Important Dates:

 1835 | Southern postmasters ordered to destroy abolitionist propaganda in mail

 1836 | Gag resolution on slavery passed
 
Today's Topics:
 What major causes led up to the Civil War, making it inevitable?
 
Important People:
 David Wilmot
 Stephen A. Douglas
 Henry Clay
 Daniel Webster
 
Lecture Topic:
 Where did the fight come from?
o Existed since beginning of nation
o Founding Fathers had opportunity to deal with issue, but they wanted
Union/Compromise
o For South: more than economic issues  most of South didn't even own
plantations!
o Issues led South to become victim/minority (paranoid)
 Tariff
 Expansion
 Slavery
 Internal Improvements
 Bank of United States
 Paranoia of North  North actually had more political control in
government except in executive branch!
 Silencing the voices of dissent
o 1835: United States government ordered Southern postmasters to destroy
abolitionist material in U.S. mail
o 1836: Gag resolution pushed through U.S. House of Representatives that tabled
any debate on anti-slavery issues
 Eventually defeated after 8 years
o Rifts between regions in 1846 increased sectionalism
 Wilmot Provisio (David Wilmot):
 No slavery in Mexican Cession (California, Utah, New Mexico
would be free)
 Supported by North
 South feared swing of power to North
o Statehood for California
 Grew quickly due to Gold Rush
 Nov 1849: held Constitutional Convention, adopted state constitution,
elected governor and legislature, and applied for admission into Union
  Constitution forbade slavery  South alarmed because of
Compromise of 1820/36°30'
 President Taylor (slaveholder) supported California's entry as
free because he believed climate/terrain were not suited for slavery
 South  saw as attack on way of life
 Compromise of 1850:
o Concerns: California, Texas, Southern threat of secession
o Proposed by Henry Clay and Daniel Webster
o Pleased both sides…
 California would be admitted as free
 Stronger Fugitive Slave Law for South
 Popular sovereignty for Utah and New Mexico (championed by Douglas)
 Senate rejected proposal in July
 Reintroduced by Sen. Stephen Douglas (Illinois)
 President Taylor died, President Fillmore supported Compromise 
passed in September
 Major causes of Civil War:
o Aggression of slave power
o State sovereignty vs. nationalism (which came first?)
1. Economic sectionalism  tariff and internal improvements
1. Irresponsible agitators
 North  abolitionists
 South  Fire Eaters
1. Moral urgency of slavery issue
 National disgrace
 War accepted as means to remove slavery
1. Failure of democracy  failure to compromise