Compromise in the Pre-Civil War Era APUSH DBQ

Page 5 “’One section of our country believes slavery is right, and ought to be extended, while the other believes it is wrong, and ought to be restricted. That,’ he said with a touch of irony, ‘is the only substantial dispute’” (Oakes 140). People bickered whether or not Lincoln was doing the right thing by signing the Emancipation

Eric Foner argues that the growing that the moral split of slavery in politics was just as irrepressible as the civil war. He argues that the only way to restore the union was through war, thus making it irrepressible. Following the idea that the moral split of slavery was not entailed by the political uprising against or for slavery, politics speakers such as Seward and his “Irrepressible Conflict” speech, were simply a voice for the people. They were able to speak what the people thought and were able to gain such support because their approval. Another political leader who spoke about the irrepressibility of the civil war was Abraham Lincoln in his “House Divided” Speech. He gives this speech in 1858 when he receives the republican nomination for the presidency. He emphasizes that slavery must come to an eventual end in order to preserve the union, even if it must be done with force. He states that in order for slavery to come to it’s eventual end that, “ it will not cease until a crisis shall have been reached and passed. ‘A house divided against itself cannot stand’. I believe this government cannot endure, permanently, half slave and half free. I do not expect the Union to be dissolved; I do not expect the house to fall; but I do expect it will cease to be divided.” (Lincoln). Slavery would come to an eventual end in the union, but the only way to do achieve this would be through the civil war. The reason for

The compromise of 1850 was a settlement on a series of issues plaguing the unity of the states. The primary issue to address was the institution of slavery, which was causing much dissension between the north and the south. Additional items to be addressed were territory issues and to prevent secession by the south. Henry Clay stepped forward to present a compromise, which had Congress in an eight-month discussion known as the “Great Debate”. As a result of the proposal, there were strong oppositions. One outspoken person who opposed the proposal was John C Calhoun. Calhoun was an intellectual southern politician, political philosopher and a proponent to the protection of Southern interests. He was an advocate for states’ rights and

Essay # 2 In the early years of the 19th century, slavery was more than ever turning into a sectional concern, such that the nation had essentially become divided along regional lines. Based on economic or moral reasoning, people of the Northern states were increasingly in support of opposition to slavery, all the while Southerners became united to defend the institution of slavery. Brought on by profound changes including regional differences in the pattern of slavery in the upper and lower South, as well as the movement of abolitionism in the North, slavery in America had transformed from an issue of politics into a moral campaign during the period of 1815-1860, ultimately polarizing the North and the South to the point in which threats of a Southern disunion would mark the beginning of the Civil War in 1861 (Goldfield et. al, The American Journey, p. 281).

Ralph Waldo Emerson said, in Document C, that “the United States will conquer Mexico, but it will be as the man swallows the arsenic.” This statement points out a key similarity between this war and the Civil War- both were tainted by slavery. The Mexican War would result in new slave states, making abolitionists angry, resulting in the conflicts that started the Civil War. Document D, written by David Wilmot of the Wilmot Proviso, reveals the tensions created by the Mexican cession, saying, “I ask not that slavery be abolished, I demand that this government preserve the integrity of free territory against the aggressions of slavery-against its wrongful usurpations.” Up until that point, there were an equal number of slave and free states. How would the balance be maintained? Wilmot suggested that slavery remain only in the current slave states and not spread to any new territories. However, his plan was rejected, showing that neither side would compromise, but, instead, that the Union would break apart. Therefore, the Compromise of 1850 was passed as a way to appease the north and the south. Document E shows the distinct separation of slave and free states resultant of this compromise. This reveals a major breakup of the Union over slavery. Document F points out the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, created by Stephen Douglas, which divided the newly gained Nebraska Territory into two states, Kansas and Nebraska, and

the Hague, Emissary to England, Minister to Prussia, State Senator, United States Senator, Minister to Russia, Head of the American Mission to negotiate peace with England, Minister to England, Secretary of State, President of the United States, and member of the House of Representatives,” (p33) comprising a truly impressive list

The compromise of 1850 was a quick effort to reduce the tension that lived between the north and the south. When vice president Fillmore saw the compromise he liked it enough to sign off on it and after it passed Congress over a seven month debate it was established

Douglas Okwu 12-1-2012 Period: 7th Analyze the effects of political compromise in reducing sectional tension in the period 1820-1861. During the period of 1820-1861 the north and south debated on issues that dealt with slavery and unbalance power, in order to reduce sectional tension between these two states, the Missouri Compromise, Compromise of 1850, and the Kansas-Nebraska Act were proposed.

