Balance Of Slave And Free States Between The 1840s And 1850s

Prior to the 1840s and 1850s, there was a precarious balance of slave and free states in the U.S. Legislation like the Missouri Compromise helped maintain that balance, but tensions continued to build as more states petitioned to be admitted into the Union. Additionally, societal changes inspired many Northerners to take a stand against slavery, with more Northerners embracing abolitionist causes. Southerners, on the other hand, clung to the institution and remained economically dependent upon it, looking to spread it to new states. During the 1840s and 1850s, Northerners and Southerners deeply disagreed about the institution of slavery, creating a deep divide between the two that would lead to war. In the pre-war era, many Northerners were

The South viewed slavery as a personal freedom, believing people to be property rather than individuals. They wished to keep this system in place in order to uphold their beliefs and want for control. This desire for a semblance of control stems from their smaller agricultural-based population, unlike that of the industrial North. This population disparity allowed for the North to maintain more political control over the South in terms of federal government and the House, which is why the South emphasized states rights. The Lecompton Constitution, a document that protected the rights of slave owners and ignored the free population of African-Americans, was a major cause for tension in this time, as it angered the North while favoring the South’s values. The fallout of this document ultimately provided a stepping stone for the angered North to take part in attacks on Kansas, due to the actions of John Brown and his raid on the South. An extremist and evangelical with a focus on anti-slavery ideals, Brown desired to lead a slave revolt in the South. Brown attacked and looted the city of Lawrence before he and his sons traveled to a pro-slavery settlement in Pottawatomie Creek, Kansas. There, they took hostages and killed several men, inciting violence in Kansas, leading to an event known as Bleeding Kansas, in which brutal attacks and raids took place. This caused fear amongst the Southerners, who worried that their ideals would be cause for their death. Although Brown’s raid was unsuccessful, his actions raised tensions immensely in the Northern and Southern states and would set the scene for the eventual Civil