Manifest Destiny
Eve of Civil War
5th Period
Texas Annexation & Wilmot Proviso
•Wilmot Proviso never became a law (Wilmot Proviso would have banned
slavery from any territory acquired from Mexico).
•This led to the creation of anti-slavery Republican Party in 1854.
•Mexico war of 1845-1846 was partially caused by the desire of the U.S. to
annex Texas.
•There was controversy because congress approved the annexation through
majority vote and most through a treaty. Texas annexation also provided
opportunity for the Oregon treaty with Manifest Destiny through James K.
Polk, which became the U.S. Canadian border.
Mexican-American War & Mexican
Cession
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2 Years after the annex of
Texas, war began (1846).
September of 1847 Americans
captured Mexico City.
February 2, 1848, both sides
signed Treaty of Guadalupe
Hidalgo, ending the war.
Mexico ceded 55% of its land
to the US for $15 million.
Mexican Cession consisted of
all of California, Nevada, and
Utah, along with parts of
Arizona, Colorado, New
Mexico, Wyoming.
Compromise of 1850
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The Problem:
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Texas… Free, Slave, or determined by the inhabitants?
California, after the 1849 Gold Rush, wanted statehood as a free state, thus upsetting the balance created by
the Missouri Compromise.
Texas claimed territory as far as Santa Fe.
Washington D.C. not only violates Missouri Compromise by allowing slavery, but it is the hub of the slave
market in North America.
The Solution:
Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, and John C. Calhoun spent eight months with Congress working on a compromise
that would make everyone happy. Here is the result:
To the North:
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California admitted as a free state
Slave trade abolished in Washington, D.C.
Texas loses Santa Fe
To the South:
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Utah and New Mexico territories had slavery restrictions
Slavery was still allowed in Washington D.C.
Texas gets $10 million in exchange for Santa Fe
Fugitive Slave Law- A law requiring northerners to return runaway slaves to their owners under penalty of
law.
Compromise of 1850
California Gold Rush
Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe
• Humanized and personalized slaves
• Dramatized their mistreatment
• Raised awareness among abolitionists and northerners who had
never interacted with African Americans or experienced slavery
first hand
• Portrayed an outlook on black Americans that was a
revolutionary
• Culmination of years of social activism
• Was not published as a whole book
– Published as a weekly series in the newspaper
– June 5th 1851 to April 1st 1852
– Published in the anti-slavery newspaper, The National Era
– 1852, the serial was published as a two volume book
Stephen A. Douglas
“The Little Giant”
Kansas Nebraska Act
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It was passed by U.S. Congress May 30th, 1834.
Senator Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois was the main supporter of the
Kansas Nebraska Act.
This act allowed people living in Kansas and Nebraska to determine
whether or not their state was for or against slavery. It was put in
place to repeal the Missouri Compromise which angered many people
in the South because they still thought that the Missouri Compromise
was important.
After the act was passed, many pro-slavery and anti-slavery
supporters went to Kansas to try to win the state over to their side.
However when the state voted, the state was divided resulting in a
split legislature and violence that gave Kansas the nickname
“Bleeding Kansas.”
In the end, no definite decision was made and Kansas wasn’t allowed
to become a state. Eventually, on January 29, 1861, Kansas was
admitted into the Union as a free state.
Dred Scott Decision
Dred Scott was a slave from the state of Illinois (free
state) and moved to Missouri (slave state) then appealed
to the Supreme Court in hopes of being granted his
freedom.
First appealed in 1847. Ten years later it was finally
brought out in the Supreme Court.
Court decided all people of African ancestry (slaves or
free) could never be citizens of the U.S., therefore they
couldn’t sue in federal court.
Dred Scott remained a slave
The decision fixed one problem but led straight to
another.
Greatly influenced the nomination of Abraham Lincoln as
president.
Lincoln Douglas Debate
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1858, Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas the incumbent begin a
series of debates for the senatorial election campaign of Illinois.
~ In 7 of 9 congressional districts.
~ Marked a significance in political rivalry.
Lincoln gave his famous speech, “ House Divided.” He emphasized the
crises of the state torn apart by slavery.
~His main goal was to regain Republican unity.
Douglas countered argued , “ The rights of the people in each state and
territory is to decide for themselves their domestic institutions.”
~Called Popular sovereignty
November 2,1858 Democrats were elected by majority vote giving Douglas
the win and setting up Lincoln for the presidency in 1860.
~ Free and slave states conflict grew which intern would set the union
in jeopardy.