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

2. A. Popular Sovereignty Panacea
Allow people in individual territories to make decisions about slavery
Didn’t advocate all-out ban as free-soilers did
In line with democratic traditions
*Not good enough for abolitionists- slavery could spread

3. B. Political Triumph for General Taylor
Election of 1848
Whigs- General Zachary Taylor
Democrats- Lewis Cass
Free-Soil Party
Against slavery b/c of competition w/ white jobs
Taylor won- war hero who took no stance on slavery

6. C. Californy Gold 1848- Gold discovered in CA Huge population increase
Lawlessness
1849- asked for statehood- free state

8. D. Sectional Balance & the Underground Railroad
CA, UT, & NM all potential free states
South worried about sectional balance
Underground railroad

10. E. Twilight of the Senatorial Giants
CA’s application for statehood- possibility of secession in 1849

11. Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, John C. Calhoun
Clay- both North & South make concessions
Calhoun- give southern/slaveowning rights
Urged concessions to South
*most northerners didn’t want South to secede- would cost them too much money

12. F. Deadlock & Danger on Capitol Hill
“Young Guard”- purify the union
William Seward- NY- no concession for South
President Taylor against concessions for South
He didn’t want states to have power
Seemed like Civil War could erupt in 1850

13. G. Breaking the Congressional Logjam
Taylor died during debate- Millard Fillmore took over- more open to concessions for both sides

14. 7 months of debate led to a series of compromises called Compromise of 1850
Seemed to be accepted in North
Southern “fire-eaters” still against it
Cooler heads in South prevailed & south accepted compromise

15. H. Balancing the Compromise Scales
The Compromise of 1850
CA admitted as free state
UT & NM territories allowed to use popular sovereignty to determine slavery status
TX/NM border dispute settled- territory would go to NM, but TX compensated $10 mil.
Slave trade banned in DC
Tough fugitive slave law of 1850 enacted
Fines & jail terms for those helping slaves
Judges paid more to convict fugitives than to acquit them

18. Comp of 1850 “Omnibus” bill doesn’t pass
S. Douglas – engineers passage – how?

19. H. Cont. North clear winner Fugitive slave law most important issue
Moderates to abolitionists
Underground Railroads operations increased
Personal liberty laws
North hated it, wouldn’t enforce it, South resented northerners for this
Compromise allowed north time to strengthen

20. Webster’s 7th of March Speech
Supporting national unity

21. The Case of Anthony Burns

23. I. Defeat & doom for the whigs
Election of 1852
Democrats- Franklin Pierce
Expansion, Compromise of 1850
Whigs- Winfield Scott
Compromise of 1850
Pierce won
End of Whigs
End of NATIONAL Parties (sectional)

25. Pierce and His “Doughfaces”
Determined to enforced Fugitive Slave Act (Burns case)

26. J. Expansionist Stirrings South of the Border
Fate of Central America
Trans-american canal?
Nicaragua- William Walker

27. Cuba- Polk had tried to buy it
Tried twice to take it over
Ostend Manifesto 1855
Pierre Soule, James Buchanan, John Mason

29. K. The Allure of Asia
Trade with China- July

30. 1852-1854- Pierce sent Commodore Matthew Perry to open trade with Japan
Meiji Restoration

31. L. Pacific Railroad Promoters & the Gadsden Purchase
Desire for transcontinental railroad- Southern route
Made Gadsden Purchase for $10 million

32. M. Douglas’s Kansas Nebraska Scheme
Senator from Chicago- wanted a northern transcontinental Railroad route

33. Proposed organizing northern territory so Railroad could run through it- Kansas in South, Nebraska in North
Slavery issue would be solved based on popular sov.

40. Believed it wouldn’t be a big issue
KS would become slave, NB would become free
Contradicted MO comp. line
Southerners took bait, free-soilers against this

41. N. Congress Legislates a Civil War
No way to avert civil war
Repealed MO Comp.
Drew up the passions of millions of Americans & would make future compromise impossible