Sectionalism Intensifies
US History
Struggle Intensifies
• After 1830 abolitionism became
militant.
– Increasing numbers of Americans
began to oppose slavery not as a
political problem but a moral wrong.
– Britain had already abolished it in
1830s.
• In 1840s abolitionists railed against
it as violating religious teachings
and basic human rights.
• In the next 20 years, the arguments
continued and grew.
QuickT i me™ and a
T IFF (Uncompressed) decom pressor
are needed to see this picture.
Abolitionism Redux
• 2 Types of Abolitionists:
• Moderates
QuickTi me™ and a
T IFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this pi cture.
– Wanted gradual elimination of
slavery.
– Realized South was economically
dependent and politically committed
to slavery.
– Sought compromise solutions.
Type 2 Abolitionist
• Extremists
QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
– Wanted immediate end to slavery
with NO economic compensation to
owners.
– Argued that slavery was so wrong, it
had to be ended regardless of the
consequences.
– Advocates: William Lloyd Garrison,
Frederick Douglas
– Extremists gained little
popular support until the
1850s.
Northern Anti-Abolitionists?
– Who are these people?
QuickTi me™ and a
T IFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see thi s pi cture.
• textile manufacturers were afraid
cotton prices would rise if slavery
was eliminated
• Laborers (recent immigrants)
feared wages would go down if
slaves were freed.
QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
General Attitudes about
Abolitionism
• Most Northerners wanted gradual abolition
– First in the territories
– Then in the states
• Southerners rejected ALL talk of abolition.
– Before 1830, some Southerners agreed with
moderate abolition.
– But several slave revolts (Nat Turner’s rebellion
in VA, 1831) scared them back.
How could anyone argue for
slavery?
• African Americans were civilized by white
masters.
– They got Christianization, education, and better
living conditions than Northern factory workers
(read: the Irish).
• Economy of South depended on laborintensive cotton exports.
• Less than 25% of Southerners owned slaves.
• Other reasons:
– Some hoped to own slaves one day.
– If they were lower class, at least they were
higher than a slave!
QuickT i me™ and a
T IFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Runaway
• After 1850, abolitionists organized
bold attempts to get slaves out of the
South into Canada.
– Creation of the Underground
Railway.
QuickTime™
a
QuickTime™ andand
a
QuickTime™ and a
• Series
“safe-houses”
where
runaways
TIFF
(Uncompressed)
decompressor
TIFF (Uncom pressed) decompressor
TIFFof
(Uncompressed)
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
are
needed to
thisthis
picture.
could are
get help.
needed
tosee
see
picture.
– Harriet Tubman, former slave, was very
active in the movement.
• Few slaves managed to escape, but
many Southerners were irked that
many Northern states did not enforce
the Fugitive Slave Act.
Constitutional Debates
• When Constitution was written, slavery was
thought to die away soon, because it wasn’t
“profitable.”
– Article I, Section 9: international Slave trade
was ended, but not domestic slavery.
– Slavery faded in the North.
– BUT demand for slavery suddenly grew at the
end of the 18th, beginning of the 19th centuries.
• Why?
Politics and Slavery
• The two issues of the controversy:
– Balancing Senate representation between slave
and free states
– Allowing slavery in new federal territories.
Political Perspectives
• Southern states, in particular, wanted
balance between slave and free states.
QuickTime™ and a
(Uncompressed)
decompressor
• NorthernTIFF
states
had
twice
the
population
of
are needed to see this picture.
slaves states in the South.
• Control of the House was never an issue; it always
went to the North.
Early Compromise:
Missouri Comp of 1820-21
You know this one!
QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
– Proposed by Henry Clay.
– Admitted Missouri to Union as
slave state and Maine as free
state.
– For next 30 years, there was a
simultaneous free-slave state
admission.
– Territories north of 36º 30”
latitude would be free; those
beneath, slave. (Missouri was
exception!)
More territory: slave-free state
balance problems
• Lands acquired in 1840s re-opened the
QuickTime™ and a
controversy:TIFF (Uncompressed)
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
– Texas (through
annexation of 1845)
– Southwest + California (Treaty of Guadalupe
Hidalgo 1848)
Wilmot Proviso
• 1846--during Mexican War-Congressman David Wilmot
(PA) introduced amendment to
military appropriations bill.
QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
– Wilmot Proviso:
• No slavery can occur in territory
gained by US in war with Mexico.
• California, Utah, New Mexico
would be off limits to slavery.
– WP split Congress sectionally…
Wilmot Proviso
• Northerners supported Proviso because:
– Feared adding more slave territory would give
slave states more members in Congress.
– Feared that free workers would not have
economic opportunity.
– Were angry that Southerners didn’t support
building projects (canals and roads).
Wilmot Proviso
• Southerners opposed the Proviso because:
– It changed status of slaves from property
(protected by Constitution) to labor institution
(not protected).
– It meant adding more free states to Union
shifting balance to North.
Defeat for the Wilmot Proviso
• House of Reps approved the WP.
• Senate defeated it.
BUT that was not the end of the
issue…. 1849…yikes!
– Tension in Congress!
• California statehood (certainly as free state).
• Border dispute between slave state Texas and New
Mexico territory (slavery not yet decided).
• Northerners want Wash DC to be “slavery-free.”
• Southerners want North to enforce Fugitive Slave
Act of 1793.
QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
“Pause at the edge of the Precipice”
• Southerners threatened secession!
• Again, Henry “The Great
Compromiser” Clay (now really sick):
Qui ckTi me™ and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompr essor
are needed to see this pictur e.
• California would be admitted as free.
• Slavery question in Utah and NM to be
determined by inhabitants (popular
sovereignty).
• Texas-NM border dispute: Texas got $10 mil
from Federal govt.
• Can’t buy/sell slaves in DC, but slavery can
take place.
• Fugitive Slave Act: free states HAVE TO help
return escaped slaves.
QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Entrenched Struggle
Qui ckTime™ and a
TIFF ( Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this pi cture.
Webster
Calhoun
• By 1850s both positions on slavery became
stronger.
Qui ckTi me™ and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompr essor
are needed to see this pictur e.
– Calhoun (SC): No concessions! Sectionalism is the
fault of Northerners!
– Daniel Webster (MA): Pro-compromise! Wanted
greater free territories in the union.
QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
• Clay and Webster--long-time enemies--came together this
once.
Compromise Defeated…
• Senate rejected the Compromise in July.
• Clay left Washington.
…But not lost forever!
• Stephen Douglas (Congressman
from Illinois) took up the cause.
– Instead of passing Clay’s work in
one big package, he unbundled the
resolutions.
– Congressmen / Senators could vote
on each one individually.
– South was now more willing to
compromise now that Calhoun was
dead.
• 8 months later, Compromise of
1850 passed
QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.