Essential Question :

1. Essential Question: • How did manifest destiny reveal & intensify sectional differences between the North & the South?

2. Slavery & Rising Sectionalism (Taylor & Fillmore Videos)

3. The Beginnings of Sectionalism • As Americans expanded West in the 1840s, conflicts intensified between the North & the South regarding the issue of slavery • But…the existence of two strong national political parties (Democrats & Whigs) that were both popular in the North, South, & West helped keep America from splitting apart

4. The Slave Question Reemerges • The Constitution gave no definite authority to abolish slavery other than voluntary state action • Abolitionists knew it would be impossible to get enough votes to pass an amendment outlawing slavery • But, northerners in Congress couldforbidslaveryinnewstates as they were added to the Union

5. The Slave Question Reemerges • The slavery issue in the West had been settled by the Missouri Compromise in 1820… • But the new states added in the 1840s & 1850s led to problems: • Texas (slave state) balanced by Oregon (free territory) • What about California & New Mexico? Both were south of the Missouri Compromise line Slavery was not entrenched in either territory

6. The Wilmot Proviso • The Wilmot Proviso was presented by Northerners in 1846 to: • Ban all blacks (free & slave) from the Mexican Cession in order to preserve land for white farmers • Attempt to limit the perceived “pro-Southern” Polk presidency • The Wilmot Proviso did not pass in Congress but its debate revealed sectional (not party) divisions A major shift in politics is looming involving sectional political parties

7. The Election of 1848 Northern Democrats liked it (let settlers decide) Southern Democrats liked it (let state conventions decide) Northern Whigs supported Taylor because he promised to let Congress decide slavery in the territories • Slavery in the West was a key issue in the Election of 1848: • Democrat Lewis Cass proposed popular sovereignty to allow territorial settlers (not Congress) to decide slavery in the West • Whig candidate Zachary Taylor evaded the slavery issue • TheFree Soil Party was created by Northern abolitionists who nominated Martin Van Buren Free Soilers were not abolitionists; They were against the expansion of slavery into the West Free soil, free speech, free labor, free men Southern Whigs supported Taylor because he owned slaves

8. Taylor won the election, but Free Soilers did well in the North

9. The Compromise of 1850

10. Reasons for Compromise of 1850 • Southerners were mad when Taylor proposed admitting New Mexico & California as states • Popular sovereignty would make California a free state, which would hurt the 15/15 balance • NM & UT might follow • Texas was also threatening to go to Santa Fe & take it because federal government was threatening to detach land • Prospect of no slavery in DC • Underground Railroad activity increased • John C Calhoun, the “Great Nullifier,” led the Nashville Convention to discuss Southern secession Idea created by General Cass who was the Democratic nominee in 1848

11. The Debate Over Slavery Webster: Seventh of March Speech. New land can’t cultivate cotton. Helped move North to compromise. Calhoun: States’ rights, slavery to be left alone, return of runaway slaves, return for political balance. Died before end of debate. Clay: We must compromise. Supported by Stephen Douglas. The Compromise of 1850 was the last debate of the “Great Triumvirate”

12. Capitol Hill • William Seward, NY senator, did not want concession & hated slavery. He argued that Christians must adhere to a higher law. • President Taylor seemed to follow this idea, vetoing every compromise sent by Congress. • He was also concerned over Texans’ threat to take Santa Fe and made it known that he would use military force (like Jackson). If troops had started to march, maybe the Civil War would have begun in 1850. • Died suddenly in 1850 Millard Fillmore, who signed a series of compromises

13. The Compromise of 1850 Ended the slave trade in Washington DC (but not slavery) California was admitted as a free state Texas got $10 million dollars for land lost A stronger Fugitive Slave Law was created to appease the South Popular sovereignty would decide slavery in Utah & New Mexico

14. Civil War averted… • North is growing ahead of South—crops, factories, foundries, ships, railroads. • The increase of materials and moral strength from 1850 to 1860 might have allowed the North to win the war later.

