Slavery
Chapter 8 -Sectional Conflict
Intensifies
* The territory gained by the US in
the Mexican-American War
greatly increased sectional
tension.
Slavery & Westward Expansion
• 1846 David Wilmot
• Penn.(Dem)
• The Wilmot Proviso:
proposed that slavery
not be allowed in any
territory gained from
Mexico.
• Angered Southerners
• Northern Democrats &
Whigs passed it in the
House.
• Senate refused to vote
on it (led by John C.
Calhoun of SC)
Election of 1848
** Two Political Parties were national parties
** Both parties tended to “sit on the lid” of the slavery
issue
• Democrats nominated Gen. Lewis Cass (veteran
of 1812) –”father of popular sovereignty”
• Popular Sovereignty- allow the settlers who
move to the territories to decide whether they want
slavery or not (idea had lots of appeal) .
• Platform- silent on the issue of slavery in
territories won from Mexico.
The Whigs
• Nominated Gen. Zachary Taylor (Southerner& slave
holder)
•Platform- dodged all issues regarding slavery-talked about
their candidate’s “homespun” appeal.
The Free Soil Party
•organized by Conscience Whigs, anti-slavery Democrats;
men in the North who did not trust Cass or Taylor on slavery.
• Platform: supported the Wilmot Proviso- against slavery in
territories because slaves might take white settler’s jobs.
•Nominated- Martin Van Buren
Election 1848-Results
• Zachary Taylor won!
• Van Buren pulled votes from Cass in NY
Sectional Balance-South is well off
• a Southerner in the Whitehouse (La. -slaveholder)
• Southern majority on Supreme Court
• Southerners can block in the US Senate
• Cotton fields expanding & profitable
• 15 free/ 15 slave states= veto any proposed amendment
Gold Discovered In California
• 1848- Gold discovered near Sutter’s Mill on the American
River= settlers & miners move west= (“Forty-Niners”).
•1849- enough people had moved to California = California
applied for statehood as a free state (urged secretly by Taylor)
& drafted a constitution that excluded slavery.
• Southern “Fire-eaters” threatened to secede.
Major gold strikes
The Senate Debates the Issue
• Henry Clay, John C. Calhoun, & Daniel Webster
appeared on national stage for last time.
• Henry Clay proposed a series of compromises & was
helped by young Sen. Stephen Douglas (Ill.)
• John C. Calhoun (SC) – rejected Clay’s compromises
because they did not protect southern rights or
property.
• Leave slavery alone, return runaway slaves.
Seventh of March Speech
• Daniel Webster (68 yrs. Old)- liked Clay’s
compromise; gave a 3 hour speech.
• Called Seventh of March Speech- urged
concessions to the South (new Fugitive Slave
Law), declared that God had already deemed
much of the Mexican cession off limits to
slavery-due to climate= no plantations.
**The Compromise of 1850:
• Pres. Taylor died & VP Millard Fillmore took over
1. California in as a free state= tipped power in
Senate permanently to the North
2. New Mexico & Utah- slavery decided by popular
sovereignty (both unsuited for cotton)
3. Slave trade outlawed in D.C. but not slavery itself
4. New Fugitive Slave Act- “Bloodhound Bill”
• Mistake by the South!!
Fugitive Slave
Act of 1850
• Any African-American
could be accused as a
runaway slave to be taken
into custody of the white
person accusing him/her
• No trial
• Financial incentives ($10)
for federal judges who found
in favor of slave holders.
• Any northerner could be
compelled to catch runaways
or face jail or fines.
Effects of the Act
• Northerners upset –
possible jail time
• Drove Northerners to acts
of defiance (civil
disobedience)
• Violence between
abolitionists and proslavery advocates rose
• Abolitionists:
▫ Aided in the escape of
slaves
▫ Sent anti-slavery mailings
to the south
Henry David Thoreau
• Romantic Author
• Wrote ‘Civil
Disobedience’
▫ People should
break a law if it is
unjust
• Anti-slavery activists
used this essay to
justify defying the
Fugitive Slave Acts
The Underground Railroad
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Escape routes for slaves
Deepened Southern mistrust of Northerners
Safe houses aided runaway slaves
Began in the 1830s
Members were ‘conductors’
Harriett Tubman – most famous conductor
▫ Called Moses for leading her people to freedom
• Used song to give directions
• Levi Coffin –white man provided a safe house
▫ 3 underground railroads converged at his house
Harriet Beecher Stowe
• Uncle Tom’s Cabin
▫ Book about slave
life
• Changed
Northerner’s
perceptions of slavery
• Sold millions of
copies
• Southerners tried to
ban the book
Frederick Douglass
• Former slave who
escaped
• Powerful orator
• Abolitionist
• Gave speeches to
anti-slavery groups
in the North
• Urged to enlist
black troops