U.S. Slavery and Politics

What was the unspoken agreement Congress followed regarding new states before 1819?

Congress maintained an equal balance between the number of free states and slave states.

Why were Southern senators terrified of Missouri joining as a free state?

They feared the North would have a majority and use it to pass anti-slavery bills.

How did the 36°30' line handle the issue of slavery in the Louisiana Purchase?

It banned slavery north of the line and permitted it south of the line.

Why did Thomas Cobb of Georgia describe the debate as a 'fire which a sea of blood can only extinguish'?

He warned that the conflict over slavery could lead to civil war.

How did the Second Great Awakening influence the slavery debate?

It led many to believe that abolition was part of 'the Lord's work'.

What was John Quincy Adams's proposed constitutional amendment in 1839?

He proposed that no person born in the U.S. after 1842 could be enslaved.

Why did the admission of California in 1849 cause a crisis?

California applied as a free state, threatening the balance between free and slave states.

What happened to the Whig Party as a result of the Compromise of 1850?

The party began to dissolve due to divisions over the Fugitive Slave Act.

Why did many fugitives from slavery flee to Canada after 1850?

The Fugitive Slave Act made Northern states unsafe for them.

What event in the Senate illustrated the breakdown of civility between North and South?

Preston Brooks attacked Charles Sumner with a cane on the Senate floor.

Why did the Supreme Court rule that the Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional?

Chief Justice Taney argued it violated property rights protected by the Fifth Amendment.

How did Northerners react to the Dred Scott ruling?

They were stunned and called it a wicked and false judgment.

What were the core beliefs of the newly formed Republican Party?

They believed slavery must be prohibited in the territories and all new states must be free.

How did John Brown's execution affect the North and South differently?

Northerners viewed him as a martyr, while Southerners feared violent slave revolts.

What did the 1860 election results prove to White Southerners?

It proved they were a permanent minority with Lincoln winning without Southern votes.

What did Lincoln argue about secession in his first inaugural address?

He stated that secession was wrong and unconstitutional.