15. Political Upheaval & the Rise of Sectional Political Parties

16. The Party System in Crisis • With slavery (temporarily) under wraps, the parties needed new issues for the election of 1852: • Whigs nominated Mexican War general Winfield Scott; Whigs had difficulty finding an issue • Democrats nominated Franklin Pierce, claimed credit for national prosperity, territorial expansion, & promised to defend the Compromise of 1850

17. The Election of 1852 Significance: death of the Whigs ended the national political party arguments and gave rise to sectional political alliances. By 1852, the Whig Party was in trouble Had no significant platform issues Had difficulty appealing to voters in the North & South Southern Whigs were angry over the dominance of the anti-slave Whig faction

18. The Know-Nothing Party • The collapse of the Whigs allowed for the rise of the “Know-Nothings” (the American Party) • Fueled by nativism & a desire to reduce immigrant influence • Hoped to strengthen the naturalization process to decrease immigrant voting • Appealed to ex-Democrats, ex-Whigs, & industrial workers

19. The Know-Nothing Party • In 1854, the American Party took control of state legislatures in New England, Maryland, Kentucky, & Texas; seemed on the verge of challenging the Democratic Party • But, by 1856 the Know-Nothings collapsed due to a lack of experienced leadership & had no response to slavery (which was the REAL issue in America)

20. Shift in Party Power 1852-1855

21. Territorial Expansion

22. Bidlack Treaty/New Granada Treaty • Central America was important and Britain was trying to extend influence • Treaty granted U.S. a right of way across the Isthmus of Panama in exchange for a guarantee of neutrality for the isthmus and sovereignty of New Grenada (now Columbia and Panama) • Transcontinental railroad was built through Panama.

23. Clayton-Bulwer Treaty 1850 • Neither America or Britain would fortify or seek control over any further isthmian water way  helped to avoid war with Britain

24. Cuba • America wanted Cuba, Spain wouldn’t sell it to the U.S. at any price. • So after two attempts to take Cuba failed, and after Spain captured the American steamer Black Warrior on a technicality, three U.S. foreign ministers met in Ostend, Belgium and drew up the Ostend Manifesto which stated that the U.S. was to offer $120 million to Spain for Cuba, and if it refused and Spain’s ownership of Cuba continued to endanger the U.S., then America would be justified in seizing the island (sell it or it’ll be taken). • Northerners were angry when this document was leaked, throwing fuel onto slavocracy theory • Pierce embarrassed

25. Asia • Treaty of Wanghia: first diplomatic agreement between China and U.S. in 1844. Caleb Cushing achieved most favored nation & extraterritoriality for U.S. • Treaty of Kanagawa: Matthew Perry formally opened Japan for U.S., achieving proper treatment for shipwrecked sailors, coaling rights in Japan, and establishment of consular relations. This broke Japanese isolationism.

26. The Kansas- Nebraska Act

27. Gadsden Purchase • Secretary of War Jefferson Davis had James Gadsden purchase land for $10 million dollars believing this was the best route for the railroad. • It was organized, therefore Indian attacks could be repelled • Also skirted the Rocky Mountains • Northerners, especially Stephen Douglas, wanted railroad in the North, so suggested organizing territory addressed in MO Compromise

28. The Kansas-Nebraska Act • In 1854, Democrat Stephen Douglas hoped to organize the Kansas & Nebraska territories with the Kansas-Nebraska Act: • The Missouri Compromise line was repealed & popular sovereignty was applied to slavery in Kansas & Nebraska • Many Northerners were now convinced that compromise with the South was impossible Northern abolitionists were outraged because it allowed slavery in an area where slavery was already prohibited

29. The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 Coalition of Whigs, Northern Democrats, & Free-Soilers formed the Republican Party; became an exclusively Northern by 1856 The Kansas-Nebraska Act changed American politics & increased sectionalism Southern Whigs defected to the Democratic Party which became an exclusively Southern party

30. The Rise of the Republicans • The Republican Party appealed to Northerners: • Believed in “free soil” & fought against a “slave power” scheme • Vowed to protect free white workers & boost the economy • Made up of seasoned politicians who effectively built up the power of the party by 1856

31. The Shift to Sectional Political Parties

32. Watch American party politics become sectional, rather than national, from 1848 to 1860

33. Look, both parties have national appeal

34. Look at the Republicans in the North & the Democrats in the South!

35. By 1860, the Republicans will elect Abraham Lincoln without even campaigning in the South!

36. Conclusions • American politics experienced a significant change the late antebellum era (1800 to 1860): • In the early antebellum era, sectional rivalries were evident but national parties kept the U.S. united • In the 1840s & 1850s, westward expansion forced the North & South to protect their regional values against an unseen conspiracy