Lecture 20 - The Road to War I

The issue of whether or not to allow slavery in the new territories acquired from Mexico, specifically Texas, which would become a slave state, and the impact on the balance between free and slave states in the Union.

The principle of allowing residents of new territories to decide for themselves whether or not to allow slavery.

The 1848 presidential election was focused on the issue of slavery in new territories, even though neither major political party, the Whigs and Democrats, wanted to explicitly address it in their platforms.

Zachary Taylor, a slaveholder and war hero, was nominated by the Whigs for the presidency in 1848. He deliberately avoided taking a clear stance on slavery in his campaign.

Lewis Cass, the Democratic nominee in 1848, was compelled by the Northern wing of his party to address the slavery issue. He proposed "Popular Sovereignty" to appease both Northern and Southern Democrats.

The Free-Soil Party, formed by anti-slavery Democrats and some anti-slavery Whigs, opposed the expansion of slavery into new territories. They nominated Martin Van Buren for president in 1848.

The Compromise of 1850 was an attempt to resolve the issue of slavery in new territories, aiming to maintain balance between free and slave states. It proposed barring slavery in California and New Mexico.

The Nashville Convention, a meeting of nine Southern states in June 1850, was held to discuss the Compromise of 1850 and the future of slavery. It highlighted the increasing apprehensions among the South regarding the potential for the curtailment of slavery.

A law passed as part of the Compromise of 1850 that required people in the North to return escaped slaves to their owners.

This controversial aspect of the Compromise of 1850 required the North to actively participate in returning runaway slaves. This created resentment and heightened tensions between the North and South.

A law passed as part of the Compromise of 1850 that banned the slave trade in the District of Columbia.

The Compromise of 1850 aimed to prevent the country from falling apart by addressing the conflict over expanding slavery. While it didn't fully resolve the issue, it provided a temporary solution and delayed the outbreak of the Civil War

While the Compromise of 1850 temporarily calmed tensions, it also led to a deeper understanding that slavery was a national issue affecting the entire country, not just the South. This intensified the sectional divide and ultimately fueled the Civil War

The Fugitive Slave Law was an attempt to enforce the earlier Fugitive Slave Acts, which had been ineffective in returning runaway slaves to the South. It also led to the establishment of a formal system for returning escaped slaves, further strengthening the institution of slavery and further dividing the nation.

A novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe, published in 1852, that depicted the horrors of slavery and the Fugitive Slave Act. It had a significant impact on public opinion in the North, contributing to the growing abolitionist movement.

A political strategy that aims to expand the territorial control of a nation.

The proposed route for a railroad that would connect the eastern and western United States. Debate over the route, whether it would go through the North or the South, became a crucial political issue.

A political compromise that prohibited slavery in territories north of the 36°30' parallel, a line drawn across the United States.

A law passed in 1854 that divided the Nebraska Territory into Kansas and Nebraska, and allowed settlers to decide whether to allow slavery in these territories. This act sparked significant controversy and violence in Kansas.

An expansionist senator and key figure in the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act.

The 1852 presidential election that resulted in the victory of Franklin Pierce, a pro-slavery candidate, contributing to increased tensions between the North and the South.

A period of violence in Kansas, primarily caused by the question of whether it should be a slave or free state, fuelled by both pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers vying for control.

A pro-abolitionist group that encouraged anti-slavery settlers to move to Kansas to influence its future status as a free state.

A violent raid by pro-slavery forces on the town of Lawrence, Kansas, in 1856, which destroyed buildings and newspapers.

An event where John Brown, a fervent abolitionist, murdered five pro-slavery men in retaliation for the "Sack of Lawrence," further inflaming the conflict in Kansas.

A speech delivered by Senator Charles Sumner in which he fiercely condemned slavery and criticized pro-slavery senators, leading to a physical attack on him.

Representative Preston Brooks, a relative of a senator who was attacked in Sumner's speech, beat Sumner with a cane in the Senate chamber, highlighting the escalating political tensions.

The violent incidents in Kansas and the physical attack on Senator Sumner exemplify how political tensions over slavery were becoming extreme and divisive.

The Kansas-Nebraska Act repealed the Missouri Compromise, potentially allowing slavery in territories north of the 36'30 parallel.

The Compromise of 1850 and the Kansas-Nebraska Act ignited passionate responses from both pro-slavery and anti-slavery sides, making American politics increasingly volatile and putting slavery at the forefront of national debate.

The Second American Party System, which had previously been able to avoid direct confrontation with the issue of slavery, couldn't dodge it anymore. The issue of slavery became a dominant force in American politics, leading to the downfall of the Second American Party System.

The Kansas-Nebraska Act caused the Second American Party System to crumble, dividing the Whigs and Democrats along sectional lines. Northern Whigs and Democrats opposed the act, while Southern Whigs and Democrats supported it.

The Whig Party's inability to remain united after the Kansas-Nebraska Act marked its demise. The party fractured, unable to overcome the sectional divisions caused by the issue of slavery.

The Know-Nothing Party was a nativist political party that emerged in the early 1850s, fueled by anti-immigrant sentiment and a desire to preserve the power of native-born Protestants. This party sought to limit the influence of immigrants and Catholics in American society.

The Know-Nothing Party was anti-immigrant and anti-Catholic. They believed that only native-born Protestants should hold political office and sought to increase the time required for immigrants to become citizens from 5 years to 21 years.

The Republican Party was formed by those opposed to the Kansas-Nebraska Act. The party was divided on the issue of slavery, with some advocating for stopping its expansion and others supporting abolition. The Republican Party was located entirely in the North.