Final Exam
1. Massachusetts Senator Daniel Webster in Liberty and Union (1830) is objecting to allow a state to void laws set in place by the national government that they saw as unconstitutional. For instance, he states, “the people of the United States have declared that this Constitution be the supreme law,” Webster supports his opposition on the grounds that the Constitution was set in place by “the people.” He does not deny that the states are powerful, but he asserts that “…the state legislatures…are yet not sovereign over the people,” that is to say, the national government receives their power from the people, and therefore is set in place for the people. Webster is not stating that the Constitution cannot be changed, the people in …show more content…
Upon examining the 1851 political cartoon, it is clear that the Southerners are arguing that the Northerners cannot simply refuse to return fugitive slaves to their rightful owner. For instance, the title of the image alone states “What’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander,” the image is comparing two situations to help interpret that returning a fugitive slave to its owner is like returning any other stolen good to its rightful owner. This image is not necessarily related to the issues raised regarding nullification, however, it is similar in the fact that the Northern states are wanting to go against federal law. Specifically, in regard to nullification, a state wanted to completely void acts set in place by the federal government because they believed it was an abuse of power, and they were but a burden to them. Similarly, Northern protests are going against the Fugitive Slave Act in the Compromise of 1850 that was set in place by the federal government because they see that slavery is immoral. Forcing Slavery Down the Throat of a Freesoiler (1856), was published as a result of the 1854 Kansas- Nebraska Act, which basically allowed these states to decide whether they wanted to allow slavery or not. The cartoon is not only trying to advocate for the freesoiler but wanting to bring to light exactly how these Democratic Nominees were wrongfully forcing the people to choose to allow slavery, as well as further depict the horrible brutality that it all brings. Westward expansion in the 1840s and 1850s was greatly complicated due to slavery, it contributed to the division of the North and the South. Many advocated to keep states free while non- abolitionist/ Southerners wanted to spread slavery into other states, each had their own
1. Massachusetts Senator Daniel Webster in Liberty and Union (1830) is objecting to allow a state to void laws set in place by the national government that they saw as unconstitutional. For instance, he states, “the people of the United States have declared that this Constitution be the supreme law,” Webster supports his opposition on the grounds that the Constitution was set in place by “the people.” He does not deny that the states are powerful, but he asserts that “…the state legislatures…are yet not sovereign over the people,” that is to say, the national government receives their power from the people, and therefore is set in place for the people. Webster is not stating that the Constitution cannot be changed, the people in …show more content…
Upon examining the 1851 political cartoon, it is clear that the Southerners are arguing that the Northerners cannot simply refuse to return fugitive slaves to their rightful owner. For instance, the title of the image alone states “What’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander,” the image is comparing two situations to help interpret that returning a fugitive slave to its owner is like returning any other stolen good to its rightful owner. This image is not necessarily related to the issues raised regarding nullification, however, it is similar in the fact that the Northern states are wanting to go against federal law. Specifically, in regard to nullification, a state wanted to completely void acts set in place by the federal government because they believed it was an abuse of power, and they were but a burden to them. Similarly, Northern protests are going against the Fugitive Slave Act in the Compromise of 1850 that was set in place by the federal government because they see that slavery is immoral. Forcing Slavery Down the Throat of a Freesoiler (1856), was published as a result of the 1854 Kansas- Nebraska Act, which basically allowed these states to decide whether they wanted to allow slavery or not. The cartoon is not only trying to advocate for the freesoiler but wanting to bring to light exactly how these Democratic Nominees were wrongfully forcing the people to choose to allow slavery, as well as further depict the horrible brutality that it all brings. Westward expansion in the 1840s and 1850s was greatly complicated due to slavery, it contributed to the division of the North and the South. Many advocated to keep states free while non- abolitionist/ Southerners wanted to spread slavery into other states, each had their own