Sectionalism Part I

• What was the major issue that divided the North and South every time land was added to the US?

  How should it be determined if the new territory is open or closed to slavery?
• How did the Underground Railroad impact the South? How did they respond?


  Success of the Underground Railroad causes losses for Southern plantation owners. They asked Congress to add laws to assist them in catching runaway slaves.
• Why did President Polk not believe slavery would be an issue in the territory he acquired?

  He believed that slavery wouldn't be an issue because of the climate.
• What was the major concern of Southerners?

  The idea of banning slavery everywhere.
• What did the Wilmot Proviso attempt to do? What happened to it?

  Proposal to ban slavery in any territory gained from Mexico. Southerners were furious but the bill passes in the House of Reps, but Senate refused to vote on it so it died.
• How does population sovereignty work? Who proposed this idea?

  Idea by Lewis Cass. This would allow voters of a territory to decide if they wanted slavery or not (popular sovereignty = majority rules).
• Why was popular sovereignty unpopular with abolitionists?

  It doesn't abolish slavery, just invites the option for keeping or banning it.
• How did the Gold Rush affect California?

  It caused a population boom
• How did California apply for statehood? Why did this upset the South

  They had enough people by 1850. Applied as a free state. Southerners were mad because it would mean more free states than slave states.
• What did the Compromise of 1850 mean for California?

  California admitted as a free state
• What did the Compromise of 1850 mean for the rest of the territory gained from Mexico?

  In all other territory gained from Mexico, popular sovereignty is allowed
• How did the Fugitive Slave Act work?

  Passed alongside the Compromise of 1850; African Americans accused of being a runaway would be arrested and brought before a judge.
• How was the justice system in the Fugitive Slave Act trials corrupt?

  A sworn statement from a white person that the defendant was a runaway was all that was necessary to convict the defendant. The defendant had no right to a trial and couldn't testify; payment for judges was $5 in favor of the defendant but $10 in favor of the South. Northerners can be fined or jailed for "helping" runaways.
• Why did the Fugitive Slave Act actually backfire on the South?

  Created more hatred of slavery by Northerners.
• How did Frederick Douglass impact the reaction to the Fugitive Slave Act?


  He speaks out against the law and warns Northerners that they're also at risk. Whites start to ignore the law and the Underground Railroad gains more popularity.
• What was "Uncle Tom's Cabin?" Who wrote it?

  Anti-slavery novel written by Harriet Beecher Stowe, which was published in 1852.
• What impact did the book have on the country?

  The book becomes the 2nd most widely read book in the country, and increases the hatred of slavery by Northerners. This outrages Southerners.
• How did Abraham Lincoln react when he met Stowe?


  He said to her, "So you're the little woman who wrote the book that made this great war."