The Road to Disunion

1. The Road to Disunion The Compromise of 1850

2. Focus Question: “Mexico is to us the forbidden fruit . . . the penalty of eating it would be to subject our institutions to political death” - John C. Calhoun • What did Calhoun mean when he described Mexico as the ‘forbidden fruit’?

3. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo • Border set at the Rio Grande • U.S. gains New Mexico and California • U.S. pays Mexico $25 Million How is this poisonous?

4. GOLD!!!!! • Gold discovered at Sutter’s Mill, California • Sparked an international gold rush • Population of California ballooned from 15,000 to 94,000 in two years. • California decided to seek statehood

5. Return of the Slavery Issue • Thirty states in 1850, 15 Free, 15 Slave • California petitioned to enter as a Free State. • Slavery had not existed in territories taken from Mexico • Wilmot Proviso • Whigs Split • Conscience Whigs • Cotton Whigs

6. Role of the Missouri Compromise • Divided the sections

7. Return of Henry Clay • Proposed a compromise • California enters as a free state • Utah and New Mexico become two territories, free to choose status. • Maryland given veto over banning slavery in D.C. • Slave trade banned in D.C. • Stricter Fugitive Slave Act adopted

8. Compromise En Route to Failure • Northern devotion to the Missouri Compromise • Rise of Radical Abolitionists • Rise of “Fire Eaters” • Prevented any real compromise

9. Emergence of Stephen A. Douglas • Young Democratic Senator from Illinois • Took over the role of managing the compromise • Divided it into 7 parts • Brokered support for each • Compromise of 1850 goes into effect.

10. The Compromise of 1850 • Did it solve the problem?

11. Repercussions • Douglas becomes leader of Congress • Hardliners dig in • Compromise remained fleeting