It is important to remember that the tariff was an issue between various sections of the country during the first half of the 1800s. In other words, slavery was not the only issue to divide the sections.
MISSOURI COMPROMISE, 1820: Would admit Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state; would keep balance in the Senate at 12 for each section; slavery will be prohibited in the rest of the Louisiana Purchase north of the line of 36 degrees, 30 minutes, which is the southern boundary of Missouri; Jefferson referred to it as the "knell of the Union." This compromise was largely the work of Henry Clay.
TARIFF OF 1828, also known as the TARIFF OF ABOMINATIONS: Very high tariff, 45 percent on some manufactured goods; sutherners very angry; South Carolina leaders attacked it and the SC legislature issued the SOUTH CAROLINA EXPOSITION that denounced the tariff as unconstitutional and called upon the states to NULLIFY it. Secretly written by John C. Calhoun. Only SC supported it but it shows division among the sections.
WEBSTER-HAYNE DEBATE: Sectionalism is certainly seen in these debates.....It started over the issue of the sale of western lands but evolved into a debate over the union versus states' rights. It also pointed out the growing differences between Andrew Jackson and John C. Calhoun
JACKSON'S ATTACK ON THE BANK OF THE UNITED STATES: Jackson's taking government funds out of the BUS and distributing in what become known as his "Pet Banks" will eventually result in the PANIC OF 1837, along with other causes, which President Van Buren will have to deal with.
WHIG PARTY formed from those who oppose Jackson.
ELECTION OF 1836: Martin Van Buren, Democrat, elected; defeated Whig candidate, William Henry Harrison
ELECTION OF 1840: Whigs elect William Henry Harrison; he dies shortly; Vice-president John Tyler, becomes President. He was NOT strong Whig. This was the first election to experience a mass turnout.
ELECTION OF 1844: Democrats elect James K. Polk who supports expansion: the annexation of Texas and expansion into Oregon; Henry Clay was defeated; he opposed expansion.
MANIFEST DESTINY: that growing belief in the 1840s that the U.S. was destined to expand to the Pacific Ocean
MEXICAN WAR, 1846-48: Treaty of Guadalupe gave the U.S. the Rio Grande River as the southern boundary of Texas, California, the area that is today New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and parts of Colorado and Wyoming. The U.S. would make a payment to Mexico. Whigs opposed the Senate ratification for fear of expansion of slavery into the new territories.
WILMOT PROVISO: attempted to prevent the extension of slavery into the lands acquired fromMexico. Southern senators blocked its passage; Increases division between the sections.
ELECTION OF 1848: Whigs elect Zachary Taylor, having passed over Henry Clay as their candidate. Very close election due to the Free-soil party splitting the vote. Taylor will later die in office and Millard Fillmore became President. This will contribute to the passage of the Compromise of 1850.
FREE-SOIL PARTY: formed by anti-slavery men from the north who opposed Zachary Taylor. Made up of these Whigs and Democrats. Chose Martin Van Buren as their candidate who campaigned on the slogan, "Free soil, free speech, free labor, and free men." Again, you can see the slavery issue is divisive.
GOLD DISCOVERED IN CALIFORNIA IN 1848
COMPROMISE OF 1850: California had applied for statehood as a free state in 1849. Southerners oppose b/c this would upset the 15 to 15 balance in the Senate. Southerners were feeling that they were losing territory into which slavery could be extended; of course, those who oppose slavery support this. Northerners have continued to call for the ABOLITION OF SLAVERY in the District of Columbia, and this angers southerners. The UNDERGROUND RAILROAD is helping more and more slaves escape from the South. Southerners want a stronger FUGITIVE SLAVE LAW.
When California applied for statehood, the issue of slavery would now have to be debated in the U.S. Congress. Henry Clay once again stepped in and offered a compromise, the Compromise of 1850.
Key Provisions: California to be admitted as a FREE state; the slave trade would be outlawed in the Disrict of Columbia but slavery allowed; a FUGITIVE SLAVE LAW was established; Texas gave up some claims in the New Mexico Territory and received monetary compensation.
Many believed the North won in this; the Fugitive Slave Law was not enforced.
ELECTION OF 1852: Democrats nominate Franklin Pierce who was a pro-southern northerner which makes him acceptable to the slavery wing of the Democratic Party. Whigs nominate Winfield Scott. The Whig Party split. Pierce won by a landslide. This election ended the Whigs as an organized political party. Both Henry Clay and Daniel Webster had died during this campaign.
Following this election, the political parties are said to have become "sectional parties."
OTHER ISSUES: Problems with Britain in Central America, problems with Spain over Cuba, establishnent of a trade agreement with Japan in the Treaty of Kanagawa.
KANSAS-NEBRASKA ACT: Proposed by Stephen A. Douglas; he proposed that the Nebraska Territory be divided into two territories of Kansas and Nebraska. Said the slavery issue would be settled by "POPULAR SOVEREIGNTY," meaning the people would decided by voting. South sees a chance for slavery to be extended into an area they had never considered, that being Kansas. Would be a violation of the Missouri Compromise; President Pierce supported; the bill PASSED. Will end enforcement of the Fugitive Slave Law and the Missouri Compromise.
This will greatly damage the Democrat Party, dividing it into Northern Democrats and Southern Democrats, and will also lead to the creation of the REPUBLICAN PARTY and the KNOW-NOTHING PARTY.
ELECTION OF 1856: Democrats are able to elect James Buchanan as President.
ELECTION OF 1860: Republican, ABRAHAM LINCOLN ELECTED.
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