The Mexican War and its aftermath of America gaining land began to show the different the Americans views on slavery. Americans could not decide whether slavery should move westward as the country expanded or if it should stay in the states it was currently in. There were many attempts to compromise and keep the peace, however, this ended up driving a wedge further into the difference between the free states views and the slave states views. Overall, the Mexican War and its aftermath led to further disagreements about slavery between the north and the south.
The Mexican War, which took place between 1846 and 1848, was an extremely controversial war. Some people felt the war against Mexico was justified as Mexico had threatened war and …show more content…
This admitted California as a free state, prohibited slave trade in Washington D.C., and Texas lost the border dispute with New Mexico, all which benefited the north. The south benefited by no slave restrictions in Utah and New Mexico territories, Texas getting ten million dollars, and the fugitive slave law being passed. When California was admitted as a free state the free states now had more power in the Senate than the Slave states did, which was a big win for the north (Figure A). The Fugitive slave law, which allowed federal Marshals to recover slaves that had escaped into a free state by any means, which included enlisting the Army's help, however, this severe law did nothing, as the “north refused to enforce it. Massachusetts even called for its nullification” (The Compromise of 1850). This was a violation of the act and caused tension between the north and the south, however, Americans hoped fragile peace would prevail. As time went on, Stephen Douglas questioned Utah and New Mexico having no slave restrictions, and eventually managed to incorporate them into the Kansas-Nebraska …show more content…
The compromise stated that below the latitude 36° 30' in the Louisiana purchase slavery was permitted and above it, slavery was prohibited. Many felt that the line should be continued through the new land, but many others felt that the land should be left to popular sovereignty. To solve this dilemma the southerners eventually forced Stephen Douglas to repeal the compromise as the price of southerners support for Nebraska and Kansas becoming states. Douglas “anticipated that his capitulation to southern pressure would ‘raise a hell of a storm’ in the North” (McPherson). His prediction came true, as the storm was so powerful it created a new government party, the Republicans. This new party was formed when many northern Democrats became fixated on keeping slavery out of Kansas, Nebraska, and all other territories. The leader of this party was Abraham Lincoln, who felt that no man had the right to own another man. The Republicans recognized that the constitution protected the slave states; however, they felt that the prevention of slavery moving westward would be the first step to its eventual diminishment. This led to a new compromise being made, which was the Kansas-Nebraska
The Mexican War, which took place between 1846 and 1848, was an extremely controversial war. Some people felt the war against Mexico was justified as Mexico had threatened war and …show more content…
This admitted California as a free state, prohibited slave trade in Washington D.C., and Texas lost the border dispute with New Mexico, all which benefited the north. The south benefited by no slave restrictions in Utah and New Mexico territories, Texas getting ten million dollars, and the fugitive slave law being passed. When California was admitted as a free state the free states now had more power in the Senate than the Slave states did, which was a big win for the north (Figure A). The Fugitive slave law, which allowed federal Marshals to recover slaves that had escaped into a free state by any means, which included enlisting the Army's help, however, this severe law did nothing, as the “north refused to enforce it. Massachusetts even called for its nullification” (The Compromise of 1850). This was a violation of the act and caused tension between the north and the south, however, Americans hoped fragile peace would prevail. As time went on, Stephen Douglas questioned Utah and New Mexico having no slave restrictions, and eventually managed to incorporate them into the Kansas-Nebraska …show more content…
The compromise stated that below the latitude 36° 30' in the Louisiana purchase slavery was permitted and above it, slavery was prohibited. Many felt that the line should be continued through the new land, but many others felt that the land should be left to popular sovereignty. To solve this dilemma the southerners eventually forced Stephen Douglas to repeal the compromise as the price of southerners support for Nebraska and Kansas becoming states. Douglas “anticipated that his capitulation to southern pressure would ‘raise a hell of a storm’ in the North” (McPherson). His prediction came true, as the storm was so powerful it created a new government party, the Republicans. This new party was formed when many northern Democrats became fixated on keeping slavery out of Kansas, Nebraska, and all other territories. The leader of this party was Abraham Lincoln, who felt that no man had the right to own another man. The Republicans recognized that the constitution protected the slave states; however, they felt that the prevention of slavery moving westward would be the first step to its eventual diminishment. This led to a new compromise being made, which was the Kansas-Nebraska