the regional balance of the country. -Would new states be slave or free? - Southern view: slavery must expand or die. - Northern view: slavery must not expand so it will die.

4. Meanwhile… Popular Sovereignty Lewis Cass (D)– father of popular sovereignty: citizens of territory should decide the slavery issue. Shifts the pressure from Congress and the President to the territories. Whigs– Zachery Taylor, war hero of the Mexican-American War. His popularity won the day. Whig supporters were pro-tariff and pro-expansion. Free Soil Party– no slavery in territories, internal improvements.

5. California 1848– gold was discovered at Sutter’s Mill, California. - thousands of “49-ers” descend on California to get rich. - the influx of people overwhelmed the small government of the territory. - Transient population of treasure hunters brought anarchy - Crime was rampant, so was prostitution 1849– California applied for statehood as a free state.

6. Sectional Balance The South dominated politics during this time - Southern President - majority of the cabinet - 7 justices on the Supreme Court were Southern California would upset that balance New Mexico and Utah were agitating to be free states Texas claimed half of New Mexico. Southerners were angered by the proposition that the District of Columbia would abolish slavery.

7. Runaway Slaves The Underground Railroad was also a concern to many Southerners. - System of safe houses that moved runaway slaves north to Canada. Harriet Tubman a “conductor” on the Underground Railroad, made 19 forays into the South and rescued over 300 slaves. The South demanded a stronger fugitive slave law, 1793 was the last time one was passed. The South was losing 1,000 slaves per year by 1850, out of total population of 4 million.

8. Out with the old, In with the New In 1849, Southerners announced their intention to debate leaving the Union. The “old guard” of compromisers were gone - Webster - Clay - Calhoun A “new guard” appeared on the political stage - Douglas, Seward, and Lincoln Extremist versus compromisers

9. Compromise of 1850 Clay proposes a solution over California - Slave trade, not slavery, prohibited in D.C. - Fugitive Slave Law passed - California as a free state, regional balance upset - N.M. and UT: popular sovereignty would decide A second Era of Good Feelings started Kept the peace for now.

10. Fugitive Slave Act Northerners seen as slave catchers Abhorrent requirements of the law - could not testify on their own behalf - no jury trial Federal commissioner who handled the case of a fugitive slave would get 5 dollars if the fugitive was freed and 10 if convicted. Called the “Bloodhound Bill” Some states, such as Massachusetts, decided to nullify the law.

11. Election of 1852/ End of the Whigs The Democrats nominated Franklin Pierce, the Whigs nominate war hero Winfield Scott. The Whigs were split into two sections North, and South. Northern Whigs were anti-slavery, while the Southern Whigs backed Winfield Scott but not his platform(Fugitive Slave Law). The Whigs disintegrated. Franklin Pierce(D) won the election - Supported Manifest Destiny - trade with Japan - will not limit slavery

13. Gadsden Purchase Gadsden Purchase The new lands to West such as California and Utah might as well have been on an island. Transportation was severely lacking Pacific Railroad - North favored Chicago to San Francisco - South favored New Orleans to San Francisco Best south route through north Mexico - Santa Ana needed money– sold land for railroad for 10 million. Regional controversy

14. Gadsden Purchase

15. Kansas-Nebraska 1854 Stephen Douglas (Ill.) proposed a compromise - If the South would support a Chicago RR route - North would support popular sovereignty in the Missouri Territory( free by the Missouri Compromise.) Opportunity to add slave state to balance out California - South took the bait In reality, Douglas could care less about slavery.

17. Fallout from Kansas- Nebraska The Kansas-Nebraska Act greased the slippery slope to Civil War. Kansas Nebraska wrecked the two separate compromises: 1820,1850. The Democratic Party elected a president in 1856, but not gain for another 28 years. 1854– Republican Party was formed in Wisconsin and Michigan to stop the extension of slavery into the territories. Whig Party split - Northern Whigs joined the Republican Party - Southern Whigs joined the Democratic Party.