The Abolition Movement
The initial debate over slavery was increased over the admission of new states acquired by the Louisiana Purchase. One significant state during the Abolition movement was Missouri. Missouri was a slave holding state that requested to join the union in 1819. This territory included about 50,000 whites and 10,000 slaves making it a slave holding state. At this time there were 11 free and 11 slave states. If Missouri joined the union, there would be an imbalance of free and slave states.
Henry Clay, Speaker of the House of Representatives suggested that Congress admit Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state. He also proposed that slavery be prohibited from any territory acquired in the Louisiana territory north of the 36 30N latitude, except Missouri. This was known as the Missouri Compromise which passed in 1820.
After acquiring Texas from Mexico in 1845, the slavery debate heightened again. David Wilmot, Representative of Pennsylvania, made another proposal called the Wilmot Proposal. This stated that slavery should be prohibited in any lands acquired by Mexico. This however, did not pass on account of Southerner’s protests.
Senator Henry Clay proposed another Missouri Compromise which contained 5 main points. 1. California should be a free state, 2. No restrictions on slavery in New Mexico, 3. Disputes between New Mexico and Texas should be settled in favor of New Mexico, 4. The slave trade should be abolished, 5. Stronger Fugitive Slave Laws. These 5 components of Clay’s proposal became known as the Compromise of 1850.
One area of the Compromise of 1850 that caused some controversy was the Fugitive Slave Act. This required all citizens to help catch runaways and fines or imprisonment would be given to anyone who was caught aiding a fugitive. Northerners refused to obey the law and began the Underground Railroad, a network of free African Americans and whites who helped runaways achieve freedom.
The admission of new states acquired by the Louisiana Territory and the Mexican War caused conflict among the states. The Missouri Compromises, the Wilmot Proviso, and the Fugitive Slave Act were all parts of the Abolition Movement which was a major cause of the Civil War.
Henry Clay, Speaker of the House of Representatives suggested that Congress admit Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state. He also proposed that slavery be prohibited from any territory acquired in the Louisiana territory north of the 36 30N latitude, except Missouri. This was known as the Missouri Compromise which passed in 1820.
After acquiring Texas from Mexico in 1845, the slavery debate heightened again. David Wilmot, Representative of Pennsylvania, made another proposal called the Wilmot Proposal. This stated that slavery should be prohibited in any lands acquired by Mexico. This however, did not pass on account of Southerner’s protests.
Senator Henry Clay proposed another Missouri Compromise which contained 5 main points. 1. California should be a free state, 2. No restrictions on slavery in New Mexico, 3. Disputes between New Mexico and Texas should be settled in favor of New Mexico, 4. The slave trade should be abolished, 5. Stronger Fugitive Slave Laws. These 5 components of Clay’s proposal became known as the Compromise of 1850.
One area of the Compromise of 1850 that caused some controversy was the Fugitive Slave Act. This required all citizens to help catch runaways and fines or imprisonment would be given to anyone who was caught aiding a fugitive. Northerners refused to obey the law and began the Underground Railroad, a network of free African Americans and whites who helped runaways achieve freedom.
The admission of new states acquired by the Louisiana Territory and the Mexican War caused conflict among the states. The Missouri Compromises, the Wilmot Proviso, and the Fugitive Slave Act were all parts of the Abolition Movement which was a major cause of the Civil War.