Cecilia Hicks AP U.S. History 03/14/2018
How did political, economic, and social conflicts between the North and South eventually lead to a divided Nation and War.?
The new nation was growing very fast expanding its borders from sea to sea. Spurred by the Gold Rush of 1849 the new frontier West was being populated by people seeking fortune and a better life. Slavery was the economic engine of the South. New political ideologies were being formed around all this new growth.
The expansion of slavery was the underlying reason for many political disagreements prior to the Civil War.
Every new state added to the union caused a serious debate over the expansion of slavery.
The Missouri Compromise was an agreement that prohibited slavery in the former Louisiana Territory allowing Missouri to enter the union as a slave state and Maine as a free state in order to balance out the Congress.
The Compromise of 1850 had to be drafted to allow California to enter the union as a free state.
The Kansas Nebraska act caused a local violent conflict over the expansion of slavery into a new territory.
The political party system of the country became more divided over new ideologies and slavery.
After 1852, a major realignment of the American Political party system occurred, with former Whigs splintering into various political factions. Anti-immigration and temperance movements formed the platform of the emerging American ("Know-Nothing") Party, while those interested in the economic development of the West and Northern finance and business, were attracted to the Republican Party.
By 1858, the Republicans enjoyed majorities in every Northern state, and therefore controlled the electoral votes for president...
