Slavery In The Northern States: A Case Study

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The United States new territories in the West brought with them alarm regarding the issue of slavery within these new regions by both the Northern and Southern states (Schultz, 2014). Moreover, this tension was best observed in the political realm as the two-party system fractured under differing opinions of the admittance of slavery into these territories. The Southern states were for slavery in the new territories as it secured a slave society in the South, and provided new lands for the expansion of cotton crops for its citizens. Meanwhile, the Northern states were against slavery, although, not all were concerned with slave rights. Consequently, a large portion of the Northern States was either racist not wanting to live among an African-American population in the West, while others feared the competition for land between European-Americans and African-Americans. …show more content…

Additionally, Congressman Wilmot was concerned that if slavery was allowed into these new regions that rich planters would control the land leaving nothing available for common farmers. Although this bill never passed it was a rallying cry of the Free Soil party who held that admitting slavery into the West would freeze progress and the common man’s opportunity. Also, during the Presidential elections of 1848, there was an idea presented that the settlers of these new territories should be able to choose for themselves whether they desired slavery or not (Schultz, 2009). Consequently, California’s request to enter as a state into the Union caused the country and newly elected President Zachary Taylor extreme

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