Wilmot Proviso
The Wilmot Proviso was a proposal introduced in Congress in 1846 by Representative David Wilmot of Pennsylvania. It sought to prohibit slavery in any territory that might be acquired as a result of the Mexican-American War.
The proviso stipulated that "neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall ever exist in any part of said territory." Its main purpose was to prevent the spread of slavery into newly acquired territories, particularly the territories that would become California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, and parts of New Mexico, Colorado, and Wyoming.
The Wilmot Proviso was a response to the fear that the extension of slavery into these territories would upset the balance of power in Congress, as southern states were concerned about losing political influence to the growing number of free states.
Although the proviso passed the House of Representatives several times, it was consistently defeated in the Senate, where the southern states had more power. The issue became highly divisive and played a significant role in the growing tensions between the North and the South in the years leading up to the Civil War.
While the Wilmot Proviso was not successful in directly banning slavery, it set the stage for future debates and legislation surrounding the expansion of slavery in the United States. Its introduction and subsequent failure highlighted the deepening sectional divide between the North and the South over the issue of slavery.