The years following 1850 proved to be a time of political turmoil in the United States. With slavery still being utilized in the South, it seemed that the Northern and Southern politicians would always be at odds. This opposition would always exist between the North and South so long as slavery existed. During the period preceding the Compromise of 1850 politicians were able to formulate compromises that barely appeased both sides. Eventually there was nothing else to do to satisfy both sides of the country. The US belief in manifest destiny would mean no other outcome but continued expansion until the country’s territory spanned from the Atlantic Ocean to Pacific Ocean. By the time of the civil war this American dream was realized with the
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The addition of a stricter fugitive slave law in the compromise of 1850 was a bill that enraged the citizens of the North. Before this point slavery was, for the most part, isolated in the South and some new territories. Now with the new stricter fugitive slave laws, northern citizens were forced to help officials capture fugitive slaves and return them to the South. This was seen as an invasion of their rights, especially since most Northerners opposed slavery in the first place. It became progressively difficult for Northerners to keep the practice of slavery out of the North; this was especially true with the Dred Scott decision in 1857. Dred Scott was a slave from Missouri that had travelled with his master to the free state of Illinois. After his master died he believed that he was free because he was now in a free state and petitioned for his freedom. Once this case made its way up to the Supreme Court the ruling was in favor of the South, wherever slave owners move they maintain the rights to their slaves, even if they move to a free state. Again, the North was not happy. This ruling meant that slavery could potentially exist in the North as well; once again slavery was somehow creeping into the North. These two events made it impossible for the North to ignore slavery, when once they could when it was isolated in the South. These two events sparked increased anti-slavery sentiment and more harsh feelings towards the
The addition of a stricter fugitive slave law in the compromise of 1850 was a bill that enraged the citizens of the North. Before this point slavery was, for the most part, isolated in the South and some new territories. Now with the new stricter fugitive slave laws, northern citizens were forced to help officials capture fugitive slaves and return them to the South. This was seen as an invasion of their rights, especially since most Northerners opposed slavery in the first place. It became progressively difficult for Northerners to keep the practice of slavery out of the North; this was especially true with the Dred Scott decision in 1857. Dred Scott was a slave from Missouri that had travelled with his master to the free state of Illinois. After his master died he believed that he was free because he was now in a free state and petitioned for his freedom. Once this case made its way up to the Supreme Court the ruling was in favor of the South, wherever slave owners move they maintain the rights to their slaves, even if they move to a free state. Again, the North was not happy. This ruling meant that slavery could potentially exist in the North as well; once again slavery was somehow creeping into the North. These two events made it impossible for the North to ignore slavery, when once they could when it was isolated in the South. These two events sparked increased anti-slavery sentiment and more harsh feelings towards the