Slavery and the Territories: When Polk asked congress for $2 million to purchase peace with Mexico, Davis Wilmot introduced a bill (Wilmot Proviso) that prohibited slavery in any territory acquired by Mexico, but rejected in senate. President Polk then decided to purpose extending the Missouri Compromise allt eh way across the newly acquired lands, but others believed the people should have a say in was to be done. In the election of 1848 rose the Free- Soil party (as a result of unsatisfying candidates from the other two parties) who nominated former president Martin Van Buren as its candidate. And although this party failed to win, the emergence of this political group was an important political force that eventually led to the collapse of the second party system in the 1850's. |
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The California Gold Rush: When Taylor came into office it was important for the issue on slavery in the far west territories be resolved.In 1848 when traces of gold were found, word of the discovery spread acroos the country and almost immediately hundreds and thousands of people began pouring into California. All the cities were unpopulated as all the people raced to the mountains to look for gold. This was also a grand attraction for immigrants of different countries such china where the people sought to become wealthy and escape from poverty. As a result of labor shortages due to the gold rush, exploitiation of the few workers such as the chinese and indians was common. And by the end of the gold rush California had become very racially diverse as those migrants who went in search of gold and found nothing decided to settle and remain in the territory. |
Rising Sectional Tensions: It was believed by Zachary Taylor that the issue of slavery would be solved by statehood so each state's government could decide the slavery question. Also, there was much controversy that congress had to face regarding slavery, like liberty laws that were being passed in northern states which resulted in the southerns' demand for their fugitives back when they ran away. A major issue was also the unbalance in slave and non- slave states that would be caused as some states began to be admitted such as California, New Mexico, Oregon, and Utah. |
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The Compromise of 1850: Due to the crisis that was being faced, the people sought to find a "great compromise". Henry Clay came up with a proposal that perhaps would be the solution to this unrest because this proposal touched upon all the issues that were being disputed over. As a result of this, a debate was launched for about seven months and occurred in two phases that reflected a change in American politics.After six months of being shut down by congress finally defeated Clay's proposal and the issues were carried on to a new, younger group. This group was able to produce a compromise by first of all getting rid of the president and secondly breaking up the "omnibus bill " that was introduced by Clay. Unlike Clay's compromise that included many issues, this temporary compromise made by the new leaders of the senate was made up of self-interested issues and nonideological matters. |
Looking Westward| Expansion and War| The Sectional Debate| The Crisis of the 1850's| Lyceum