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Sectionalism Contribute To The Admission Of States Essay

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How did sectionalism contribute to the ongoing debate about the admission of states? Be sure to discuss the Missouri Compromise in your response. Sectionalism contributed to the ongoing debate about the admission of states by dividing people over the issue of slavery because different regions had different visions for the country. To begin, the north, being mainly composed of manufacturers and food farmers, favored an American economy that was based off of manufacturing. However, the south, being almost entirely composed of those who produced cash crops, favored an American economy based off of farming. Because the Northers were mainly food-farmers and manufacturers, they didn’t have the need for slaves that the south did. The South, which …show more content…

Due to the fact that these parts of the nation were so strongly divided, the country was drawn into sectionalism. When this happened, many Americans identified with their section, over their country. In addition, because of their differing views on slavery and what the nation’s future should be like, it was crucial that one region’s opponent not gain more supporting states, or that one region would surely lose every battle in Congress. So, when Missouri wanted to enter the union, there was much debate because it had applied as a slave state. However, at that time, there was a perfect balance between free and slave states in Congress. Admitting Missouri would essentially hand all the power to the south. In order to settle both parties’ desires the Missouri Compromise was drawn. It admitted Missouri as a slave state, and simultaneously admitted Maine as a free state to preserve the balance in Congress. Also, to settle future conflicts, or so it was thought until California wanted to join the Union, it also drew an imaginary line through the country at 36ᐤ30’N Latitude. All new states admitted above the line would be free, and all state …show more content…

To begin, with the addition of new territories to the union, territories that wanted to become states, the conflict surrounding whether or not states would be admitted as free or slave increased greatly. There was also much disagreement over who should decide this important issue. In January of 1850, Senator Henry Clay proposed a five part plan that would serve as a compromise and would satisfy all parties. This plan involved the addition of California as a free state. Importantly, this plan gave the power to decide whether their state would allow or abolish slavery to the residents of Utah and New Mexico, supporting popular sovereignty. It also determined the border between New Mexico and Texas. In addition, to satisfy abolitionists, the slave trade was banned in the nation’s capital. To satisfy slavery-supporters, stricter fugitive slave laws were passed. As one bill, it did not pass, but later Stephen A. Douglas introduced these ideas as separate bills for the Senators to vote on, and each bill passed. By lending itself to the wishes of both parties, the Compromise of 1850 was able to strike a delicate bargain between anti-slavery and slavery

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The Missouri Compromise started with the subject of slavery and how westerners could not agree whether to permit it or to exclude it. Those settling to the south wanted slavery for economic reasons such as labor while those settling to the north had no use for slavery at all. Politicians in Congress had attempted to preserve a sectional balance between the North and the South. There had been a balance of 11 slave and 11 free states but once Missouri bided for statehood the North raised alarm because slavery was well established there. The issue here was that if Missouri came in as a slave state, it would tip the political balance in the South’s favor.

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In February 1819, New York Representative James Tallmadge Jr. electrified the proceedings by proposing an amendment to ban the transport of more slaves in Missouri as a condition of statehood, even though there were more than 2,000 slaves living there. From here the debate began (Text p. 316). The South felt that the U.S. government had no power to restrict slavery, which was protected under the Constitution. The North felt that slavery was evil and should be restricted to the current slave states.

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Chapter 18: Renewing the Sectional Struggle (Pg. 337) Why did the issue of the status of the Mexican Cession cause such ominous debate? The issue of the status of the Mexican Cession caused such ominous debate because it raised anew the issue of extending slavery into the west, views on this were separated by the north (anti-slavery) and south (pro-slavery). Sectional Balance and the Underground Railroad (Pg. 341) What was the political status of the south in 1850?

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1. What are the 3 principles of judicial review established by the Marbury v. Madison decision? How can this be connected to nationalism? Extra credit- How can this be connected to recent events? -The 3 principles of judicial review established by the Marbury v. Madison: 1.

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In contrast, other politicians were trying to create temporary solutions to the slavery issue. One of these provisional plans was the Compromise of 1850 which was a series of bills planned by Henry Clay and later overseen by Stephen Douglas that would try to resolve the concerns of slavery in new territories. Therefore, California was admitted to the Union as a free state and the territories in the west determined the issue of slavery based on popular sovereignty. Following this, slave trade was abolished in Washington, D.C. and the new Fugitive Slave Act was passed. The Fugitive Slave Act was a portion of the Compromise of 1850 and it gave a new protection to slavery.

