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During the period from 1850 to 1861, America struggled to maintain unity as debates over key issues arose. Following the end of the war with Mexico in 1848, America acquired Texas, New Mexico, and California through the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo. Disagreements emerged regarding whether these territories should be admitted to the Union as free or slave states. The Compromise of 1850 attempted to address this by allowing California entry as a free state and granting New Mexico and Texas popular sovereignty to determine their stance on slavery.
The enactment of the Fugitive Slave Act in 1850 further strained relations by compelling northerners to return escaped slaves to the South. These events, coupled with discussions surrounding the Constitution and popular sovereignty, began eroding national unity and intensifying tensions between the North and South.
Between 1850 and 1861, the government's actions worsened conditions in America, especially regarding the Constitution and the Fugitive Slave Act. William Lloyd Garrison criticized the Constitution in 1852 for indirectly supporting slavery, claiming that a government condoning slavery is corrupt and unreliable, urging people to resist.
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The failure of the Constitution to address slavery caused a rift between those who supported it and those who opposed it, ultimately weakening the Union (Doc. E). The Fugitive Slave Act, part of the Compromise of 1850, heightened tensions between the pro-slavery South and anti-slavery North. Freed slaves in Boston were cautioned to stay away from watchmen and police who could potentially return them to enslavement.
The Fugitive Slave Act exacerbated tensions between the North and South, forcing the anti-slavery North to comply with slavery despite their beliefs (Doc.
C). Ralph Waldo Emerson highlighted the lasting impact of this act by noting the government's contradictory stance on slavery. Despite Congress outlawing slave imports in 1807, they now supported capturing and returning escaped slaves from the North to bondage by 1850. This inconsistency deepened the divide, showing northerners that the government was willing to accommodate the South's pro-slavery position. Emerson saw this as unethical and feared it could lead to Union dissolution. In reality, tensions over slavery were worsened by the Fugitive Slave Act (Doc. D).
One factor contributing to the breakdown of the Union was the dispute surrounding popular sovereignty. This concept advocated for allowing new states entering the Union to decide independently whether they would permit slavery. Originating from the Compromise of 1850, which aimed to maintain equilibrium between slave states in the South and free states in the North, the idea sparked controversy as illustrated in a map highlighting the regions affected by the compromise. The concern arose from the potential disruption of the North-South balance if these territories opted for or against slavery, potentially triggering conflict (Doc. A).
President Jefferson Davis elaborates on the popular sovereignty debate in relation to the Constitution. While the Constitution does address state power through amendments, it could not prevent the emergence of opinions questioning state sovereignty in the North. This indicates a weakening of the Constitution's ability to adapt to the circumstances of the time. Furthermore, states are starting to assert their rights and forgetting that the Union was formed as a combination of states (Doc. H). The Kansas and Nebraska Act of 1854 established Kansas and Nebraska territories and granted settlers in those regions the power to determine if they would allow slavery.
The tensions over slavery among settlers sparked violence due to conflicting views on the issue. In a political cartoon, a freesoiler is restrained by James Buchanan and Lewis Cass on the "Democratic Platform," symbolizing criticism of the Democratic Party for supporting slavery. The platform references "Kansas," "Cuba," and "Central America" as alleged targets for spreading slavery beyond American borders. The freesoiler is depicted being forced to accept a slave by Stephen A. Douglas and Franklin Pierce, reflecting the belief that new states were pressured by the Democratic Party to allow slavery (Doc. F).
Sectionalism heightened tensions between the North and South, ultimately leading to the failure of the Union by causing division on key issues. This occurs when one region prioritizes its own interests over those of the entire nation, potentially resulting in states seceding from the Union. During 1850-1861, disagreements arose between the North and South regarding slavery and whether new territories should be slave or free states. To prevent conflict stemming from sectional differences, a strong Constitution addressing all regions' needs is crucial for maintaining the Union (Doc. B). President James Buchanan believed safeguarding the South's rights through the Constitution was essential for unity; if states feel neglected, they may opt to leave based on their sovereignty.
Congress should recognize the importance of acknowledging slavery and protecting its rights in new territories, as well as supporting the Fugitive Slave Act to prevent secession by the South (Doc. G). President Abraham Lincoln expressed concerns about sectionalism and secession leading to the destruction of the Union, warning that states may mistakenly believe they can prosper on their own without ever truly being self-reliant (Doc. I). The fear of Union collapse due to secession discouraged sectionalism, but it continued to create divisions between the North and South based on issues related to slavery.
Government actions, conflicts over popular sovereignty in new territories, and sectionalism all contributed to escalating tensions between the North and South, especially regarding slavery, ultimately weakening the Union. The Compromise of 1850 and the Fugitive Slave Act passed from 1850-1861 further deepened the divide between the North and South on slavery. The debate surrounding popular sovereignty in the Compromise of 1850 enabled new states to decide their position on slavery, fueling sectionalism and widening the rift between the North and South.
The Erosion of National Unity: Tensions Over Slavery 1850-1861. (2016, Aug 07). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/dbq-on-sectionalism-essay
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