Malia Fairbrother

Mr. Widenhofer
Honors United States History
13 January 2017
Honors US Mid-Term 16/17

In 1845, John O'Sullivan introduced the term, "Manifest Destiny," which was the belief
that it was God's will for settlers to expand "from sea to shining sea," and spread their empire of
liberty. This caused tension between the North and South who had different views on slavery.
These tensions, with events such as the Compromise of 1850 to the Freeport Doctrine, eventually
led to the start of the Civil War. The North was against the extension of slavery, but the south saw
it as an integral part of life.
In 1849, gold was discovered in California, leading to an influx of settlers to the territory.
The population eventually grew to about 100,000, and California wanted admission as a free
state. The South opposed this, seeing as it would cause an imbalance in the Senate, with more
free states than slave states. Henry Clay then stepped in with the Compromise of 1850. In favor
of the North, the Compromise proposed California's admission as a free state and the end of the
selling of slaves in Washington, D.C. To quell the South's disdain for California's admission, the
Compromise offered that popular sovereignty be employed in the Mexico and Utah territories
and offered a new, more stringent fugitive slave law. With the Compromise, Henry Clay was able
to delay the Civil War for about 10 years, but soon, tensions resurfaced over the following
decade, leading up to the Civil War.

In 1854, the Kansas-Nebraska Act was passed by Stephen Douglas, who wanted support
for the presidency. The Kansas-Nebraska Act revoked the Missouri Compromise from 1820. He
also proposed the creation of the first transcontinental railroad, terminus in Chicago, The South
was in favor of the railroad, seeing it as an opening for slavery, but the North was against it,
unfavorable to the fact that it posed as an opportunity for the re-opening of the opportunity for
slavery in area where i had already been closed. Eventually, these tensions built themselves into
a period known as "Bleeding Kansas," a series of violence between the North and South. These
battles primarily consisted of proslavery groups threatening those against slavery. This time was
also called a "civil war in Kansas," as it was a prelude to the Civil War.
The Freeport Doctrine followed the Dred Scott decision. In this, Abraham Lincoln,
Douglas' senate race opponent, asked Douglas an important question. He asked if states with
slavery could employ the use of popular sovereignty to end slavery in their respective territories.
Douglas said that it was not permitted, but offered an alternative. He stated that although states
could not use popular sovereignty as the Dred Scott decision stated that slaves could not be
citizens and were considered property, the states could pass laws that were unfriendly towards
slavery. For example, a slave state could pass a law limiting the amount of acreage a plantation
owner was allowed, thus deeming slaves unnecessary. The choices made in the Freeport Doctrine
eventually affected the presidential election. The Doctrine slit the Democratic party. Southerners
did not side with Douglas, because he did not favor slavery, allowing Abraham Lincoln, a
Republican candidate a way to surely win the election. If the Democratic party stayed united, a
minority president such as Lincoln would be unable to win the election.