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The Compromise of 1850
The Compromise of 1850 consisted of four bills designed to keep peace between the North and South. The Compromise unified the southern states and brought the need of pushing slavery into the new territories. This need caused the Compromise, but because of the four bills, as a whole it was not passed. Separately, though, the bills were passed. As a result, disrupt from the South and North debating over the bills became prominent, and caused many arguments between southerners and northerners. -
Kansas-Nebraska Act
The Kansas-Nebraska Act repealed the Missouri Compromise, spilt the Louisiana Purchase into two territories, and allowed its settlers to accept or reject slavery by popular sovereignty. The act enflamed the slavery issue and led opponents to form the Republican Party. The act was seen as an abomination in many Northerner’s eyes because it permitted the possibility of slavery in an area where it was previously prohibited. -
Nativist Movement
From 1854 to 1855, the nativist movement surfaced as a major political force, the American party. Navists displayed extreme hostility towards immigrants, especially Irish immigrants. Much of the party came from previous Whigs looking for a new place to start, but also attracted some ex-Democrats. Many people joined the party simply because they wanted to vote against the Democratic Party, however. The party went virtually nowhere though, and as quickly as it formed, it vanished. -
Ostend Manifesto
The Ostend Manifesto was written by American officials in Ostend, Belgium, and it urged the acquisition of Cuba by any means necessary. The Manifesto became public during the confusion of the Kansas-Nebraska Act, and Northerners who were convinced slavery was trying to be extended in the new territories were enraged to discover the dream of a “Caribbean slave empire”. These protests led by the Northerners forced Pierce, a writer of the Manifesto, to abandon the scheme. -
Lecompton Constitution
The Lecompton constitution was the state constitution of Kansas when it was seeking admission into the Union. The constitution was not immediately ratified by the Union, but was instead bitterly debated by the North and South. Ultimately, the constitution was overwhelmingly rejected because of the slavery issue, and its obvious perversion of popular sovereignty. Because of the constitution, Stephen A. Douglas’, an anti-Lecompton supporter, hopes of a unified Democratic Party were demolished.
