Bellringer: D20 Who were the abolitionists? What did they want? Were they a majority?

U.S. History I Ch. 14.3 The Women’s Movement Women start to campaign for their own rights!

Women’s Rights Women who campaigned for rights for slaves also realized that they ought to get rights for themselves. Two important ones were Lucretia Mott, and a friend, Elizabeth Stanton. After the Seneca Falls Convention, many other women joined their ranks in calling for equality. Susan B. Anthony was one of the most famous of these leaders of the Women’s Rights Movement.

Advancements in Suffrage It took several decades for women nationwide to get the rights that they wanted. Stanton and Anthony became the best of friends, and campaigned for women’s rights for the rest of the 1800s. The Wyoming territory granted women the vote in 1869, and Utah in 1870. Other states followed slowly over the next several decades. It wasn’t until the 19th Amendment in 1920 that suffrage was allowed nationally. Suffrage for all

Progress by American Women During the 1800s, women made many gains in different areas. For instance, many women weren’t allowed to keep property from a divorce, but several states changed that, including California, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, etc. New job opportunities opened up to women during this period. Most up to this point had been seamstresses or teachers (though usually paid less than a man). Elizabeth Blackwell, who wanted to study medicine, a traditionally all-male profession, helped break down some of those barriers. Sadly however, social customs and traditions meant that many changes desired by these abolitionists, temperance workers, suffragettes, etc., would have to wait a few more years…but change was coming!

U.S. History I Ch. 15.1 Slavery & the West

The Missouri Compromise As mentioned before, the Missouri Compromise had allowed Missouri into the Union in 1820, by keeping the balance between free and slave states. This balance would be preserved for another several decades. In the 1840s, the issue arose again. Texas, California and New Mexico were added to the U.S. During the war, Rep. David Wilmot of Pennsylvania suggested the Wilmot Proviso, which would have banned slavery in any new territories gained by the war. It caused quite the kerfuffle. John C. Calhoun, a renowned defender of states’ rights, said that Congress didn’t have that right, and made a counter proposal that also failed. This debate led to the Free Soil Party being created in time for the 1848 Election

More Problems President Taylor hoped that California and New Mexico would apply for statehood, and then they themselves could decide if they wanted slavery. The problem was the balance of Free vs. Slave states. It was at 15 each in 1849, but most of the new territories (soon to be states, like California, Utah, Oregon, etc) seemed poised to ban slavery. Southerners were getting worried, and some were talking of secession, or leaving the Union. Enter Henry Clay, the Great Compromiser. He came up with a big old complicated plan (called the Compromise of 1850) to save the Union. And here it is: 1st: California would be added as a free state 2nd: New Mexico Territory (the rest of the SW) would have no restrictions on slavery 3rd: Settle the border dispute between NM and Texas 4th: Slave trade (but not slavery) would be banned in D.C. 5th: A stronger fugitive slave trade law would be passed.

Resistance to the Plan Calhoun was against the plan; he felt that slavery should be protected at all costs, and he suggested the South leave if California was added as a free state. Daniel Webster however supported the plan. He believed it was a fair compromise, and avoided war. He also figured that geography would halt the spread of slavery into the SW anyway, and eventually it would die. Zachary Taylor didn’t like the plan, and many didn’t. But then he died, and ZP Millard Fillmore took over as president. Stephen A. Douglas, a young and rising senator, suggested they break the Compromise up into smaller bills, which Congress could then vote on individually. 5 bills were eventually passed, and they made Clay’s plan a reality. War was coming anyway…

Finish Video (Presenting D21)