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The 1850s

The 1850s. United States in 1850. Free states. 36’30 ”. Slave states. What Caused the Civil War?. Slavery a growing moral issue in the North while it expanded in the South Constitutional dispute over Federal powers vs. States’ rights

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The 1850s

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  1. The 1850s

  2. United States in 1850 Free states 36’30” Slave states

  3. What Caused the Civil War? • Slavery a growing moral issue in the North while it expanded in the South • Constitutional dispute over Federal powers vs. States’ rights • Economic differences between industrial North and agricultural South (tariffs, banking, internal improvements, expansion) • Political errors and extremism on both sides

  4. Wilmot Proviso 1846 • Mexican War (Mexican cession) gains upset the pre-1846 balance: • 15 free and 15 slave states for Senate • South held 38% seats in House (1850) • W.P. proposed during the war: no slavery in areas gained from Mexico (not Texas) • Supported by Free-Soilers, Northern Dems, and Northern Whigs (who also wanted all slaves and freemen excluded) • Passed House, defeated in pro-slave Senate

  5. Slavery restricted under Wilmot Proviso 1846 Slavery prohibited 36’ 30”

  6. Wilmot Proviso debate 1846 • Many Americans assumed Congress had power to legislate slavery in territories, (loose constructionist) as it had with NW Ordinance and Missouri Compromise in Louisiana Territory 1820 • Debate develops two new arguments: • Congress had moral duty to prohibit slavery where its power extended. Freedom national and slavery only sectional. Basis of Free Soil and Republican ideologies • Congress could not restrict slavery in territories, but was required to protect it there. Later backed by Supreme Court

  7. Common Property Doctrine 1846-1847 • John C. Calhoun • Most extreme Southern position • Congress under Constitution had no power to regulate slavery in territories prior to statehood (strict construction) • All citizens have equal rights to take property into areas owned jointly by all states. Territories owned by states united, not United States. • Slaves were common-law property, like cattle • Only deep South Whigs and Dems supported

  8. Common Property Doctrine 2 • Slavery ceased to be illegal in Mexican territory when lost by Mexico • Missouri Compromise unconstitutional • Slavery should follow the flag • Northerners feared that slavery would become untouchable • Dred Scott (1857) Supreme Court decision read the Constitution this way

  9. Common Property Doctrine Map 1847 (pre-Oregon Terr.) Territories open to slavery under Common Property Doctrine

  10. Missouri Compromise extension • President Polk (1845-1849) supported • Would hold slavery to a northern border, but not western border • Slave states could enter from Mexican cession • Polk and Northern Dems favored, might keep free-soil Dems in the party

  11. Extend Missouri Compromise into Mexican cession Free 36’ 30” Slave

  12. 1850 36’ 30”

  13. Popular Sovereignty • 1848 Cass (Dem) party platform • Let the settlers in a territory vote to decide • Congress and President not decision-makers

  14. Cass’ Popular Sovereignty 1848(Oregon organized free 1848) Open to slavery under Pop Sov

  15. Popular Sovereignty Doctrine (2) Territories closed to slavery under Pop Sov

  16. Issues with Pop Sov and Common Property • Not clear when slavery is prohibited or allowed • Did not say if or how much a territory could regulate slavery • Territories could only decide when they are about to apply for statehood (Common Property) • Seems that slavery would have time to become established in new territories (pro-South) • No, territories could exclude slavery (pro-North) • Acceptable middle path since it avoided an immediate decision on the whole issue

  17. Popular Sovereignty 1850 Areas still open to slavery applying 1850 Pop Sov Territories open to slavery under Pop Sov

  18. Election of 1848 • Cass (D) Pop Sov • Taylor (W) Mexican War fame, took no position on slavery in election • Martin van Buren (Free Soil) • Anti-slavery Whigs and anti-slavery Dems • Not offered Dem nomination

  19. Election Results of 1848

  20. Crisis of 1849-1850 • Gold and land in California attract 100,000 settlers • California has military governor, settlers select to skip from unorganized territory to statehood • Sept 1849 constitutional convention called, drafted anti-slavery constitution • Constitution approved 12,000 to 800 • Elections held for legislature and governor • Fully functioning as a state ready for 1850 • California applies for statehood as free 1849

  21. California statehood • Split • Southern “fire-eaters” meet in Nashville in December 1849-1850 to discuss secession • Clay’s submits Compromise of 1850

  22. States Convention • December 1849-1850 Nashville (States Rights) to discuss secession • Same time as Congress (December 1850) • Response to California application • Similar to Hartford Convention of 1814 • Radical Southerners attended from nine states • But passed only mild resolutions in the end

  23. Why was the South worried? • Southern President • Southern majority on President’s cabinet • Southern majority on the Supreme Court • Equality in the Senate • Lowered tariff under Polk 1846 • 1801-1848 slavery extended to Louisiana, Florida, Texas, and Indian Territory (Oklahoma)

  24. The Compromise of 1850 • California enters as free state • Mexican cession divided into Utah and New Mexico territories and settlers use Pop Sov • Land between Texas and New Mexico goes to New Mexico and US assumes Texas debt • Ban slave trade in D.C., but not slavery • New Fugitive Slave Law with stronger enforcement

  25. 1850 • Webster, Calhoun, and Clay gave their final great speeches in this debate • Clay for compromise • Webster for compromise • Calhoun against • Taylor blocked Compromise, but died in 1850 • Succeeded by Vice-President Millard Fillmore, who supported Compromise • Senator Stephen A. Douglas created necessary coalitions to pass, easing tensions 1850-1854

  26. Compromise of 1850

  27. Election of 1852

  28. Franklin Pierce (1853-1857)

  29. Polk, Pierce, and expansion

  30. Kansas-Nebraska Act 1854

  31. Bleeding Kansas

  32. James Buchanan (1857-1861)

  33. Abraham Lincoln (1861-1865)

  34. Bibliography • file:///C:/Documents%20and%20Settings/Faculty1/Local%20Settings/Temporary%20Internet%20Files/Content.IE5/4F0EQQ10/ppt14%5B1%5D.ppt#256,2,Map 14.1: The Compromise of 1850 • Newman, John M. and John M. Schmalbach. United States History: Preparing for the Advanced Placement examination. Amsco • http://teachpol.tcnj.edu/amer_pol_hist/fi/000000aa.htm

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