Be able to describe the following and how they contributed to the growing divide between the north and south:
Economy in the North -
Economy in the South -
Missouri Compromise -
Mexican War -
Compromise of 1850 -
Economy in the North: The economy in the North was largely based on industry, manufacturing, and trade. The region had a well-developed transportation system, including canals and railroads, which facilitated the movement of goods and resources. The North also had a larger population and a more diverse workforce, including immigrants. The industrialization and urbanization in the North allowed for economic growth and the rise of an emerging middle class.
Contribution to the growing divide between the north and south: The industrial and manufacturing-based economy in the North led to the region's increasing support for protective tariffs. These tariffs were designed to protect American industries from foreign competition, primarily benefiting the North. However, they also made imported goods more expensive for the South, which relied heavily on imported goods. This economic disparity, along with the increasing wealth gaps between the North and the South, deepened the divide between the two regions.
Economy in the South: The economy in the South was predominantly based on agriculture, with a heavy reliance on the plantation system and slave labor. The region was known for its cash crop production, especially cotton, tobacco, and rice. The vast majority of land and wealth in the South was concentrated in the hands of a small planter elite, who owned large plantations and enslaved people to work in the fields.
Contribution to the growing divide between the north and south: The Southern economy was highly dependent on slavery, as the enslaved population provided the labor force necessary for large-scale agriculture. This reliance on slavery caused the South to fiercely defend the institution and view any attempts to limit or abolish slavery as a direct attack on their way of life. The moral and political divide over slavery further deepened the division between the North and the South.
Missouri Compromise: The Missouri Compromise was a legislative agreement reached in 1820 to address the issue of slavery in the western territories. It allowed Missouri to enter the Union as a slave state while admitting Maine as a free state, thereby maintaining the balance of power between the slave and free states in Congress. The compromise also drew a line across the Louisiana Territory, stating that any new states north of the line would be free while those south of it could allow slavery.
Contribution to the growing divide between the north and south: The Missouri Compromise highlighted the ongoing conflict between the free states and slave states over the expansion of slavery. It temporarily resolved the issue of slavery in the western territories, but it also served as a reminder of the deep division over the institution. As new territories were acquired, the question of whether they would be free or slave became a point of contention, leading to further conflicts and tensions between the North and the South.
Mexican War: The Mexican War, fought between 1846 and 1848, was a conflict between the United States and Mexico over the territorial expansion of the U.S. The war resulted in the U.S. acquiring vast territories, including California, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, and parts of Colorado and Wyoming.
Contribution to the growing divide between the north and south: The territories acquired from the Mexican War reignited the debate over the expansion of slavery. The Wilmot Proviso, a failed legislative proposal, aimed to prohibit slavery in any newly acquired territories from the war. This intensified the sectional tensions, as the Southern states were seeking to expand slavery into those territories, while the Northern states were opposing further expansion. This controversy further widened the gap between the North and the South.
Compromise of 1850: The Compromise of 1850 was a series of measures passed by Congress to address the contentious issues surrounding slavery and the territories acquired from the Mexican War. It admitted California as a free state, established popular sovereignty (allowing the residents of each territory to decide the issue of slavery for themselves), abolished the slave trade in Washington D.C., and enacted a stronger fugitive slave law.
Contribution to the growing divide between the north and south: While the Compromise of 1850 aimed to ease tensions between the North and the South, it ultimately exacerbated the divide. The fugitive slave law sparked widespread resistance in the North, as it required citizens to assist in capturing and returning escaped slaves. This law, along with the implementation of popular sovereignty, deepened the controversy over slavery and intensified regional animosity.