Americans in the early nineteenth century had been, or atleast seemed to be very desent at solving their political problems with compromise. Compromise had been less and less effective at settling these politcal disputes the closer to 1900 it became. It seemed to be revativly impossible by 1860. This impossibity arouse from the North and the South adpoting impervious opinions about politics and slavery that heavily opposed each other.

As Americans were moving west to fulfill the Manifest Destiny and conquering new territories, new boundaries for the Union were having to be shaped. With the northern states having officially abolished slavery since 1804, the argument over which territories would be free or not was now coming into play. The North and South have had differing opinions regarding slavery for over sixty years, but with the topic being kept out of most, if not all, political debates the dispute never seemed to come to a head. After the

At the beginning, the Compromise of 1850 settled the dispute of the land from the Mexican Cession. The Compromise of 1850 pleased both the North and South. California was admitted as a free state and slave was ban in Washington D.C. as it favors the North. For the South, popular sovereignty decided if slavery was used in the western territories, along with the fugitive slave law passed. The Fugitive Slave Act 1850 allowed special government officials to arrest any person accused of being a runaway slave, as shown in Document B, a poster of capturing fugitive slaves. Additionally, the Kansas-Nebraska Act (Stephen Douglas) was passed. It undid the Missouri Compromise, having popular sovereignty in the western territories, therefore “to cease the agitation of the

On January 29th, 1850 Senator Henry Clay Set forth a series of Conflicts in an attempt to seek a compromise and to turn away from a crisis between the Union (North)and the Confederate(south) The United States had recently Received a large territory from the result of its war with Mexico.The question that was asked about the land was Should the territory sanctions slavery, or should it be declared free? Or maybe the incipient people should be sanctioned to optate for themselves? California a territory that had grown rapidly with the gold rush of 1849, had recently petitioned Congress to enter the Cumulation as a free state. Should this be sanctioned? Ever since the Missouri Compromise, the balance between slave states and free states had been maintained; any proposal that threatened this

Anthony Romanelli Dr. Clemons AMH2020 9:05-9:55 AM “The Fiery Trial” Book Review "By the time Lincoln took the oath of office on March 4, 1861, he addressed a divided nation" (Ch. 5 pg. 164). The United States was going through hard times of dealing with slavery in the 1800’s. Slavery was the hot topic in politics of that time period just as the debate over abortion or gay marriage is today. The issue over slavery really grew in the early 1860’s; around the time President Abraham Lincoln took office. Lincoln became president and kept his own personal beliefs about slavery to himself. As his career as president progressed, he embraced the beliefs of Henry Clay and made it clear to everyone how he felt about slavery. The authors purpose to

In efforts to better understand the Civil War most historians examine the Sectional Crisis and the Compromise of 1850 in the decades leading up to the worst years in American History. Some historians prefer to focus on the underlying theme of the war, others tightly examine individual leaders, events, and political parties, connecting them all together like puzzle pieces to define the years prior to the war. Despite the contrasting views, it is clear to realize the constant prevailing issues of the Antebellum Period, the Sectional Crisis and the Compromise of 1850. In particular, the Compromise of 1850 is deceivingly taught as only establishing 3 pivotal elements: the status of slavery in future territories (popular sovereignty), California statehood, and the fugitive slave law. Granted these elements of the compromise provide a great amount of controversy long after their birth, but one element of the compromise perceives to fail in obtaining recognition. The Texas-New Mexico boundary resolution seems to find itself fading away from its relevancy to the civil war, shadowed by more prominent issues regarding the stability of the Union. Abandoning the traditional teaching of the compromise, the Texas-New Mexico border decision figuratively and literally changed the identity of Texas. This was the long awaited result caused by deep rooted social and political issues dating back to the Texas Revolution.

In Lincolns second inaugural he coined a famous phrase saying "Both read the same Bible and pray to the same God, and each invokes His aid against the other." (Perret 48)Other problems would arise concerning slavery such as which states would be admitted as free or slave states. Several compromises were made in order to avoid tensions rising such as the “Missouri Compromise”. Yet again we see later on by the repeal of this act by the “Kansas Nebraska” act that things remain unstable. Tensions would rise again when we acquired the new territories from Mexico. For several years it caused tensions with the South wanting slavery and the North opposed to it. Eventually the Compromise of 1850 would quell the tensions.