apush 5-1

essay- causes of civil war and why inevitable

context- manifest destiny

bp1- westward expansion and failed compromises (compromise of 1850 and kansas nebraska act repealing misouri compromise)

bp2- north not following the constitution (FSL-personal liberty laws and maryland v mcculloch fed over state)/dred scott, south just slavery

bp3- panic of 1857 southern confidence to secede and no more dems in gov with birth of reps

reasoning- moderators such as webster, douglas, and clay did attempt to keep the union together and the missouri compromise did last a while

Aftermath of the War with Mexico and the Civil War

  • Considered a major cause of the Civil War

  • Led to disputes over slavery expansion into new territories.

Manifest Destiny

  • Belief that it was America’s divine right to expand across the continent.

  • Justified the acquisition of vast territories, often at the expense of Native Americans and other nations.

Settlement Realities in Early 19th Century

Texas

  • Settlers required to adopt Roman Catholicism and forbidden from bringing enslaved individuals.

  • Texas Revolution led to independence from Mexico, primarily due to settler dissatisfaction with Mexican governance.

New Mexico and Utah

  • Similar to Texas, early settlements faced challenges including governance and integration into U.S. politics.

Oregon

  • Initially had joint occupancy with Britain post-convention of 1818; later claimed entirely through the Oregon Treaty.

  • Attracted settlers for its vast resources and potential agricultural value.

President Polk's Goals

  • Annex Texas and California.

  • Settle the Oregon dispute.

  • Establish an independent U.S. treasury.

  • Reduce tariffs.

Mexican-American War

  • Many argue Polk provoked the war by sending troops into disputed territories.

  • Critics, including Whigs, accused Polk of unjust aggression towards Mexico.

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo

  • Ended the Mexican-American War.

  • Resulted in the U.S. gaining California and New Mexico for $15 million.

  • Increased tensions over slavery as new territories were added.

Impact on Slavery Issue

  • Disputes arose over whether new territories would be free or slave states, leading to more conflicts over representation in Congress.

Art and Literature Growth

  • Emergence of significant literary figures reflecting societal issues.

  • Notable authors included Margaret Fuller, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Edgar Allan Poe.

  • Art from the Hudson River School conveyed a sense of hope and progress, contrasting with the violence of the era.

Key Authors and Their Contributions

  • Margaret Fuller: Transcendentalist essayist advocating for social reform.

  • Nathaniel Hawthorne: Critiqued societal norms and morality.

  • Edgar Allan Poe: Explored themes of death and existentialism.

Artistic Movements

  • Hudson River School's focus on landscapes symbolized the American spirit of exploration and the desire for expansion.

Political Climate and Reactions

  • Southern politicians feared shifts in political power due to new territories impacting the balance of slave and free states.

  • Political clashes led to the Compromise of 1850, which attempted to address these tensions.

Wilmot Proviso and Compromise of 1850

  • Proposed prohibiting slavery in lands acquired from Mexico, but failed to pass.

  • The Compromise sought to alleviate tensions through various measures including admission of California as a free state and stricter Fugitive Slave Laws.

Rising Sectional Tensions

  • Events such as the Kansas-Nebraska Act and Bleeding Kansas heightened conflicts.

  • The introduction of popular sovereignty allowed settlers to decide on slavery, provoking violence and leading to further division between north and south.

Bleeding Kansas

  • Conflict between pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers resulting from the Kansas-Nebraska Act.

  • Example of how political compromises were failing, leading to violence and unrest.

Dred Scott Case

  • Supreme Court ruling stating that African Americans could not be citizens and that slavery could not be restricted by Congress (invalidating the Missouri Compromise).

  • Intensified national debates over slavery and civil rights.

Lincoln-Douglas Debates

  • Debates focused on slavery's expansion and popular sovereignty, showcasing the sharp divide in strategies and ideologies between North and South.

Consequences of the Civil War's Path

  • Series of events predictably leading to radical tensions, conflicts, and ultimately the inevitability of the Civil War.

  • The political landscape was irrevocably altered, setting the stage for future abolitionist movements and battles for civil rights.