What was the impact of the War
with Mexico?
Mexican War heightened viewpoints and led
to more divisive sectional tensions..(what
does that mean?)
Should slavery be allowed in the
territories?
As part of the debates that now
took place, Southerners also
demanded to help them
retrieve RUNAWAY slaves.
Slavery in the Territories..
In 1846, PA Democrat David Wilmot
Proviso caused trouble between North and
South by introducing an ammendment to
a bill stating that
“ neither slavery nor involuntary servitude
shall ever exist in any territory the U.S.
Might encure as a result of the war with
Mexico”.
What does that mean?
1.
1.
2.
3.
Wilmot Proviso divided Congress along
regional lines:
Northerners, mad over refusal of southern
congressmen to vote for improvements
such as canals and railroads, supported
this Proviso.
Also feared that adding slavery would
give slave states more members in
Congress.
The Southerners…
Southerners opposed the proviso, because
it raised constitutional issues:
Slaves were property, and property was
protected by the Constitution!
Many Southerners feared that if the Provision
became law, the balance of power would
shift permanently to the North…
The House of Reps approved the Proviso –
what do you think this means?
Statehood for California!
1. Because of the Gold Rush, CA had grown
very quickly and applied to join the Union.
2. Their Constitution forbade slavery and
this alarmed Southerners:
CA was mostly south of the Missouri
Compromise line of 36’ 30
Gen. Zach. Taylor supported California’s
admission as a free state.
Southerners thought this was an attack on
their “southern way of life”…
The Senate Debates…and Southerners
threatened secession – the formal withdrawel
from the Union.
Clay’s Compromise:
Worked night and day to create a compromise
to share the Union.
Presented to the Senate 8 days later the
Compromise of 1850!
Terms:
For the North:
- CA will still be admitted to the Union as a
free state, but organized the rest of Mexican
cession without ANY restriction to slavery.
- Outlawed slave trade in the District of
Columbia but didn’t outlaw slavery itself.
For the South:
Enacted rigorous fugitive slave laws for
runaway slaves
Provision also allowed residents of the
territories of New Mexico and Utah –
Popular sovereignty – the right of
residents of a territory to vote for or against
slavery
John C. Calhoun and Daniel
Webster respond to this –
And the Compromise is adopted
Lets Review :
What were the Fundamental Differences
between North and South?
What was the Wilmot Proviso
How did the gold Rush affect Statehood of
California?
What was Clay’s Compromise?
Take out something to write with please!
I. Tension in Kansas and Nebraska
 Stephen Douglas, helped the
compromise to victory has now resurrected
abolitionist feelings once again in the
north.
 A. Popular Sovergnty
 1. Douglas was to organize the huge
territory west of Iowa and Missouri.
 2. Developed a proposal to divide them
into 2 – Kansas and Nebraska.
 Motives were complicated….

3. Wanted construction of a major railroad
between Chicago and San Francisco (he
owned business property there)
a. Needed support from the South to do
this.
4. Wanted to incorporate the west into the
Union
a. He was sure that expansion out west
would strengthen his party and help
unify the nation.
5. Also believed that popular soverghnty was
the most fair and democratic way to
organize the new states.
a. Failed to understand how strongly
opposed to slavery the North had become.
Popular Sovereignty seemed to be the best
way to decide whether slavery would be
allowed in the Nebraska Territory….
Only difficulty?
6. Lay North of the Missouri Compromise –
so legally it was closed to slavery.
7. Douglas believed that the territory would
enter the union as 2 states: 1 free and 1
slave – maintaining the balance in the
senate between north and south.
a. Now, Douglas was convinced that
slavery could not even exist on the open
prairie – why not?
b. However, to win over the south,
Douglas decided to support the repeal of
the Missouri Compromise – which now
would make slavery LEGAL north of the
36, 30 line.
B. The Kansas Nebraska Act
1. 1854, Douglas introduced bill to divide the
area into 2 territories: Nebraska in the
north, Kansas in the south.
2. If it passed, it would repeal the Missouri
compromise and allow popular sovereignty
for both territories.
3. Kansas-Nebraska Act became law in May of
1854.
II. “Bleeding Kansas”
A. A race to the territories!!
1. NY Senator William Seward dared the
slave states into a competition on which
side would fill up the territory faster.
2. Settlers raced to the Kansas territory.
a. some were simple farmers.
b. Most were sent from anti-slavery
groups
3. By next March, Kansas had enough people
to hold an election to become a territory.
Not soooo fast…
4. “Border Ruffians” from the slave state of
Missouri crossed into Kansas with guns and voted
illegally.
a. Won a fake majority for proslavery candidates
who set up a government and issued a bunch of
proslavery acts.
b. Down the road, antislavery proponents set up
their own government! – Proslavery groups
“sacked” the town of Lawrence – the antislavery headquarters.
B. Enter John Brown….
1. John Brown, a mad, fiery abolitionist
believed God told him to fight slavery.
2. He and others pulled 5 men from their
beds in the proslavery Pottawatomie
Creek, hacked off their hands and stabbed
them with broadswords.
3. Attack became famous as the
“Pottawatomie Massacre”
a. Massacre triggered tons of incidents
through Kansas.
b. Over 200 people were killed.
Became known as “Bleeding Kansas”…
Violence did not just happen out west, but also in
the Senate Chamber back in D.C…
1. Sen. Charles Sumner gave a speech called “The
Crime against Kansas”
a. Verbally attacked slavery supporters
b. VERY abusive toward an old man still in
Congress – Sen. Andre Butler – making fun of
his impaired speech in front of everyone…
2. 3 days later, Bulter’s nephew,
Congressman Preston Brooks, stormed into
the Senate chamber walked right up to
Sumner’s desk and said….
Caned Sumner into unconsciousness and
brain damage.
Southerners applauded Brooks and gave him
new canes with inscriptions such as “Hit
him again!”
EOCT REVIEW!
1. Someone who supported John C.
Calhoun and backed the state of South
Carolina during the NULLIFICATION crisis
MOST LIKELY supported:
a. A strong central government
b. State’s rights
c. The UNION during the Civil War
d. Abraham Lincoln in the election of 1860.

Another one..
2. The war with Mexico was, in large part,
inspired by:
a. The Nullification Crisis
b. The Compromise of 1850
c. The Emancipation Proclamation
d. Manifest Destiny

“Until mankind recognizes that all men
have the right to be born free, society will
never warrant being called civilized”
Which of the following people would have
MOST LIKEY agreed with this quote?
 A. John Brown
B. John C. Calhoun
C. Jefferson Davis
D. Andrew Jackson

The result??
This widening gulf between North and South
had effects on party policy as well…
From the Wilmot Proviso, the Missouri
Compromise and the Compromise of 1850,
nothing could satisfy both sides.
New Political Parties and Alliances were now
being formed…