THE SLAVERY ISSUE

IN THE WEST

Chapter 16

CHAPTER 16.1 TOPICS

The Missouri Compromise
The Wilmot Proviso
Sectionalism
Free Soil Party
Compromise of 1850

THE MISSOURI COMPROMISE

Missouri wanted to become a state-but it would disrupt the
balance of slave and free states
Maine had applied for statehood, allowing Henry Clay to
propose his Missouri Compromise

Missouri would be a slave state

Maine would be a free state

LOUISIANA PURCHASE

3630' LATITUDE LINE: ALLOWED SLAVERY

SOUTH WITH THE EXCEPTION OF MISSOURI IN
THE LOUISIANA PURCHASE AREA

NEW LANDS IN THE WEST

NEW SLAVE/FREE STATE
PROBLEMS

SECTIONALI
SM

Sectionalism: is loyalty to a state or section, rather than to the country as a

whole

OPPOSING VIEWS

POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY
Voters in a new territory would decide whether or not
their territory would become a slave or a free territory.
Slaves were not entitled to a vote

FREE SOIL PARTY

Slavery brought about the creation of the Free Soil
Party- Northern Democrats and Whig party members
did not want slavery to spread
Speaking out may mean they would lose votes in
the south
Feared slavery would become an issue that would
force the nation to divide
Antislavery members from both parties created the
Free Soil Party in 1848
Free soil, free speech, free labor, and free men

FREE SOIL PARTY

Free Soilers nominated former President Martin
Van Buren
as their candidate for the 1848 Presidential election
Lewis Cass (Michigan!)
Zachary Taylor; Mexican War Hero
Zachary Taylor elected because southern slave
owners
assumed as a slave owner, he would support their

REVIEW
The main purpose of the Missouri Compromise was
a) to abolish slavery in all of the Louisiana Purchase.
b) to allow slavery in all of the Louisiana Purchase.
c) to keep the Union from splitting.
d) to keep slavery out of the Mexican Cession.
People who favored popular sovereignty argued that
a) voters in a new territory should decide whether to allow
slavery there.
b) the Missouri Compromise line should be extended across the
Mexican Cession.
c) slavery should be banned completely everywhere in the

ANSWER

A NEW COMPROMISE
With California now wanting
admission as a free state as part of
the Union (United States), the
balance of free and slave states
was put in jeopardy

CALIFORNIA REQUESTS
STATEHOOD
Fear of Californias admittance
would lead to Oregon, Utah, and
New Mexico joining as free states
as well
Why would the south be upset
with this?
Imbalance of power in Congress
Southern States could be
outvoted in the Senate

CLAY VS CALHOUN
Senator John C. Calhoun refused any compromise because he believed
slavery was the right of the Southern States
let the statesagree to part in peace. If you are unwilling that we should
part in peace, tell us so, and we shall know what to do.

Henry Clay- Desperately wanted the North and South to reach an agreement
rather than have the South secede from the Union
Secede: to formally remove oneself from a union, group, or alliance

OPINIONS

THE COMPROMISE OF 1850

Texas/Ne
w Mexico
Border
Dispute
Settled

Slave Trade
Ban in
Washington
D.C

Californi
a
Admitted
as a Free
State
The
Comprom
ise of
1850

Fugitiv
e
Slave
Law of
1850

Popular
Sovereignt
y in New
Mexico &
Utah

COMPROMISE OF 1850

THE FUGITIVE SLAVE LAW

OF 1850
The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850
stated:
1. All citizens must help catch
runaway slaves.
2. People who let fugitives escape
could be fined $1,000 and jailed.
3. Special courts would handle
cases of runaways. There would be
no jury trials. Judges would receive
$10 for sending an accused
runaway to the South and $5 for
setting someone free.

RESPONSE TO THE FUGITIVE

SLAVE ACT
Response to the Fugitive Slave Act:
1. Some judges sent African
Americans to the South whether or
not they were runaways.
2. The act enraged antislavery
northerners. It made them feel as if
they were part of the slave system.
3. Tensions remained high because
neither side got what it wanted.

REVIEW
Which one of the following statements was NOT a part of the Compromise of 1850?
a) California was admitted to the Union as a free state.
b) The slave trade ended in Washington, D.C.
c) Southern states that objected to the compromise could secede peacefully.
d) A strict fugitive slave law required northerners to return runaway slaves.
The Fugitive Slave Law resulted in all of the following EXCEPT
a) Required all citizens to return escaped slaves.
b) Anyone who allowed a slave to escape could be fined $1,000 and jailed.
c) Set up special courts to handle the cases of runaway slaves.
d) Judges often helped free African Americans by sending them North to Canada.

ANSWERS
Which one of the following statements was NOT a part of the Compromise of
1850?
a) California was admitted to the Union as a free state.
b) The slave trade ended in Washington, D.C.
c) Southern states that objected to the compromise could secede peacefully.
d) A strict fugitive slave law required northerners to return runaway slaves.
The Fugitive Slave Law resulted in all of the following EXCEPT
a) Required all citizens to return escaped slaves.
b) Anyone who allowed a slave to escape could be fined $1,000 and jailed.
c) Set up special courts to handle the cases of runaway slaves.