Study Notes on the Mexican-American War and Pre-Civil War Politics

Introduction to the Mexican-American War and Its Aftermath

  • The Mexican-American War occurred from 1846 to 1848, concluding with significant territorial gains for the United States known as the Mexican Cession.

  • The major issue post-war was the status of slavery in the newly acquired territories.

Main Themes and Arguments

The Central Question

  • The debate revolved around whether to allow slavery in the newly acquired territories from Mexico;

    • Should the federal government prohibit slavery in these lands?

    • Should slavery be promoted or left to local decision?

Lewis Cass and Popular Sovereignty

  • Lewis Cass, the Democratic Party candidate, advocated for popular sovereignty:

    • This principle suggested that the residents of new territories should decide for themselves whether to permit slavery.

  • The process involved:

    • Opening a territory (e.g., Kansas) to settlement.

    • Once 5,000 free adult males settled, they could establish a legislature to enact laws (either pro-slavery or anti-slavery).

    • Upon reaching 60,000 free residents, a constitution could be drafted for statehood.

  • Cass aimed to appeal to both pro-slavery and anti-slavery groups without explicitly supporting slavery.

Settlement Patterns and Economic Implications

Who Moves West?

  • The demographic pattern of migration influenced the slavery debate:

    • Typically, working-class and poorer individuals moved to the West seeking better opportunities.

    • Wealthier individuals were less likely to emigrate as they could afford slaves for labor.

    • The presence of slavery would threaten job opportunities for poor white settlers.

    • Immigrant populations (from Europe) gravitated towards the Northern states due to available jobs.

Popular Sovereignty’s Hidden Implications

  • Casually allowing territories to decide on slavery without overtly opposing it:

    • It was theorized that a working-class majority likely opposed slavery would prevent its expansion.

Free Soil Movement

Rise of the Free Soil Party

  • The Free Soil Party emerged from the remnants of the Liberty Party, focusing on preventing slavery's extension into Western territories.

  • Consensus motives:

    • Primarily economic interests of white laborers; concern was more about job opportunities than moral opposition to slavery.

    • The Free Soil Party candidate, Martin Van Buren, garnered 10% of the vote in the election.

Key Political Figures in 1848

Zachary Taylor - Whig Party Candidate

  • Zachary Taylor, the Whig candidate, owned slaves but was against expanding slavery into new territories due to economic concerns.

    • He emphasized the need for economic growth free from the burden of slavery.

    • Was a military general who led forces in the Mexican-American War.

Other Candidates

  • Lewis Cass (Democrat): Promoted popular sovereignty.

  • Martin Van Buren (Free Soiler): Aimed to limit slavery in new lands.

Compromise of 1850

Context and Motivations

  • Following Taylor's election in 1848, Congress faced intense debates on slavery's expansion, causing friction between Northern and Southern congressmen.

  • Southern politicians feared losing political power as Northern free states increased.

Henry Clay’s Proposals

  • Senator Henry Clay proposed a compromise involving:

    • Adjustment of Texas's borders and the establishment of New Mexico in exchange for financial compensation.

    • Admission of California as a free state.

    • Popular sovereignty in territories like New Mexico and Utah for future settlement.

    • Enactment of a stronger Fugitive Slave Act.

    • Ban on slave trade in Washington D.C.

Controversies of the Compromise

  • Northern abolitionists opposed the stronger Fugitive Slave Act, arguing it would lead to wrongful slave capture.

    • The act incentivized citizens to report runaway slaves and punished officers who refused to arrest them, leading to risks of kidnapping in the North.

Zachary Taylor’s Stance

  • Taylor ultimately opposed the Compromise of 1850 due to its potential to open territories to slavery, defying his anti-expansion views.

  • His sudden death in July 1850 opened the door for more compromise into negotiation under Millard Fillmore.

Shift to Fillmore and Douglas

Millard Fillmore's Role

  • Fillmore embraced compromise, succeeding Taylor as president.

  • Stephen A. Douglas, a senator from Illinois, helped pass the Compromise of 1850 by breaking it into several individual bills to secure enough votes for passage.

Kansas-Nebraska Act

Stephen A. Douglas’ Legislation

  • Enacted in 1854, the Kansas-Nebraska Act opened the territories of Kansas and Nebraska to popular sovereignty, effectively nullifying the Missouri Compromise line.

  • Spurred violence in Kansas (6 leading to the term "Bleeding Kansas") as pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers clashed over territory control.

    • The act led to significant illegal voting from pro-slavery activists crossing state lines to influence elections.

Emergence of Violence in Kansas

John Brown and the Potawatomi Massacre

  • Abolitionist John Brown led a violent response against pro-slavery forces, epitomizing the escalation of conflicts surrounding slavery.

  • His actions included the brutal killing of slave owners in Kansas, setting a precedent for violent abolitionist actions across the state.

Dred Scott Decision

Dred Scott's Struggle for Freedom

  • Dred Scott was a slave who sued for his freedom after living in a free territory; however, the Supreme Court ruled:

    • Slaves could not be considered U.S. citizens, and thus had no standing to sue.

    • Congress lacked the power to prohibit slavery in the territories, declaring the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional.

Abraham Lincoln’s Rise

Lincoln vs. Douglas Debates

  • In 1858, Abraham Lincoln ran against Stephen Douglas for the Senate, challenging his views on popular sovereignty through a series of debates.

  • Lincoln aimed to gain support, emphasizing the consequences of Douglas’s policies on the violence in Kansas.

  • While Lincoln lost the Senate race, he gained national recognition that helped propel him to the presidency in 1860.

The Election of 1860

Candidates and Implications

  • The race featured multiple candidates:

    • Abraham Lincoln (Republican): Opposed slavery expansion.

    • Stephen Douglas (Northern Democrat): Supported popular sovereignty.

    • John C. Breckenridge (Southern Democrat): Advocated for the expansion of slavery.

    • John Bell (Constitutional Union): Proposed avoiding the slavery debate entirely.

  • Lincoln won with only 39.9% popular vote due to a split in the Democratic Party, becoming a significant trigger for Southern secession.

Southern Secession

Reasons for Secession

  • South Carolina led the charge for secession on December 20, 1860, citing the protection of slavery amid an increasingly hostile political environment under Lincoln’s presidency.

  • Other Southern states followed suit, establishing a trend towards Confederate independence based on the belief that they could maintain their economic and political interests outside the Union.

Conclusion

  • The political landscape shaped by the Mexican-American War, the slavery issue, and the events leading up to the Civil War emphasizes economic interests, the complexities of political compromise, and the deepening divide in American society.