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Renewing the Sec,onal Struggle 1848-­‐1854 Slavery and the Mexican Cession •  Rep. David Wilmot (Pa.) introduced a resolu,on to prohibit slavery in any territory that might be acquired from Mexico •  Wilmot Proviso-­‐ passed in the House, but was defeated in the Senate •  1848-­‐ US acquired the Mexican Cession-­‐ struggle over issue of slavery began to boil again… 1848 Presiden,al Elec,on •  Democrats nominated Lewis Cass, the Father of Popular Sovereignty •  Popular Sovereignty was the belief that the people of a territory would decide issue of slavery for themselves (democra,c tradi,on…
but not to aboli,onist) 1
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Elec,on of 1848 •  Whig Party –  Pla,orm: •  Eager to win at any cost-­‐ would dodge all major issues (slavery) •  Nominated Zachary Taylor-­‐ hero of the Mexican War, slave owner •  Free Soil Party –  Pla,orm: •  Supported Wilmot Proviso •  anG-­‐slavery •  Supported by N. industrialists, northern aboliGonists •  Nominated MarGn Van Buren California Gold Rush 1849 California Gold Rush •  Early 1848-­‐ gold discovered in California •  “Forty-­‐Niners” •  Only a few “struck it rich” most lost money and died from deadly fevers and disease •  California completely overwhelmed with huge amount of people-­‐ crime (robbery & murder) became commonplace. •  California’s populaGon swelled to 10,000 •  California draWed their consGtuGon for statehood-­‐ excluded slavery •  Southerners outraged. 2
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The Problems with California 1.  15 Slave states, 15 Free states 2.  Admission of California as a Free state would mean that rest of Mexican Cession might be free as well 3.  Missouri Compromise Line divide California Underground Railroad and Harriet Tubman •  Harriet Tubman was a runaway slave from Maryland who became known as the "Moses of her people." •  Over the course of 10 years, and at great personal risk, she led 300 slaves to freedom along the Underground Railroad, a secret network of safe houses where runaway slaves could stay on their journey north to freedom. •  She later became a leader in the aboliGonist movement, and during the Civil War she was a spy for the federal forces in South Carolina as well as a nurse. 3
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Building towards the Compromise of 1850 •  Texas boarder issues (how far southwest was boarder ?) •  California ready for statehood as a result of Gold Rush •  Utah and New Mexico ready for territory status •  Balance of power issues •  Aboli,onist want slavery in DC eliminated •  Underground Railroad upsets South •  Stronger Fugi,ve Slave Law demanded by South The Compromise of 1850 •  Constructed by “ The Immortal Trio” –  Henry Clay-­‐ 73 years old, his last great compromise –  John C. Calhoun-­‐ 68 years old and dying of tuberculosis, died before the debate was over –  Daniel Webster-­‐ 68 years old and dying from liver damage, gave one final great speech-­‐ the famed “Seventh of March” Speech-­‐ convinced the North towards compromise Compromise of 1850 • California admitted as a free state
• The rest of the Mexican Cession was divided into the
territories of New Mexico and Utah and was to follow the
principle of popular sovereignty
• Texas was given $10 million in exchange for a strip of land
that was assigned to N. Mexico
• Abolish slave trade (not slavery) in Washington DC
• A strict fugitive slave law was adopted to make it easier for
Southerners to recover runaway slaves found in the North
4
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How Compromise of 1850 won passage •  President Taylor died. •  New President was Millard Fillmore, he supported the Compromise measure. •  Most Northerners supported the compromise, South did not •  “Fire-­‐eater” conven,on of 1850 in Nashville proved to be a dud. •  Era of Good Feelings-­‐ both North and South determined that this compromise should be the end of the slavery issue Compromise of 1850 •  Who won? •  North-­‐ California now ,ps the balance of power in favor of the North •  New Mexico may be a free state •  Future aboli,on of slavery in D.C. Northern Reac,on to 1850 Fugi,ve Slave Law •  Northerners view it as “Bloodhound Bill” or “Man Stealing Bill” •  Northern states pass “Personal Liberty Laws”-­‐ prohibited state officials from coopera,ng in the capture of runaway slaves 5
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1852 Presiden,al elec,on •  Democrats nominate Franklin Pierce of New Hampshire. Placorm endorsed Compromise of 1850 •  Whigs nominate Winfield Scod, also endorsed Compromise of 1850. “Finality Whigs” of Georgia did not accept Scod and cast ballots for Daniel Webster •  Free Soil Candidate John P. Hale siphoned votes from Scod in the North •  Whig party died out-­‐ legacy of Whig party was that it kept Union together for a number of years Franklin Pierce won elec,on Southern s,rrings for land •  President Pierce was a “Young America” expansionist whose cabinet was full of southerners, including Secretary of War Jefferson Davis, future President of the Confederacy •  Failed expedi,on of William Walker to secure Nicaragua as slave territory •  Ostend Manifesto (scheme of Pierce administra,on to buy Cuba from Spain and divide into slave states) •  Aboli,onists stopped the adempts President Franklin Pierce The Allure of Asia •  Treaty of Wanghia secured trade rights for America with China in 1844 •  Commodore Madhew Perry opens Japan to trade with Treaty of Kanagawa in 1854 •  European Powers and America begin to “carve out” trading rights in Asia…..leads to “big stuff” in 20th century 6
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1853 Gadsden Purchase •  Background-­‐ –  Cal and Oregon cut off from rest of US by Mts. –  Need transporta,on to get through: camels, seriously? –  Only op,on: just North of the Mexican border was land w/low mts. Gadsden Purchase •  Sec. of War (J. Davis) sends in James Gadsden-­‐ SC railroad man, now Minister to Mexico to work out deal w/Santa Anna •  $10 million for territory, should have bought the land a lidle more South-­‐ Sea of Cortez J. Gadsden
Gadsden Purchase •  Effects –  North upset that govt chose the South as the way for the railroad –  Govt: “ Texas already a state, N. Mexico now formally organized” –  Northerners-­‐ “Fine…Lets organize Nebraska territory” 7
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Kansas Nebraska Act •  Proposed by Lidle Giant Stephen Douglas (to counter Southern Railroad of Gadsden Purchase) •  Mo,ves: possible pres run in 1856, no ill will on slavery issue •  Create territories of Kansas and Nebraska with concept of popular sovereignty to decide issue of slavery Kansas Nebraska Act •  Assump,on-­‐ Kansas would be a slave state, Nebraska would be a free state •  Major obstacle of K-­‐N Act: 36’30 line •  K-­‐N Bill supported by Pierce, survived Congress Kansas Nebraska Act •  Effects –  Missouri Compromise: gone. –  Compromise of 1850: gone. –  No more compromises between North and South –  Democrats shadered-­‐ would win in 1856, not again for 28 years –  Birth of the Republican Party (Whigs, Democrats, Free-­‐
Soilers, Know-­‐Nothings, and foes of K-­‐N Act) –  Poli,cal Par,es now sec,onal Par,es: Democrats = South, Republicans = North 8