The Divisive Poltics of Slavery

The Divisive Poltics of Slavery

or how did we get from Virginia Dare to Virginia dares

or how did we get from Virginia Dare to Virginia dares

please see James McPherson’s Battle Cry of Freedomplease see James McPherson’s Battle Cry of Freedom

ConsiderConsider

Was the North really in favor of ending slavery?

This is your exit ticket

What caused it all to shift?

What caused it all to shift?

The West

As long as the slavery controversy focused on morality of the institution where it already existed, the 2 party system could contain the issue

Expansion caused the issue to explode

“The great and primary cause” of danger “is that the equilibrium between the two sections has been destroyed”

North

•Diversity•Infrastructure - railroads

•Immigrants- status and competition

• Socially - 2x as many men of literature, arts, sciences

• Business - 3x as many men. 6x as many engineers and inventors

•Rural• Infrastructure - rivers• 1/3 nation’s population but only 10% of the wealth•3/4 world’s cotton grown in South

• very few immigrants settle in the South

•Socially- 2x as many men in the military profession•Slavery by 1840 “great moral, social, political blessing” - cradle to grave security

South

Spoke same language but even words were used to cast division

NorthSouth

• Northern states passed personal liberty laws to defy national fugitive slave laws of 1793

•Southern dominated Supreme Court denied the right of Congress to exclude slavery in the new territories - Dred Scott Decision

The legal system became divided

Spoke same language but even words were used to cast division

•Even THE religion on the nation - Protestantism- became divided

North South

Republicanism = free labor

Republicanism = cherished right of property

Northern Methodist & Baptist- slavery moral issue

Southern Methodist & Baptist- slavery moral issue

•Even ideology of Republicanism became divided

Examine the idea that the North, in general, did want slavery to continue in order to secure jobs, homes, etc.

Comments on the idea that the North was hypocritical in the desire to free the slaves.

Exit ticket

Slavery in territoriesSlavery in territories

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“the United States will conquer Mexico,

but it will be as the man swallows the

Arsenic, which brings him down in

turn. Mexico will poison us.”

Slavery in territoriesSlavery in territoriesWilmot Proviso- significance of it?

North South

North feared more slave states would upset balance in Congress

South oppose b/c it raised complex constitutional issues such as property

Slavery in territoriesSlavery in territoriesWilmot Proviso- significance of it?

Calhoun of SC insisted territories were “common properties” of sovereign states. Since Congress was the “agent” of these states it could no more prevent a slave owner from taking his human property to the territories than it could prevent him from taking his horses or hogs there.

“The right to carry slaves to NM or California is no very great matter,” said John J. Crittenden of Ky, because, “no sensible man would carry his slaves there if he could.”

Statehood for CaliforniaStatehood for CaliforniaThere is a presidential election in 1848. Almost unnoticed, workers for John Sutter’s sawmill discovered flecks of gold in the river bed.

Skipped territory stage - 80,000 ppl in 1849 migrated

31st state? New state consitution forbade slavery - south alarmed - all that northern political aggression: Northwest Ordinance of 1797, Missiouri Compromise, state personal liberty laws preventing recovery of fugitive slaes, Wilmot provision

South a.k.a Calhoun feels personal liberty,prosperity, equality at stake

problems

California statehoodCalifornia statehoodMost southerners won’t support Calhoun. After all, the South had just won the Presidential Election of 1848 with Southern war hero Zachary Taylor

Old Rough and Ready

California statehoodCalifornia statehoodOMG! Once in office Zachary Taylor turns out to support CA admission as free state -

Taylor is a traitor to the southern whigs! I warned you!

Like any good military commander, Taylor planned to break the slavery stalemate by a flank attack to bypass the territorial stage and admit California and NM directly as states

California admitted as freeNM slower to react -only English speaking citizens there were those Salt Lake Mormons and Texas claimed 1/2 of NM

INTO THIS PROBLEM COMES THE GREAT

COMPROMISER...again

INTO THIS PROBLEM COMES THE GREAT

COMPROMISER...again

except I’m old as dirt now

Clay’s compromiseClay’s compromise

♣Clay worked around the clock with Daniel Webster to try and work out an agreement that would be acceptable to both North and South♣Together they forged the Compromise of 1850

Clay’s compromiseClay’s compromise♣CA would be a free state♣New and more effective Fugitive Slave Law♣POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY – residents of a territory

would be the ones to vote for or against slavery♣Federal govt paid Texas $10 m to give up its

claim to NM territoryoNorth is happy: This limited slavery in TX to within

its current bordersoSouth is happy: the money would help cover

Texas’ expenses from Mexican War

Clay’s compromiseClay’s compromise

Calhoun for slavery in the territories

Webster for national unity

They are on the same side in not wanting to see the nation dissolved.

The Debate over it

Compromise Fails!Compromise Fails!

♣Senate initially rejects the compromise♣Clay leaves Washington♣Stephen A. Douglas (IL) picks it up♣Douglas presents each part separatelyoHoping to obtain a majority vote of them singlyoCongressman like the idea of voting for what

they like and abstaining from voting for what they don’t like

Compromise Passes!Compromise Passes!♣Pres. Taylor dies suddenly on July 9th and his successor, Millard

Fillmore made it clear that he is in favor of the Compromise♣ Calhoun dies – he was an obstacle to compromise ♣ Southern leaders come out in favor of Clay’s plan – the best the South

could hope for, without some radical action♣ Becomes law in 1850• ♣ Fillmore says: this is the final compromise on the question of

slavery and sectional differences.• o Crisis is over but the relief is short-lives.• o New crisis looms: enforcement of the new Fugitive Slave Law

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slavery in territoriesslavery in territoriesfugitive slave law

Now you are a criminal if you don’t participate! If you just “don’t get

involved” you too can be criminally charged!

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