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Missouri applied for statehood in 1818. Since it wanted to be admitted as a slave state, there was controversy in Congress over whether to allow it or not. Eventually, Henry Clay made a compromise (Missouri Compromise) that allowed Maine to join as a free state, and Missouri as a slave state. Another part of the compromise said that all states below 36°30 would be open to slavery. This action led to future controversy in congress about how to balance the nation and where slavery should be legal.
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Andrew Jackson wanted all of the Natives moved west in order to have white settlers occupy their territories. This lead to more space being available to southern slave owners and white settlers. This also delayed the inevitable of Americans moving west to settle those lands, and deciding its ok to remove the Indians once again.
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President Van Buren was cautious about admitting Texas as a state into the union in fear of sparking a war with Mexico and causing further controversy over slavery in the South. Since Texas had already legalized slavery in their independent nation, there was no question it would be legalized when it joins the Union. Van Buren and many of his supporters were weary about the annexation in fear of the dissolution of the nation.
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James K Polk was a strong believer in Westward Expansion. During his 4 years, he had expanded all the way from Atlantic to Pacific. All the new territory led to debates on popular sovereignty and how to balance slave states. With more people moving west, there were conflicting views within the territories on common topics such as slavery.
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The Wilmot Proviso was a failed proposal to outlaw slavery in newly gained Mexican territory. This was conflicting since many southern states encouraged slavery and the territories were under the Missouri Compromise line. This proposal banded southern states together to fight against the North in allowing slavery. -
With the treaty of Guadalupe Hildago, Mexico ceded 55% of its territory to the US. With all this new unorganized territory, there were many questions and controversies about whether it would be open to slavery. Other southern states encouraged it to be, whereas northern states were for popular sovereignty and letting the states choose. -
Henry Clay did what he does best in creating compromises for the government. The Compromise admitted California as a free state into the Union in addition to a new Fugitive Slave act getting passed. This new act supported slave catchers in the North and required them to catch and return slaves by law. This led to many free African Americans to be caught and forced into slavery against their will. -
With a sudden rush of people migrating to California in search of gold, it quickly applied for statehood. The problem- it wanted to be admitted as a free state. Controversy that eventually led to the compromise of 1850 ensued and all of the “forty-niners” were granted citizenship in the state of California. One of many compromises made as a temporary solution to a larger problem. -
The south wanted to go through with the Gadsden Purchase in order to further expand the institution of slavery. Worried that the North was gaining too much power and land, they needed to secure more space to keep representation equal. The Gadsden Purchase was also approved because many people in the North thought that the south wanted it to build another continental railroad in the south. -
With more states wanting to join the Union, popular sovereignty was encouraged by northern states to allow states to decide whether slavery was legal or not. New territory allowed for disputes on how to balance slave and non slave states. With states under the compromise line wanting to be free, the South became outraged at the inequality and underrepresentation in the government. In specific the Kansas-Nebraska act removed the Missouri Compromise and caused a violent uproar over slavery.