MISSOURI COMPROMISE
 Ready for statehood – but wanted to allow slavery
 Would have upset balance of power in Congress
 Compromise kept balance because Missouri came in as slave state and Maine came in
as free state
o Outlawed slavery north of Missouri’s southern border
WILMOT PROVISO 1846
 War with Mexico caused concern – North thought South would expand slavery into new
territory
 Plan would have outlawed slavery in any territory acquired from war with Mexico
 South said plan unconstitutional: slaves were property and plan limited right to own
property
 Plan not passed – caused Free Soil Party
COMPROMISE OF 1850
 Gold rush populated California enough to apply for statehood
 California became free state, slave trade abolished in Wash. D.C., slavery allowed in rest
of Mexican cession & Fugitive Slave Act passed to help slaveholders capture runaway
slaves
 Both sides felt they had given up too much
Fugitive Slave Act
 people accused of being fugitive could be held without arrest warrant,
 no jury trial, federal commissioner ruled on each case and was paid more for ruling in
slaveholder’s favor
 Forced North to make choice between following law or opposing slavery
 South view: law was justified since slaves were property
 North view: resented it since punished those not enforcing the law
Uncle Tom’s Cabin
 Fictional book describing cruelty of slavery – became very popular
 South believed book FALSELY criticized slavery
Kansas Nebraska Act
 Allowed popular sovereignty to decide slavery issue in Kansas & Nebraska territories
 South favored – would allow slavery where previously banned by Missouri Compromise
Dred
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Scott vs Sandford
Slave sued for freedom after living in territory that banned slavery
Supreme Court ruled slaves were property so Scott could not sue
Slavery bans in new territories were illegal because of 5th amendment property rights
o Missouri Compromise UNCONSTITUTIONAL
Election of 1860
 Lincoln won the election with no support from the south
 South feared he would try to abolish slavery and had the political power to do so
 Southern states seceded and formed the Confederacy