Key Terms New Mexico – NM, AZ, NV, CO, UT William Becknell – first American trader to reach Santa Fe, became Santa Fe Trail Rancheros – ranch owners, built ranchos John C. Fremont – army officer, helped seize Bear Flag Republic Kit Carson – helped John C. Fremont Californios – Mexicans in CA Commodore John Sloat – naval forces, helped capture Monterey & SF Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo – Mexico gave up all claims to Texas, gave CA & NM for $15 mill Gadsden Purchase - $10 mill for strip of land on AZ & NM Sectionalism – exaggerated loyalty to particular region of the country Wilmot Proviso – slavery is prohibited in lands acquired in Mexico John C. Calhoun – neither Congress nor any territorial government had power to ban/allow slavery Harriet Beecher Stowe – published Uncle Tom’s Cabin – added to antislavery Franklin Pierce – President in 1853 – supported Fugitive Slave Act Border ruffians – MO citizens crossing to Kansas John Brown – Killed 5 supporters of slavery w/ sons at Pottawatomie Creek, “Bleeding Kansas”, raids Harpers Ferry Charles Sumner – against slavery, made speech about proslavery forces Preston Brooks – attacked Sumner w/ cane 2 days after speech Lincoln Douglas Debate – debates over slavery for Senator Freeport Doctrine – popular sovereignty, disliked slavery Constitutional Union Party – took no stand on slavery, nominated John Bell John C. Breckenridge – Nomination of Southern Democrats, supported Dred Scott Decision War with Mexico
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Polk offers to buy CA and NM territory → Mexico refuses Polk & Americans believed in Manifest Destiny – destined to own NM territory After annexation of Texas, US-Mexico border disputed
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Sent General Zachary Taylor to disputed land – ordered to build fort there
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Mexicans attacked May 9th, 1846 War divided Americans: Democrats – supported, Polk’s party Whigs – unjust & aggressive war Republicans – blamed democrats for spreading slavery w/ expansion Polk wanted to capture capitals of CA & NM, then Mexico General Taylor’s troops defeated Mexicans at Buena Vista General Stephen Watts Kearney led troops to NM Captured Santa Fe w/out firing one shot Group of Americans seized Sonoma – called Bear Flag Republic Joined by John C. Fremont & Kit Carson Commodore John Sloat captured Monterey & SF & declared CA annexed to US, then captured SD Carson left w/ news of annexation, Joined Kearney for march from Santa Fe General Winfield Scott captured Veracruz & marched to Mexico City September 1847 – Mexico City taken, Spanish government surrendered Compromise of 1850 President Taylor (Whig) said citizens should decide whether to have slaves or not Southerners wanted Fugitive Slave Act Senate was balanced in 1850
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CA & states following would enter as free → Senate unbalanced Henry Clay proposed plan as Senator: CA admitted as free state NM territory states had no restrictions NM-Texas border dispute settled in favor of NM
Slave trade abolished in DC
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Stronger fugitive law 7 months debate only way to save Union was to preserve slavery
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Taylor died → Millard Fillmore took over – supported some form of compromise • Stephen A. Douglas – divided Clay’s plan to vote on separately • Fillmore got Whigs to abstain Secession & War
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South Carolina secedes after Lincoln wins election – Dec. 20th, 1860 John Crittenden made last minute compromise – wrote Amendments to the Constitution, protect slavery below 36°30 line 1861 – TX, LA, MS, AL, FL, & GA formed Confederate States of America on Feb. 4th, 1861 Chose Jefferson Davis as president, senator from MS Justified secession (see short response D) Major Robert Anderson – commander of Fort Sumter, fort low on supply, Confederates demanded surrender Lincoln left it up to confederates to attack fort Davis ordered to fire – April 12th, 1861, no lives lost
US surrendered April 14th – Confederates put up flag • Lincoln called for 75,000 troops – many volunteered • VA, NC, TN, & AR joined Confederacy Short Response A. Missouri Compromise by Henry Clay: Missouri enters as slave state Maine enters as free state
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36°30 line – North → free, South → slave keeps senate balanced Kansas-Nebraska Act by Stephen Douglas: Let people decide whether to enter as free or slave state – popular sovereignty MO citizens went to vote in Kansas pro/anti slavery Enters slave states in North – nullifies Missouri Compromise MO attacked Lawrence, Kansas – mini-Civil War Dred Scott Decision by Roger B. Taney: Slaves are property Property can’t be citizens Constitution protects slave owners – protects property, can’t be stolen w/out due process of law Changes abolition – Constitution isn’t w/ them Left only w/ war & violence – John Brown attack on Harpers Ferry Theory of States’ Rights by John Locke Constitution is the social contract
If Congress doesn’t enforce law → people can abandon government Congress broke contract – didn’t enforce Fugitive Slave Act Missouri Compromise, Slavery, and Statehood – The compromise solved the problem when Missouri wanted to enter union as slave state which would knock off balance in Congress. Compromise suggested that Main, another state, would enter as a free state keeping the balance. It also set the 36-30 line that allowed slavery southward and not northward, except Missouri. Kansas-Nebraska Act: This act, written by Stephen Douglas, said that people should be allowed to decide for themselves if they allow slavery or not. Nullified MO Compromise b/c is a state voted for slavery above that line, act would have no power or use. Dred Scott: Roger Taney’s ruling was that slaves were property and therefore, rights of Constitution didn’t apply to them, so they didn’t have right to sue! Baisically, according to his decision, the Constitution protected slavery. Taney even used the Constitution to protect slavery when he refers to it saying that people can’t take other people’s property! South Secedes: Southern used theory of state’s rights to justify secession by saying that the government broke a social contract by not enforcing the Fugitive Slave Law and also said that the government laws weren’t in the best interest of the people. For those reasons, south felt comfortable
seceding and even felt like they were doing the proper thing, saying that the are following the ideals of the framers of the Constitution. Gen. Stephen Kearney – Led troops, conquered CA Gen. Winfield Scott – Led troops against Mexico, took Veracruz in 1847 Franklin Pierce – Democrat president elected who served from 1853-57 “Bleeding Kansas” – Fighting that took place in Kansas after KS-Neb. Act passed about issue of slavery James Buchanan – Elected in 1856, won all southern states, not Maryland Robert E. Lee – General in Confederate forces