Chapter 18
Big Question: Expansion westward was inevitable and would have happened regardless of the outcome of the Mexican American War. However, as Americans moved westward and new states were formed, the question of the expansion of slavery was prominent. Wealthy slave-owners in the South were determined to expand west into California, and were by no means planning on leaving their slaves in the east. To them, their slaves were property and they saw no reason why they should be forced to leave their property when moving west. Northerners however saw the evil in slavery and were adamant about its abolition. They feared what would happen if slavery were allowed to expand, which could lead to the number of slave states severely outnumbering …show more content…
Popular sovereignty was the concept that territories in the west would vote upon whether or not slavery would be allowed once they became states. This was used to help slow the expansion of slavery westward, but had the potential to backfire if the South saw it as a movement towards the abolition of slavery.
2. The election of 1848 was a fight between the Whigs, the Free Soil Party and their candidates, Taylor, Cass and Van Buren. Taylor, who was made out to be both a fearsome solider and a leader, was able to win the election despite never taking a stance on slavery.
3. The Wilmot Proviso was an act that, if passed, would have outlawed slavery in all new territory acquired by Mexico. This act was highly supported by the Free Soil Party, which was not only against slavery, but also proposed using government money to fund internal improvements.
4. As mentioned above, the Free Soil Party argued against slavery, not because they believed it to be morally wrong, but because of the impact it had on white workers. They also promoted claims such as free soil and free speech.
5. Daniel Webster’s Seventh of March speech was important because it urged the North and South to come to a compromise to prevent the disintegration of the Union. It showed how tense things were becoming in the North due to the issue of the expansion of
Big Question: Expansion westward was inevitable and would have happened regardless of the outcome of the Mexican American War. However, as Americans moved westward and new states were formed, the question of the expansion of slavery was prominent. Wealthy slave-owners in the South were determined to expand west into California, and were by no means planning on leaving their slaves in the east. To them, their slaves were property and they saw no reason why they should be forced to leave their property when moving west. Northerners however saw the evil in slavery and were adamant about its abolition. They feared what would happen if slavery were allowed to expand, which could lead to the number of slave states severely outnumbering …show more content…
Popular sovereignty was the concept that territories in the west would vote upon whether or not slavery would be allowed once they became states. This was used to help slow the expansion of slavery westward, but had the potential to backfire if the South saw it as a movement towards the abolition of slavery.
2. The election of 1848 was a fight between the Whigs, the Free Soil Party and their candidates, Taylor, Cass and Van Buren. Taylor, who was made out to be both a fearsome solider and a leader, was able to win the election despite never taking a stance on slavery.
3. The Wilmot Proviso was an act that, if passed, would have outlawed slavery in all new territory acquired by Mexico. This act was highly supported by the Free Soil Party, which was not only against slavery, but also proposed using government money to fund internal improvements.
4. As mentioned above, the Free Soil Party argued against slavery, not because they believed it to be morally wrong, but because of the impact it had on white workers. They also promoted claims such as free soil and free speech.
5. Daniel Webster’s Seventh of March speech was important because it urged the North and South to come to a compromise to prevent the disintegration of the Union. It showed how tense things were becoming in the North due to the issue of the expansion of