The annexation of Texas in 1845 and the subsequent Mexican-American War (1846-1848) raised the question of whether slavery would be allowed in the newly acquired territories. While the North generally opposed the expansion of slavery, the South was eager to maintain the balance of power between slave and free states. This issue became increasingly divisive and ultimately led to the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861.
2) The Wilmot Proviso
The Wilmot Proviso was a proposal put forward by David Wilmot, a Democratic congressman from Pennsylvania, in 1846. It stated that slavery should be prohibited in any territories acquired from Mexico. The proviso passed the House of Representatives but failed in the Senate, where it was opposed by Southerners. The Wilmot Proviso exacerbated the growing conflict between the North and South over the issue of slavery.
3) The Compromise of 1850
In an attempt to resolve the issue of slavery in the territories, Congress passed the Compromise of 1850. The compromise admitted California to the Union as a free state, organized the New Mexico and Utah territories without specifying their status on slavery, and enacted the Fugitive Slave Act, which required all citizens to assist in the capture of escaped slaves. The compromise temporarily averted a crisis, but it did not resolve the fundamental conflict between the North and South.
4) The Kansas-Nebraska Act
The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 repealed the Missouri Compromise of 1820, which had prohibited slavery north of the 36°30' parallel. The act allowed for the territories of Kansas and Nebraska to decide the issue of slavery through popular sovereignty, whereby the settlers themselves would vote to determine whether they wanted to be a free or slave state. The passage of the act led to violence in Kansas, as pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers clashed over the issue.
5) The Dred Scott Case
The Dred Scott case was a landmark case decided by the Supreme Court in 1857. In a 7-2 decision, the Court ruled that African Americans, whether free or enslaved, were not citizens of the United States and therefore could not sue in federal court. The decision further inflamed tensions between the North and South and contributed to the growing crisis that would eventually lead to the Civil War.
These were just some of the key issues that divided the United States after the war with Mexico. These issues were complex and deeply rooted in the nation's history and social structure, and they would ultimately lead to the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861.
