1. Sectionalism
A Nation Divides

2. Sectionalism
• The Country divides over:
– Economy Differences
– Expansion out West
– Slavery Issues

4. 3/5 Compromise
• 1787
• Counting slaves in population for voting in the
South
– Gets Constitution ratified

5. Northwest Ordinance
• 1787
• Early law outlawed slavery in new territories
out West

6. Missouri Compromise
• 1819
• Henry Clay: Keeps balance in Union with
compromise
– Missouri: Slave state
– Maine: Free state

7. Wilmot Proviso
• 1846
• David Wilmot [PA]: New bill BANS slavery in
lands won in the Mexican War [Southwest &
West]
– It does NOT get passed

8. Compromise of 1850
• Henry Clay: Creates another compromise
– California: Free state
– New Mexico & Utah: Popular Sovereignty
• Border Dispute: Texas & New Mexico settled
• Congress Power: NO POWER over slave trade
between states
Popular Sovereignty: the people make the
decision by voting

9. Compromise of 1850
• Washington D.C.: Slave trade BANNED
• Fugitive Slave Law: Required ALL citizens to
help catch runaway slaves.
– 6 months or $1,000 fine
– Special Courts were created
– North HATED this new law

11. Kansas-Nebraska Act
• 1854
• Popular Sovereignty: People vote to decide
on slavery for the states
• Border Ruffians: Moved across state lines to
influence the voting

13. Kansas-Nebraska Act
• Kansas: Pro slave government
– DEATH PENALTY for helping runaway slaves
– 2-yr Prison term for speaking out against slavery
• Bleeding Kansas: John Brown leads
abolitionists in guerilla warfare. Killed 200
people
Abolitionists: against slavery- wanted to ‘abolish’ it,
Many fought against slavery in the name of religion.

14. Slavery
• Slavery was dividing the nation
– Slaveholders
– Abolitionists
– Moderates

15. Slaveholders
• South
– Their way of life was being threatened
– Economy would be crushed
– Wanted slavery in ALL STATES
– Wanted North to help catch runaway slaves

16. Abolitionists
• North
– South was like a “foreign country”
– Wanted slavery stopped EVERYWHERE
– Slavery was a moral wrong

17. Moderates
• Moderates
– Lived everywhere
– Wanted Missouri Compromise to go across the
entire nation
– Wanted Popular Sovereignty to decide slave
issues

18. END