The document summarizes the key events and issues around the Compromise of 1850 that attempted to settle differences between the North and South over the issue of slavery. The Compromise included California entering the Union as a free state, organizing New Mexico and Utah Territories without defining their slave/free status, a stricter Fugitive Slave Law, and a ban on slave trading in Washington D.C. However, tensions remained as the North opposed the Fugitive Slave Law while the South was unhappy that California was admitted as a free state.

1. Chapter 17.1 Pgs. 391-395 How did the North and the South try to settle their differences?

2. Differences Economies developed differently in 1800’s Agriculture was important in both North more industry and commerce South plantation farming Northern lots of cities which population mostly came from immigration

3. Differences Immigrants and Easterners moved west and built farms in the states formed from the NW Territory Most canals and RR ran East and West This helped with the Eastern and Midwestern states to develop strong ties with each other

4. Differences South unlike north a few wealthy planters controlled society Made great profits from slave labor and then trading the products Because plantations so profitable with cotton, owners invested in slavery not industry like the North

5. Differences Many southerners were poor small farmers who resented the powerful slave owners However, poor whites accepted slavery to stay off the bottom of society

6. Divisions Sectional tensions between the North and South had been building for many years Slavery being the biggest issue of all In the North there was the abolitionist movements throughout the 1830’s and 40’s Also in the North were the everyday workers and immigrants who opposed slavery for fear of owners employing slaves for free rather than them

7. Differences Most Northerners and abolitionists would be considered racist by today’s standards Many whites refused to go to school with, work with, or live near African Americans While Northerners attacked slavery Southerners defended it Felt whites were superior Felt slavery helped slaves

8. Differences Southerners claimed slavery introduced Christianity to slaves Felt it provided them with food, clothing, shelter The slaveholders determination to defend slavery and the northerners and abolitionists continued attacks on slavery are what brought the North and South into conflict

9. Missouri Compromise After the Miss. Comp. was accepted in 1820 political disagreements were thought to have been over about slavery The compromise settled the issue about slave and free states entering the union As well, it settled the territory dispute in the Louisiana Territory. North of 36-30 N parallel free, below slave.

10. Missouri Compromise New disagreements arose with the outbreak of the War with Mexico in 1846 Argued about the land won from Mexico if it would be free or slave South wanted slave, North wanted free To settle the argument David Wilmot of Pennsylvania proposed a bill

11. Wilmot Proviso Bill would outlaw slavery in any territory the United States might acquire from the War with Mexico Wilmot hated slavery His proposal came up over and over in Congress Never actually passed Passed in the HOR but not in the Senate

12. Wilmot Proviso Northern representatives voted for it but the Southerners outvoted them the WP divided Congress along regional lines Slaveholders believed Congress had no right to deny them the right to have slaves They viewed slaves as property and they should be able to bring their property in to the new territory Claimed the Constitution gave equal protection to the property rights of citizens

13. Free-Soil Party The Wilmot Proviso led to the formation of the Free-Soil party after it failed again in 1848 Political party was dedicated to stopping the expansion of slavery Comprised of northerners Party’s slogan expressed it’s ideals—”Free Soil, Free Speech, Free Labor, and Free Men.”

14. Free-Soilers Won 13 seats in Congress in the election of 1848. Made slavery a key issue in national politics Urged Congress to give western settlers free homesteads --- land on which to settle and build houses

15. Zachary Taylor 12 th President Whig 1849-1850 War time hero Old Rough and Ready Key event gold rush

16. Question?? What issues contributed to sectionalism in the late 1840’s?

17. Answer The disagreement about slavery and the North’s growing power in Congress

18. Controversy over Territories Politicians could no longer ignore slavery Free-Soilers’ success worried southerners Also worried about territories 1848 - 30 states in union – ½ free, ½ slave Equal number of senators in Congress HOR more antislavery reps due to the population growth in North

19. Territories Southerners worried about being outvoted in HOR Also, possibly someday in the Senate This was possible especially if new territories in West became free Southerners did not want Congress controlled by Northerners Why?

