J.A.SACCO
The Mexican-American War Opens Up Old Wounds
(1846)
 Next territorial crisis comes with the Mexican Cession
after the war.
 President Polk believed that expansion would not be
an issue- slavery not suitable in that climate of the SW.
 Southerners saw differently- SW/California have fertile
areas for farming. Also mining, railroad work could use
slavery
 Northerners feared that slavery would spread.
The Wilmot Proviso (1846)
 Expansion came to a head before war even ended.
 Wilmot Proviso proposed that
slavery should not be allowed
in any territory gained in the war.
Effects?
David Wilmot
The Wilmot Proviso (1846)
 Proved to be an omen that territorial expansion would
be the issue for the next 15 years
 Signaled the beginning of the breakdown of the 2nd
Political Party system. Slave representation vs. free
representation. It no longer mattered your party, but
your allegiance was to your section.
 Democratic Party was becoming more Southern.
The Wilmot Proviso (1846)
Vote on Wilmot Proviso!
House of Reps
N. Dems/ N. Whigs get
it through the House
Senate
Southerners block
it in the Senate
Eventually 4 proposals would emerge to address
the question of territorial expansion!
Wilmot Proviso
Wilmot Proviso
Extreme Northern
position.
David Wilmot
Calhoun Doctrine
Calhoun Doctrine
Extreme Southern
position. Constitution
protects property, and
slaves have been deemed
property. Can be taken
into any territory.
John C. Calhoun
Polk Plan
Polk Plan
Moderate Southern plan.
Extend the Missouri
Compromise line west.
James K. Polk
Popular Sovereignty
Popular Sovereignty
Moderate Northern plan.
Allow the people of the
territory to decide on
slavery.
Lewis Cass
The Election of 1848
 Cass would stand on
popular sovereignty,
although never officially
stated in the campaign.
 Democrats would lose
some Northern votes to
Free Soil Party.
Lewis Cass- (Dem)
The Election of 1848
 Had no political stance
on expansion.
 Why was Taylor a strange
choice for the Whig
Party?
 How did his selection
cause a split in the Whig
Party?
Zachary Taylor-(Whig)
Conscience Whigs
Cotton Whig
The Election of 1848
 Free Soil Party based on the
Wilmot Proviso
 “Free-soil, free-speech, freelabor, free-men”
 Felt that allowing slavery to
expand would make it difficult
to find work around the
nation. This would disrupt
republican principles.
Martin Van Buren-Free Soil
The Election of 1848
The Election of 1848
 Close Election. Cass lost the election because of Northern Democrats
that joined the Free-Soil Party.
 Whigs increase strength in the South.
 Free-Soil Party won no electoral votes but polled 14% of vote in the
North. Also elected 9 Congressmen and 2 senators. Both parties survived
but losing northern support.
Salmon P. Chase (Ohio)
Creator of Free-Soil party
Charles Sumner (MA)
Leader of Conscience Whigs
Taylor and Fillmore (1849-1853)
 Taylor, even though a
Southerner would
support the admission of
California as a free state.
Would die soon after.
Nation would flounder
under Fillmore.