COS Standard 13
Summarize major legislation and court decisions from 1800
to 1861 that led to increasing sectionalism, including the
Missouri Compromise of 1820, the Compromise of 1850,
the Fugitive Slave Acts, the Kansas-Nebraska Act, and the
Dred Scott decision.
Describing Alabama’s role in the developing sectionalism of
the United States from 1819 to 1861, including participation
in slavery, secession, and the Indian War, and reliance on
cotton
Analyzing the Westward Expansion from 1803 to 1861 to
determine its effect on sectionalism, including the Louisiana
Purchase, Texas Annexation, and the Mexican Cession
Describing tariff debates and the nullification crisis between
1800 and 1861
Analyzing the formation of the Republican Party for its impact
on the 1860 election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the
United States
Louisiana Purchase
 Jefferson wanted to buy Louisiana.
 Napoleon decided to sell all of
Louisiana to America.
 He was taking over Europe and it was
taking too long. He needed money.
 Napoleon sold Louisiana for $15
million.
 Is this legal? Did Jefferson have the
authority to sign a treaty with another
country that gives America land? NO
 It didn’t matter. America wanted LAND!
 Significance: doubles the size of the
US
Louisiana Purchase
Exploring Louisiana
 Thomas Jefferson funded an expedition of the
newly acquired land.
 Meriwether Lewis and William Clark explored from
St. Louis to the Pacific Coast.
 Sacagawea was their guide.
 Significance: The trip expanded the knowledge of
the territory, as well as laid claim to the Oregon
territory.
Lewis, Clark and Sacagawea
Oregon
 Britain and America both vie for Oregon.
 James K. Polk runs for president.
 In public his campaign slogan is “Fifty-four Forty or
Fight.”
 In private, Polk makes a deal with Britain to draw the
boundary line at the 49 north latitude line.
Oregon
Texas Independence
 Mexico opened Texas to Americans to settle.
 At first, Americans agreed to be Mexican citizens, but not
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adopt Mexican customs.
Haden Edwards attempted to take over Texas and rename it
Fredonia. It was stopped.
In 1830, Mexico closed its borders to American
immigrants, banned slavery and discouraged trade with the
US.
People in Texas were angered by the change in Mexico.
America attempts to talk Mexico to get them to reopen
their borders.
Texas Independence continued
 A convention was set up to separate
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Texas from Mexico. They wrote a
constitution and sent Stephen
Austin to negotiate with the
Mexican government.
Negotiations failed. Austin
suggested Texas should organize
their own state government.
There is a fight for Texas
independence.
Texas wins and becomes the
Republic of Texas.
They applied for annexation to be a
slave state (controversial).
Texas
Mexican War and Cession
 When Mexico refused to discuss the purchase of California, President
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Polk sent troops to cross the Nueces River.
Mexico sees this as an invasion of their country. Mexico attacks. The
Mexican War started.
When Winfield Scott captured Mexico City on September 14, 1847, the
war is over.
On February 2, 1848, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed
ending the Mexican War.
Mexico gave up land in California, Utah, Nevada, New Mexico,
Arizona, Colorado and Wyoming. Also, the new border of Texas became
the Rio Grande.
America agrees to pay Mexico $15 million and assume $3.5 million in
Mexican debts.
Significance: opens land to American settlers.
Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
Mexican Cession
California
 Starts in 1848, by 1849
the rush is on
 “Forty-Niners”
 Need a government to
maintain order, California
applies for statehood.
 Has enough people to skip
the territory stage and
immediately applies for
statehood.
 Free state
 Confronts slavery issue
Nullification
 Example: South Carolina: economy is weak (agricultural), get most
of its goods from England (high tariffs) because they don’t have many
industries. Congress passes another tariff in 1828 (Tariff of
Abominations). South Carolina is mad and threatens to secede. They
blame the north.
 John C. Calhoun tries to fix the problem with nullification.
 From South Carolina and the Vice President
 Nullification: declaring a law not valid
 Webster and Hayne debate. Daniel Webster (Massachusetts) defends
the union. Robert Hayne (South Carolina) defends the state.
 Jackson takes a stand and defends the union.
 In 1832, another tariff was passed which cuts the tariffs, South
Carolina still not happy.
Nullification
 South Carolina votes to nullify the tariffs because they say the
tariffs are unconstitutional.
 Jackson sees this as treason and sends a warship to South
Carolina.
 Jackson passes the Force Bill.
 President can authorize the use of military to enforce acts of Congress.
 Henry Clay passes a bill through Congress which will gradually
lower taxes until 1842.
 South Carolina repeals its nullification.