20. Territories South feared North would end to slavery Feared North would put high tariffs on imports This would cause higher prices on clothing furniture and finished goods from Europe Southerners needed a plan to halt Western territories from becoming free states

21. California With the discovery of gold, thousands rushed to California Soon would have enough to apply for statehood Most residents wanted their state to be free This would shift balance of power in Congress

22. California Southerners thought state should be divided Top ½ free, bottom ½ slave 1849 Pres. Taylor proposed California submit a plan for statehood, without going through the territorial stage This would give southerners little time to move to California with their slaves

23. California 1850 – California applies for free state If admitted slave states would be the minority in the Senate Jefferson Davis, senator from Mississippi, warned, “For the first time, we are about permanently to destroy the balance of power between the sections.” Southerners did not want to accept such a change, they might even leave the union

24. Compromise of 1850 Congress knew slavery issue would split the country, so they work to find a solution Senators Daniel Webster, Henry Clay, and John C. Calhoun take the lead on the compromise

25. Webster/Calhoun Webster, from Massachusetts, disliked slavery However, he wanted to keep the country united Calhoun, South Carolina, all for states’ rights Urged southerners not to compromise Led the fight to extend slavery into the west (Poor health, died in 1850 of tuberculosis, after his death others were more willing to compromise)

26. Clay Clay, from Kentucky, helped work out Missouri Compromise in 1820 Made last effort to bring an understanding between the North and South To please the North, Clay suggested California be admitted as a free state, and the slave trade would be abolished in Washington D.C.

27. Clay To please the South, Congress would not pass laws regarding slavery for the rest of the territories won from Mexico, and Congress would pass a stronger law to help slaveholders recapture runaway slaves Many people on both sides, felt they had to give up to much in this plan. But, others were tired of the regional bickering

28. Stephen A. Douglas Clay gave over 70 speeches in favor of the compromise The job of winning passage of the plan fell to senator Douglas of Illinois after Clay became to sick to continue promoting the compromise Douglas was one of the more powerful members of Congress Did not agree with slavery but felt each territory should decide on their own Big supporter of Railroads By September Douglas had succeeded and the plan passed. Compromise of 1850 became a law

29. Compromise Some celebrated and others did not President Taylor did not agree However, when he died and President Millard Fillmore took over, he did support it

30. President Fillmore 13 th President 1850-1853 2 wives – 2 children with 1 st Lawyer Died 1874 Key events – Compromise of 1850, California becoming state

31. Land Divided California becomes free state Remainder of Mexican Cession is divided New Mexico Territory and Utah Territory Question of slavery in these territories was left up to the people who live there Compromise also set a firm boundary between Texas and New Mexico

32. Land Texas gave disputed land to New Mexico and received in return $10 million The Compromise also forbade the sale of slaves in the District of Columbia. (Slavery could still continue there) Congress agreed to pass a strict law regarding fugitive –(runaway) slaves

33. Question What were the terms of the Compromise of 1850?

34. Answer California free state Slavery elsewhere in the West was up to the settlers Slave trading banned in D. of C. Fugitive Slave Law passed

35. Fugitive Slave Law Stated people in free states had to help catch and return escaped slaves Anyone caught aiding a runaway slave could be jailed or fined heavily (fine was $1,000) Northerners resisted this law With this law people accused of being fugitives could be held without an arrest warrant

36. Slave Law Fugitives had no right to a jury trial instead a federal commissioner ruled on each case Commissioner received $5 for releasing the defendant, and $10 for turning the defendant over to a slaveholder (lured by the extra money some commissioners sent African Americans to the South whether they were runaways or not) Southerners felt law was justified because they considered slaves property Northerners resented law – Why?

37. Law Northerners were required to help recapture runaway slaves It placed fines on those who would not cooperate and jail those who helped runaways Southern slave catchers also roamed the North, sometimes capturing free African Americans

38. Law Northerners were torn whether to obey the law and go against everything they believe in or risk breaking the law Some were outraged by this law. Some gathered in groups and tried to rescue fugitives from their captors Congress really hoped the Compromise would settle the slavery question forever Lawmakers wanted no more angry debates that might endanger the nation

39. Question?? Do you think the Compromise of 1850 was fair to both sides? Why or Why Not? Tensions remained high because neither group got everything they wanted. However, the North did win limits on slavery while the South gained the Fugitive Slave Law