-
Missouri Compromise
The Missouri compromise created everything north of the 36° 30' line, with the exception of Missouri, was to be made a free state. Consequently, Maine was also created as a free state so there was an equal amount of slave and free states. Which created a divide between the free and slave within the union between Southern and Northern states. -
Indian Removal Act
Unfortunately, Indians were on good farming land and Southerners wanted to have more farmlands, they decided to target Indians. Even though treaties were proposed, the Indians resisted. President Jackson proposed the Indian Removal Act. Under this, the tribes living east of the Mississippi would be moved to reservations west of it. Governments began forcibly removing Native Americans from their land. The Supported while the North opposed it, creating an increased amount of sectionalism -
Mexican American War
After Mexico refused to sell land to the American, the South wanted to wage a war and take the land, even though the south was opposed to it. The North saw the war just as a grab just so the south could increase the amount of slave states. Because of this, the North proposed the Wilmot Proviso, which stated, any territory acquired by the Mexican American war would be a slave free state. The South did not like this. There true intentions were shown and the North yet again, sectionalism grew. -
The Compromise of 1850
This strengthens the Fugitive Slave Clause. The Compromise of 1850 appropriates federal money to federal agents so they can enforce the law. This prevents Pennsylvania from ignoring sending fugitive slaves back to their slave owners. Overall, it took fugitive slave cases out of state courts and puts them into federal ones where judges get twice as much money to say the suspect is a fugitive slave. Creates sectionalism because the North didn't believe in doing this was fair. -
Railroad Revolution
Tens of thousands of miles of railroad track built throughout the United States. Trains had become dominant mode of transportation. Interstate travel and commerce on the rise. Made shipping and transportation faster, easier, and cheaper. North and West strongly connected by railroad and canals. The South routinely left out and was not as connected to the rest of the country. This caused an increase in sectionalism between the North/West and South. -
Bleeding Kansas
The Kansas-Nebraska Act was created, giving the Kansas territory popular sovereignty, which allowed the individual citizens to decide upon the status of slavery in Kansas. The Missouri Compromise was essentially repealed as it had stated that all states above the 36 30’ line would be free states, and Kansas was very clearly above this line. Many people flooded into the state trying to sway the status of the state. Sectionalism was so great that they had two mayors, two capitals. -
Dred Scott v. Sandford
This Supreme Court case was important to the social status of slaves. The Supreme Court declared that slaves were not citizens of the United States, and therefore could not sue in court. Which also meant that someone could not take their right to 'property' (slaves) away from them. Which ruled that slaves could be owned even in non-slave holding states. Making the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional, meaning that Congress did not have the right/power to prohibit slavery. Upsetting the North.