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The now 200 year-old issue of self-government and independent economic freedom on one side and a strong anti-slavery view on the other, were finally at a breaking point. Stephen Douglas felt that by falling back on the American idea of self-government, he could satisfy both sides. He argues in 1854 that letting new states choose for themselves was more politically correct than using some “arbitrary or geographical line.” And, he believed that the recent actions by the Congress over the Compromise of 1850 created a precedent in Congress that allowed for presumption that popular sovereignty was the direction the government was headed in deciding slavery in the new territories. (Stephen Douglas, Speech on the Kansas-Nebraska Bill, Course Packet)

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The compromise was designed to maintain the balance of power between pro-slavery and anti-slavery forces in the country, and it was a significant event in the lead-up to the American Civil War. The compromise was proposed by Senator Henry Clay, who was a Republican from Kentucky, and supported by Senators Daniel Webster and John Calhoun, who were both Democrats. There were five key aspects included in the compromise, the first being the Fugitive Slave Act, the second being the admission of California as a free state, the third being the Texas Boundary Act, the fourth being the establishment of New Mexico and Utah Territories, and the fifth being the Washington D.C. slave trade (P. Scott Corbett, 2014). The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, part of the Compromise of 1850, was a controversial law that required authorities in free states to aid in the capture and return of runaway slaves to their owners in the South. The Act was seen as a compromise between the North and South to help maintain the delicate balance between free and slave states.

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Regional Differences in the 1800s The Election of 1800 realigned America with Jefferson’s Republican platform after a continuous stretch of Federalist control. Although he was an advocate for states’ rights, his saying, “We are all Republicans, we are all Federalists,” reflected an equally strong desire to unite the country, despite internal political divisions. Jefferson’s acquisition of the Louisiana Territory greatly extended the borders of the nation, a clear invitation for settlers to look west. The implications of such movement showed no pity for the indigenous people and further forced Indians beyond the limits of their native lands.

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1121 Words | 5 Pages

There were many important Compromises between the years of 1820 and 1860, some that worked completely and some that didn’t. In the early nineteenth century, people were good at compromising and making things work for everyone. How long did perfect compromising actually last? Slavery began to split the nation apart, causing compromising to become hard to do.

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In the year 1819 there were 11 Free states and 11 slave states keeping the balance kept it out argument there was no problem until hit Missouri and it then became a huge debate. Missouri compromise. Thomas Jefferson knell of the union felt the line would destroy the nation. President Polk had 4 major goals reduce traffis on imports, reestablish independent treasury, settle disputes with Brittan over Oregon, and acquire California and New Mexico as part of the United States. During this time California’s population grew extremely fast do to the gold rush.

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478 Words | 2 Pages

The U.S was only able to settle political disputes through compromise until 1860 because of the increasing sectionalism, the Abolitionist Movement and the Secession of South Carolina. New states joined into congress creating an unbalanced senate forcing congress to make decisions to balance the nation between freedom and slavery. The Missouri Compromise failed as an attempt to maintain peace between the North and South because it created an greater sense of sectionalism throughout the country. The Missouri Compromise of 1820 was a decision to make Missouri a slave state to maintain an even number of free and slave states. It led to uproar in congress and the North retaliated by declaring the rest of the Louisiana territory to be free.

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1105 Words | 5 Pages

The free and slave states both shared the power, therefore creating an equal balance in government. But if another state was to enter the Union, it would upset the balance between the states, which could have potentially led to war.   In 1850, John C.Calhoun, describes to Congress how by admitting California to the Union the balance between free and slave states will not remain equal. Calhoun states, “With the intention of destroying, irretrievably, the equilibrium between the two sections,” (Document C).

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490 Words | 2 Pages

Lastly, the Missouri Compromise was causing some hostility between pro-slavery and anti-slavery. The hostility between these two was within the United States Congress and also across the country. The Missouri Compromise was basically an effort by Congress to remove the sectional and political rivalries in which were set off by Missouri in the late 1819’s.

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853 Words | 4 Pages

The Missouri Compromise Legally separated the the Northern states and the Southern States in 1820. Sectionalism had divided them due to economically differences, they could not decide as a country on how to deal with freedom and slavery, instead they drew a line down the damn country

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576 Words | 3 Pages

When the United States won the US-Mexican war, The U.S was in possession of present day Utah, California, and New Mexico. This expanded the United States all the way to the Pacific Coast. With that in mind, Missouri requested to enter the Union as a slave state, It was going to upset the balance of slave and free states. Congress in desperation to keep the state 's unified, passed an amendment allowing Missouri entrance as a slave states. Congress, to keep the balance, allowed Maine to enter as a free state.

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