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Westward Expansion is Americans' god given right to expand the nation from the Atlantic to the Pacific Coast. I would argue that Westward expansion is nationalism because many parties and groups can benefit from the expansion of the United States. Westward expansion can bring the nation together because many different types of people will have to work together to expand westward.
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The ⅗ compromise was between slave states vs free states. The ⅗ compromise stated every 5 slaves owned 3 of those slaves would be taxed as property in the slave states. This compromise came to be because both states couldn't decide how to handle slave laws. I personally think this is sectionalism. I think this because the free states clearly benefit because the south has to pay taxes for something they have never had to in the past. Therefore it is sectionalism. -
The States Rights made many southerners feel that the federal government was getting too powerful. Many states thought they were being robbed of their sovereignty. These states felt the government was making too many decisions that the states should be making. This is sectionalism because the south wanted to make more states choices but the national government got to make south specific decisions. -
The compromise of 1820 was an agreement that made all states North of 36º 30º as free from slavery states and all states to the south were slave states. This compromise was made because the Missouri territory was trying to join the United States. If Missouri joined the union as a slave state would break the balance of slave and free states. I think this is sectionalism because some states have to change their economy because of a law that only benefited the north. -
The compromise of 1850 allowed California to be admitted to the Union as a free state. New Mexico and Utah will also have popular sovereignty. Texas also receives 10 million dollars and creates a border with New Mexico. I believe that this is Nationalism because the south still gets to have slaves and the northern states stay free states, so in this case, it is a win -win. -
The Fugitive Slave Law was passed by congress on September 18, 1850. The act required that slaves must return to their owner even if they were in a free state. The government also had to work to find the slaves and return the slaves to their owners. I think this is sectionalism because the Southern States gets what they want. The South gets their slaves back. The North is anti-slavery, there is not any benefit for the North. -
Harriet Tubman was an active member of the Underground Railroad. Harriet Tubman escaped slavery and led 13 missions for the underground railroad and freed around 70 slaves. I think her involvement on the Underground Railroad is sectionalism because she was helping the North by freeing slaves; this hurts the South and their economy. -
Secession took place on December 20, 1860. Secession was the act when the 11 southern states left the United States to form the Confederate States. Secession later caused the Civil War to break out. Slavery became illegal during Abraham Lincoln’s presidency. The Southern states left the Union and their protected rights. Secession is sectionalism because the nation is now split in two. -
The Emancipation Proclamation was a law that released all slaves from service or labor. This is one of the most historic laws in the history of the United States. Emancipation Proclamation was by far the most sectionalist act of its time. The south wanted slaves because their whole economy was based on cash crops and slave labor. Without Slaves the South’s economy would fail and hurt most of the south.