Slavery in the
Territories
The Missouri Compromise, Wilmot
Proviso, Free-Soil Party
The Missouri
Compromise (1820)
• 11 Free and 11 slave states when Missouri
applies for statehood
• Missouri applies as a slave state
– arguments erupt in the Senate
• Henry Clay makes a proposal
– Missouri Compromise - Suggests admitting
Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free
state
– Also, drew an imaginary line across the
Southern border of Missouri that banned
slavery in any northern part of the Louisiana
Purchase above that line except for Missouri
Map of the Missouri Compromise
Slavery in the West
• In 1848, the Mexican War added
western land to the U.S.
– Once again, slavery was an issue.
• Wilmot Proviso - David Wilmot, a
PA Congressman suggested a law
that banned slavery in the western
U.S.
– The House passed the Proviso in 1848,
but the Senate defeated it.
The Views
1. Ban Slavery
– Abolitionists wanted it banned throughout
the country
2. Moderate views
– Some argued Missouri Compromise line
should extend across the Mexican Cession
to the Pacific.
– Popular Sovereignty - the right of people to
vote on if they want slavery
3. Keep Slavery
The Free-Soil Party
• By 1848, most northern Democrats and
Whigs opposed slavery.
– However, weren’t willing to risk isolating Southern
members by making an official stance.
• Free-Soil Party (members of both parties
with one goal)- goal was to keep slavery out
of the western territories
– Not many wanted to end slavery in the South.
Election of 1848
• Free-Soil nominated Martin Van
Buren, Democrats chose Lewis Cass,
and the Whigs selected Zachary
Taylor.
• For the first time, slavery was an
important issue.
– Van Buren called for slavery ban in west,
Cass wanted popular sovereignty, and
Taylor did not speak on the issue (but he
did own slaves)
• Zachary Taylor won the election, but
Free-Soilers won seats in Congress.