0.5 north/south problems 1850-3

fugitive slave act

$1,000 fine for not returning a slave

law targeted runaways and those who had fled the south decades earlier

inflamed feelings such as in 1854

1854

burns affair

burns affair

boston mob broke into a courthouse and killed a guard

in attempt to rescue the fugitive slave Anthony Burns

troops escorted burns back to boston harbour and back to slavery

incident was well publicised

how did north respond

many helped former slaves escape to cananda

in 1850s, 9 northern states passed personal liberty laws to make it difficult to enforce federal law

caused resentment in the south

however - over resistance was exaggerated by both southerners and abolitionists, most northern states enforced it with little trouble

uncle toms cabin - 1851

harriet beecher stowe, attacking slavery

300,000 copies sold in the first year

2 million copies over the next 10 years

known globally, turned into songs, so even northerners who hadn’t read it were familiar

increased abolitionist sentiment in the north

democrats in 1852 election

confident victory as many irish and german immigrants were able to vote

previous free soil party member now democrat

nominated Pierce as presidential candidate

platform - supported 1850 compromise + popular sovereignty

whigs in 1852 election

had become divided and couldn’t agree

candidate = Winfield Scott, although most southerners wanted Filmore

didn’t have a platform as they couldn’t agree on any policies

results of 1852 election

Pierce won

51% votes, carried 27 states

scott only won 4 states

when was the gadsden purchase

1853

what was the gadsden purchase

pierce gave james gadsden responsibility of purchasing 250,000 square miles of mexican territory

only gained senate approval after they took 9,000 square miles from the proposed purchase

gadsden eventually agreed to purchase 54,000 square miles

southerners supported as it eould assist building of a southern railway to pacific, not because of slavery acquisition

Cuba filibuster

military adventure aimed at overthrowing government

Quitman planned large task to do so

originally encouraged by Pierce

but, northern opinion (saw filibuster as effort to expand slavery) forced Quitman to quit it

when was the ostend manifesto

1854

what was the ostend manifesto

Pierce still wanted Cuba, offering $130 million for it

ostend manifesto stated cuba was necessary + if spain refused to sell it, then the USA was justified in wrestling it from Spain

this was leaked and stopped by northern politicians

angered northerners who believed that the unsuccessful expansionist efforts were the south trying to establish latin american slave empire

north-south problems 1850-53

• uncle tom’s cabin

• president pierce

• fugitive slave act

• 1852 election

• cuba and southern filibustering