Free or Slave State?
Missouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise of 1820 admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state. It also prohibited slavery in the Louisiana Territory north of the 36, 30' latitude line. In 1854 it was repealed by the Kansas-Nebraska Act. This angered the north because they valued the compromise almost as much as the constitution itself. Then, during the Dred Scott Decision in 1857 the Supreme court stated that congress did not have the power to prohibit slavery in the territories.
The Mexican war
The Mexican war was fought between Mexico and the United States from 1846-1848 over Texas and California. This war was fought because of the Manifest Destiny, where the United States believed they should possess the entire continent from the Atlantic to the Pacific ocean.
The Wiltmot Proviso
The Wiltmot Proviso attempted to keep the territories from Mexico from turning into slave states. It was sponsored by David WIltmot who stated, "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall ever exist." This led to the compromise of 1850.
Compromise of 1850
The compromise of 1850 included a group of five bills intended to keep northern and southern interests balanced and help control the expansion of slavery. In the first bill, California was entered as a free state. Next was popular sovereignty in Utah and New Mexico. This allowed the people to decide whether the state was a free or slave state. The third bill gave the Republic of Texas $10 million to pay of debt to Mexico in return for territory in New Mexico. The fourth bill abolished slavery in the District of Columbia. The last bill, stated that if a federal official didn't arrest a runaway slave, they could be fined. This, however, was controversial because it made abolitionists efforts against slavery more intense.
Popular Sovereignty
Popular sovereignty was the right for a new state or territory to decide whether it was going to be a slave or free state. This idea was used in the Kansas-Nebraska Act.
Kansas-Nebraska Act
May 30, 1854 the Kansas-Nebraska Act was passed by Congress. People living in Kansas and Nebraska were able to decide whether they were going to be a slave or a free state with the idea of Popular Sovereignty. It basically served as a repeal to the Missouri Compromise.
Dred Scott Decision
Dred Scott was a slave who was moved from a slave territory to a free territory when his master participated in war. He lived there for an extended period of time, however when his master died he was brought back to the slave territory. He believed that he deserved to be free being that he's lived in the free territory for so long, but Congress thought otherwise. They declared that no slave or descendant of a slave could be a U.S. citizen or ever have been a U.S. citizen. This meant that Scott had no rights and could not sue for his freedom. They declared the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional and said that they did not have the power to stop slavery in new states.
The Missouri Compromise of 1820 admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state. It also prohibited slavery in the Louisiana Territory north of the 36, 30' latitude line. In 1854 it was repealed by the Kansas-Nebraska Act. This angered the north because they valued the compromise almost as much as the constitution itself. Then, during the Dred Scott Decision in 1857 the Supreme court stated that congress did not have the power to prohibit slavery in the territories.
The Mexican war
The Mexican war was fought between Mexico and the United States from 1846-1848 over Texas and California. This war was fought because of the Manifest Destiny, where the United States believed they should possess the entire continent from the Atlantic to the Pacific ocean.
The Wiltmot Proviso
The Wiltmot Proviso attempted to keep the territories from Mexico from turning into slave states. It was sponsored by David WIltmot who stated, "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall ever exist." This led to the compromise of 1850.
Compromise of 1850
The compromise of 1850 included a group of five bills intended to keep northern and southern interests balanced and help control the expansion of slavery. In the first bill, California was entered as a free state. Next was popular sovereignty in Utah and New Mexico. This allowed the people to decide whether the state was a free or slave state. The third bill gave the Republic of Texas $10 million to pay of debt to Mexico in return for territory in New Mexico. The fourth bill abolished slavery in the District of Columbia. The last bill, stated that if a federal official didn't arrest a runaway slave, they could be fined. This, however, was controversial because it made abolitionists efforts against slavery more intense.
Popular Sovereignty
Popular sovereignty was the right for a new state or territory to decide whether it was going to be a slave or free state. This idea was used in the Kansas-Nebraska Act.
Kansas-Nebraska Act
May 30, 1854 the Kansas-Nebraska Act was passed by Congress. People living in Kansas and Nebraska were able to decide whether they were going to be a slave or a free state with the idea of Popular Sovereignty. It basically served as a repeal to the Missouri Compromise.
Dred Scott Decision
Dred Scott was a slave who was moved from a slave territory to a free territory when his master participated in war. He lived there for an extended period of time, however when his master died he was brought back to the slave territory. He believed that he deserved to be free being that he's lived in the free territory for so long, but Congress thought otherwise. They declared that no slave or descendant of a slave could be a U.S. citizen or ever have been a U.S. citizen. This meant that Scott had no rights and could not sue for his freedom. They declared the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional and said that they did not have the power to stop slavery in new states.