Impact Of Slavery On Westward Expansion

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Slavery: The Reason Led to Nation’s Sectional Divide during the 1850s American had changed rapidly in during the nineteenth century. Between 1848 – 1861, the Congress had changed a lot in politics due to the slavery’s impact. The south had large population of slave and mainly agricultural economy with cotton. The nation gradually created many small parties and form of ideology of liberty and progressive. The market evolution brought economy boost for the nation, but it also brought a warning for division of nation by slavery. After the Louisiana Purchase, America doubled the size and seized the lands from Mexico. The concept of manifest destiny fueled the controversy theories about slavery expansion. This essay will explain and analyze the impact of slavery throughout the debate on westward expansion. Additionally, the raise of Republican Party and other radical voices, which helped to abolish slave, contribute to sectional divide of the nation. Emerging for the market revolution, the northern started having opposing idea about slavery system. Under President James Madison, a new American economy had begun with a mass manufacture focused, national banking and a tariff on imported goods to protect the American industries. With a new internal improve, new infrastructure helped the country’s economy and expanded US territory with Louisiana Purchase. The northern had mass producing economy with waged labors. The Whig party was mainly from the northern. They were bankers and businessmen who were promoting economy growth with the government’s help. However, Democrats believed that, “[bankers and businessmen] were seeking to use connection with government to enhance their wealth to the disadvantage of the “producing classes” of farmers,... ... middle of paper ... ... that south had no vote for Republican Party, Lincoln had dominated the election with “fifty-four percent of the regional total and forty percent of the national” (Give Me Liberty 502). The Lincoln’s winning marked the sectional division of the nation. In March 4, 1861, the seven states of the south formed the Confederate States of America, and the beginning of civil war. In conclusion, American’s politic had changed dramatically during 1848-1861 period. Duo to slavery expansion, the nation was separated by two different ideologies- slave system and free labor. The creation of Republican Party was essential and potential to end slavery in the south. Furthermore, slave’s impact in politic was the result of sectional divide. The result of slavery’s dispute was the Civil war, and it stamped that the standing of Republican and Democrat parties in Congress for decades.

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