From the beginning of the Mexican-American War to the beginning of the Civil War, the era of 1845 to 1861, marks a time of great controversy among citizens of the United States of America. The invention of the cotton gin by Eli Whitney in 1793 began the extreme need for slavery that later fueled the intense controversy between the Northern and Southern states. This controversy led the states to make the Missouri Compromise in 1820, which limited slavery to only the Southern states. The South, feeling threatened by the success of the North and also inspired by the idea of America’s Manifest Destiny, wanted to expand slavery westward. During the period 1845 to 1861, there were frequent events of both violent and peaceful controversies over the
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First, the Mexican-American war, from 1846 to 1848, began because of the goal of western expansion and expanding slavery into the new states gained. Consequently, over 2,000 died in battle, while 11,000 were killed by disease. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, signed in 1848, ended the war and granted to the US all Mexican territories from Texas to California. After this war, David Wilmot brought forth the Wilmot Proviso, which suggested that all land acquired from Mexico should be free. The Senate turned this idea down, as the South deeply opposed this idea. Next, Bleeding Kansas, lasting from 1854 to 1856, was a fight between abolitionists and pro-slavery citizens. In an election to decide whether Kansas would become a free or slave state, pro-slavery voters won, and forces began what is considered the first fighting of the Civil War. Pro-slavery forces attacked the town of Lawrence in 1856, and in backlash John Brown led the Pottawatomie Massacre. 200 people were killed in these battles, and there were over two million dollars in damages. Lastly, John Brown was a violent abolitionist during this time period who helped fuel controversy among the North and South. He led the Pottawatomie Massacre and also the raid on Harper’s Ferry in Virginia in 1859. He dreamed of starting a slave rebellion, but few volunteered to help him out of fear of being killed. Within 6 weeks of …show more content…
Lasting from 1817 to 1825, this era was also filled with extreme sectionalism between the North and South. The Missouri Compromise, which split the North and South on the 36 30 latitude line, shows the intensity and length of the debate over slavery. During both time periods, the US had gained land from a foreign power. During the Era of Good Feelings, the transcontinental treaty gained Florida from Spain, while during the pre Civil War time the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo gained Texas to California from Mexico. The Monroe Doctrine from 1823, and Manifest Destiny in 1845 were both announcements of American nationalism. Furthermore, the Federalist party had just died before the Era of Good Feelings, which is similar to this time period because by 1852 the Whig party began to die
First, the Mexican-American war, from 1846 to 1848, began because of the goal of western expansion and expanding slavery into the new states gained. Consequently, over 2,000 died in battle, while 11,000 were killed by disease. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, signed in 1848, ended the war and granted to the US all Mexican territories from Texas to California. After this war, David Wilmot brought forth the Wilmot Proviso, which suggested that all land acquired from Mexico should be free. The Senate turned this idea down, as the South deeply opposed this idea. Next, Bleeding Kansas, lasting from 1854 to 1856, was a fight between abolitionists and pro-slavery citizens. In an election to decide whether Kansas would become a free or slave state, pro-slavery voters won, and forces began what is considered the first fighting of the Civil War. Pro-slavery forces attacked the town of Lawrence in 1856, and in backlash John Brown led the Pottawatomie Massacre. 200 people were killed in these battles, and there were over two million dollars in damages. Lastly, John Brown was a violent abolitionist during this time period who helped fuel controversy among the North and South. He led the Pottawatomie Massacre and also the raid on Harper’s Ferry in Virginia in 1859. He dreamed of starting a slave rebellion, but few volunteered to help him out of fear of being killed. Within 6 weeks of …show more content…
Lasting from 1817 to 1825, this era was also filled with extreme sectionalism between the North and South. The Missouri Compromise, which split the North and South on the 36 30 latitude line, shows the intensity and length of the debate over slavery. During both time periods, the US had gained land from a foreign power. During the Era of Good Feelings, the transcontinental treaty gained Florida from Spain, while during the pre Civil War time the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo gained Texas to California from Mexico. The Monroe Doctrine from 1823, and Manifest Destiny in 1845 were both announcements of American nationalism. Furthermore, the Federalist party had just died before the Era of Good Feelings, which is similar to this time period because by 1852 the Whig party began to die