Slavery and the West
15-1
Objectives
• Learn how the debate over slavery was related
to the admission of new states.
• Learn what the Compromise of 1850
accomplished.
Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise was an agreement that came about when
Congress debated over the admission of Missouri into the Union as a
slave state. This would upset the balance of free and slave states
and the Senate would be dominated by slave states.
Clay’s Proposal
Senator Henry Clay from
Kentucky proposed a plan by
which Missouri would be
allowed to enter the Union as
a slave state and Maine would
enter as a free state.
Missouri Compromise aka
The Compromise of 1820
Clay’s proposal was accepted.
Both states entered the Union.
In addition, a line was drawn at
the southern Missouri border, 36
degrees 30 minutes. Above that
line slavery was prohibited in
territories.
Missouri Compromise Question
Missouri entered the Union as a slave state. Yet, the entire state
lay above the 36 degree 30 minute line which prohibited slavery.
How can this be?
Wilmot Proviso
When it was clear the United
States was going to gain territory
from the war with Mexico, David
Wilmot, a congressman from
Pennsylvania, proposed that all
lands gained as a result of the
Mexican War slavery be
abolished.
Calhoun’s Reaction
John C. Calhoun, senator from
South Carolina countered that
Congress or any territorial
government had no authority to
prohibit slavery anywhere.
Election of 1848
The Whig Party chose Zachary
Taylor, a hero of the Mexican
War.
Free Soil Party
As the name implies, the Free
Soil Party wanted to keep slavery
from expanding into any new
territories. Their slogan, “Free
soil, free Speech, Free Labor, and
Free Men”. They endorsed the
Wilmot Proviso and nominated
Martin Van Buren.
Lewis Cass
Lewis Cass, Senator from
Michigan was chosen by the
Democratic Party.
1848 Election Results
Zachary Taylor won the election even though he won less than
half of the popular vote and won fewer states than Lewis Cass.
California
One of the huge gains from the
Mexican War was California. The
question that arose was: Would
California be a free or slave state?
Californians settle the issue by
prohibiting slavery in their state
constitution.
Potential States
In addition to California, states
could be carved from the New
Mexico and Utah territories,
plus Oregon. Would states
from these territories be slave
or free?
New Compromise
In 1850, Henry Clay proposed
another compromise to deal
with California and the issue of
slavery.
Clay’s Proposal
• California would be admitted as a free state.
• New Mexico would have no restrictions on slavery.
• The New Mexico/Texas border dispute would be
settled in favor of New Mexico.
• The slave trade would be abolished in Washington,
D.C.
• A strict fugitive slave law would be passed.
Calhoun’s Response
Calhoun was bitterly opposed
to the plan. He felt congress
had no business interfering in
slavery.
Daniel Webster
Webster supported Clay’s
proposal. He felt the proposal
would not harm anti-slavery
forces and eventually
geography would effect the
issue of slavery. Plus, he
wanted to save the Union.
Congressional Opposition
Clay’s plan as it was could not
pass. Congressmen and President
Taylor opposed even opposed it.
On July 9, 1850, Taylor died.
Millard Fillmore became the 13th
President.
Compromise of 1850
With Fillmore’s backing, and the
political work of Stephen A.
Douglas, Senator from Illinois, a
series of measures were passed
and collectively they become
known as the Compromise of
1850.