Download Missouri Compromise

•In 1819, there were 11 free states
and 11 slave states. Representation
in the Senate was evenly balanced
between the North and the South.
•Missouri wanted to join the Union
as a slave state. That would give
the South a majority in the Senate.
Missouri Compromise
Henry Clay proposed the
Missouri Compromise.
•Missouri would join the
Union as a slave state.
•Maine would join the
Union as a free state.
Missouri Compromise
•Congress drew an imaginary
line across the southern
border of Missouri at latitude
36º30´N. Slavery would be
permitted in the Louisiana
Purchase south of that line.
Issue of Slavery in the West
Problem:
•Result of the Mexican War, US
acquired a vast amount of land.
•Missouri Compromise applied
only to the LA Purchase, not the
Arguments - Issue of Slavery
in the West
North:
Congressman David Wilmot
(PA) called for a law to ban
slavery in any territories won
from Mexico. (Wilmot
Proviso)
Arguments - Issue of Slavery
in the West
South:
Southern leaders said
Congress had no right to ban
slavery in the West
The Outcome
• House passed the Wilmot
Proviso, but the Senate
defeated it. The argument
continued.
Opposing Views
•Abolitionists - Slavery should
be banned throughout country &
morally wrong.
•Southern Slaveholders Slavery should be allowed in any
territory. Slaves who escape to
the North should be returned.
Other Viewpoint
•Idea of Popular Sovereignty right of people to create their
government
•Voters in a new territory
would decide for themselves
whether or not to allow
slavery.
A New Political Party
•Many northern Democrats &
Whigs opposed the spread of
slavery, but leaders of both
parties refused to take a stand.
•Antislavery members of both
parties met and founded FreeSoil Party
Free-Soil Party - main goal
was to keep slavery from
spreading to the western
territories.
Presidential Election of 1848 issue in election- slavery
•Free-Soilers – Van Buren: ban on
slavery in land gained from Mexican
War
•Democrats - Cass (Michigan):
supported popular sovereignty
•Whigs – Taylor- LA slave owner
•Winner of 1848
Presidential ElectionTaylor
•Even Congress contained
13 Free-Soilers
Slavery Debate…..
•1849 - 15 slave states and 15
free states.
•California enter as a free state
- North would have a majority
in the Senate. South fear
territories Oregon, Utah, and
New Mexico enter as free
states
•Southerners worried would be
outvoted in Senate
•Southern States possibility
secede or leave the US
Opposing Views
•Clay - North and South reach
an agreement and if they failed
to do so - warned that the
nation could break apart.
•Calhoun - Refused to
compromiseinsisted that
slavery be allowed in the
western territories
Calhoun Continued…
•demanded fugitive slaves be
returned to their owners, and
warned if the North did not
agree South would use force to
leave the Union
•Webster - slavery evil but the
breakup of US worse - warned
against civil war
Compromise of 1850
• Admits CA as a free state
• Territories of New Mexico &
Utah voters decide slavery
question by popular
sovereignty
• Bans slave trade in
Washington,DC (not slavery)
• Fugitive Slave Act
Compromise Continued…
• Settles Texas/New Mexico
border dispute - (Texas gave
up land in eastern New
Mexico and in return US
assumed payment of their
debts)
Fugitive Slave Act of 1850
• All citizens must help catch
runaway slaves.
• People who let fugitives escape
could be fined $1,000 and jailed.
• Special courts handle cases of
runaways. There would be no jury
trials. Judges receive $10 for
sending an accused runaway to
the South and $5 for setting
Response - Fugitive Slave Act
• Some judges sent African
Americans to the South
whether or not they were
runaways to receive extra
money.
• Act enraged antislavery
northerners - made them feel
as if they were part of the slave
system.
Uncle Tom’s Cabin
• Written by Harriet Beecher Stowe
to show evils of slavery and the
injustice of Fugitive Slave Act.
• Book tells the story of Uncle Tom,
an enslaved African American
noted for his kindness.
• Tom is bought by the brutal Simon
Legree
Uncle Tom’s Cabin Continued..
• When Tom refuses to reveal
the location of two runaways,
Legree whips him to death.
Reaction to Uncle Tom’s Cabin
• Northerners could no longer
view slavery as a political
problem for Congress to settle.
More and more northerners
now saw slavery as a moral
problem facing every
American.
Reaction to Uncle Tom’s Cabin
• Southerners claimed that the
book did not give a true
picture of a slave’s life.