CHAPTER OUTLINE

Controversies over slavery in territories Conflict over Mexican War Wilmot Proviso Calhoun’s response Extend Missouri Compromise Popular sovereignty Oregon as free territory Election of 1848 Democrat Lewis Cass and popular sovereignty Whig Zachary Taylor Free Soil party Origin and support Van Buren and opposition to slavery Taylor’s victory Question of California Gold Discovery in 1848 Gold Rush Mining frontier Statehood Need for order President Taylor’s position California and New Mexico organized as free states Compromise of 1850 Development of the Compromise Clay’s package of eight resolutions Calhoun’s response Webster’s plea for union Seward’s response for the abolitionists Omnibus bill proposed by Committee of Thirteen Taylor’s sudden death helps chances of compromise Fillmore supports Clay Compromise Douglas strategy of separate bills Terms of the compromise Reaction to the compromise Southern radicals keep slavery issue alive The Fugitive Slave Law Terms of the law Northern defiance of the law Gradual impact of Uncle Tom’s Cabin Election of 1852 Democrats’ choice of Pierce brings Van Burenites back into the party Whig choice of Winfield Scott alienates ethnic voters Election of Pierce fails to unify Democrats The expansion of Manifest Destiny Southern desire for Cuba Pierce’s offer of purchase Revelation of the Ostend Manifesto Diplomatic gains in the Pacific Opening of China to U.S. trade encourages missionaries Perry’s expedition helps open Japan to U.S. trade by 1858 Kansas-Nebraska crisis Desire for a transcontinental railroad Davis’s support for southern route leads to Gadsden Purchase The Kansas-Nebraska Act Douglas proposes popular sovereignty Nebraska bill Other concessions from Douglas Douglas’s motives and the impact of the proposal Antislavery opposition Passage with support from Pierce More weakening of the cords of union Northern defiance of Fugitive Slave Law Church organizations split over slavery Disintegration of the Whig party Emergence of American (Know-Nothing) party Other splinter parties Convergence into Republican party The “battle” for Kansas Race for settlement by free-soilers and proslavery groups Establishment of a proslavery government The countergovernment in Topeka Violence in Lawrence, Pottawatomie, Ossawatomie, and elsewhere The Sumner-Butler-Brooks clash in the Senate The election of 1856 Remnants of American and Whig parties nominate Fillmore Republicans oppose slavery and nominate John C. Frémont Democrats choose Buchanan and appeal to ethnic voters Buchanan elected by only remaining national party Buchanan faces three early crises as president Buchanan’s prospects as a “doughface” president The Dred Scott decision Background to the case Analysis of the court’s decision Reactions of North and South to the decision Continued conflict in Kansas Proslavery Lecompton Constitution Proslavery group adopts a constitution Buchanan supports the constitution Antislavery groups boycott the election Constitution with slavery wins Reaction of antislavery groups Acting governor convenes antislavery legislature Legislature calls for a second vote on constitution Constitution rejected Congress requires a third vote on the constitution Mechanics and basis for action Lecompton constitution again rejected Financial Panic of 1857 Causes and nature of the panic Northern groups blame tariff increase Southerners gain new confidence for their system The Lincoln-Douglas debates The Senate race of 1858 in Illinois The candidates described The Freeport Doctrine of Douglas Lincoln on the ropes Douglas elected John Brown’s raid Brown’s hopes for the raid Events of the raid Brown’s trial and result Broader effects of the incident Election of 1860 The Democratic party actions Convention’s first phase of maneuvering Baltimore meeting nominates Douglas Breckinridge nominated by rump Democrats Republican party actions The emergence of Lincoln as nominee Appeals of the party platform Constitutional Union Party created to preserve the nation Nature of the campaign Explanation of Lincoln’s election Steps toward war Secession South Carolina leads Confederate government Basis for secession Buchanan’s actions Belief in bluff of secession Refusal to be provocative Conflicts over Fort Sumter Failure of last efforts for compromise