Explain how the Mexican-American War was related to the conflict over slavery.
The Mexican-American War was related to the conflict over slavery in several ways.
1. Expansion of slavery: The acquisition of new territories through the war, such as California and New Mexico, raised questions about whether slavery would be allowed in these regions. The issue of whether these territories would be free states or slave states intensified the debate over the expansion of slavery.
2. Wilmot Proviso: During the war, Congressman David Wilmot introduced a rider to a bill prohibiting slavery in any territory acquired from Mexico. This proposal, known as the Wilmot Proviso, highlighted the growing tension over the spread of slavery into new territories.
3. Political divisions: The debate over the Mexican-American War and the territories acquired from it led to increased political divisions between the North and the South. The war exacerbated existing tensions between the two regions over the issue of slavery, ultimately contributing to the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861.
Overall, the Mexican-American War played a significant role in the conflict over slavery by raising questions about the expansion of slavery into new territories and further dividing the country along regional lines.