The 1850’s Crisis and

CompromiseRoad to War

How we got here?As the North became more industrialized, slavery began to die out in the northern

states. However, South became more and more dependent on the use of slaves with

the development of the cotton gin. The big question in the United States was what to do with slavery in the new western territories. Congress passed new laws every few years

to try to solve the problem.

Northwest Ordinance• 1787 -- All states

in this area (northwest of Ohio River) will be free states

Missouri Compromise• 1820 -- Missouri is not

northwest of Ohio, so what to do?

• Northern states don’t want more slave states, will disrupt the balance of slave and free; final decision:• Missouri is slave state• Maine (used to be part of MA)

is added as separate free state• in future, all states North of

36˚30' will be free; all states South of 36˚30' will be slave

Results of Texas and MexicoTexas Annexation & the Mexican-American War (1848) results in more land being added to the United States, south of 36-30, would give Slave states an advantage.

What should be done? 1846 – Wilmot Proviso – slavery should not be permitted in any territory taken from Mexico

Compromise of 1850- California is a free state

- New Mexico and Utah can decide for themselves whether or not to have slavery

- Abolished sale of slaves in DC

- Fugitive Slave Law – northern states were required to help capture and return run-away slaves (Enraged many Northerners)

Kansas – Nebraska Act• 1854 - People in the

new territories (Kansas and Nebraska) should decide for themselves whether to be slave or free• popular sovereignty: the people in each territory will vote on whether or not to have slavery

Results of the Kansas-Nebraska Act1854 – Creation of the Republican Party• opposed to the Kansas-Nebraska Act• wanted to keep slavery out of the territories• drew support from many diverse groups – were able to win elections

1856 – Bleeding Kansas• Groups in favor of slavery and groups opposed to slavery (“free-soilers”) both move into Kansas, trying to sway the vote

Bleeding KansasMay 21 – Sack of Lawrence:• Southerners attacked and

looted several homes and the newspaper office in this anti-slavery town

 May 24 – Pottawatomie Creek:• John Brown and a group of New

Englanders attacked this pro-slavery town at night, dragged 5 men from their homes and killed them (with swords)

 Raids and counter-raids continued all summer, Kansas is “bleeding”

Dred Scott Decision1857 -- Chief Justice Roger Taney ruled that • African-Americans are not citizens and do not have rights• Even if slaves were brought into free states and they were still slaves

Lincoln Douglas Debates1858 – Series of debates over the issue of slavery during the campaign for Illinois Senate seat• Lincoln lost the race for the Senate, but became the Republican Party candidate for president in 1860• Lincoln warned: “A house divided against itself cannot stand.”

John Brown’s RaidOctober 16, 1859 –Harper’s Ferry, Virginia• John Brown (a white

abolitionist) and 18 others (5 black and 13 whites) attacked the Federal Arsenal at Harper's Ferry • Attempted to overthrow all

slave masters• the arsenal was surrounded

and John Brown and the others were captured• Brown is executed for

treason