| Line 171: |
Line 171: |
| | | | |
| | The Fugitive Slave Act was particularly offensive to northerners and especially outrageous to abolitionists. It amended the Fugitive Slave Act of 1793 in order to appoint federal commissioners to catch slaves who fled to northern states, without giving them due process. | | The Fugitive Slave Act was particularly offensive to northerners and especially outrageous to abolitionists. It amended the Fugitive Slave Act of 1793 in order to appoint federal commissioners to catch slaves who fled to northern states, without giving them due process. |
| | + | |
| | + | In unrelated achievements during the Fillmore Administration, he also: |
| | + | |
| | + | *sent Matthew Perry to Japan to negotiate a treaty allowing open borders. The mission was successful. |
| | + | |
| | + | *signed the Clayton-Bulwer Treaty in 1850, in which the United States agreed with Britain that neither nation would obtain exclusive control over an interoceanic canal joining the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. |
| | + | |
| | + | *benefited from the development of a new type of ship called the Clipper. These ships were longer and faster than their predecessors. They greatly enhanced shipping and increased the trade in port cities. |
| | + | |
| | | | |
| | ==President Franklin Pierce and the Kansas-Nebraska Act== | | ==President Franklin Pierce and the Kansas-Nebraska Act== |
| Line 275: |
Line 284: |
| | The South had a feeling of invincibility from its tremendous economy, which was based on high prices for "King Cotton" and other crops, such as tobacco and sugar cane. The South also felt that the North lacked a will to fight and, if it did, Britain and France would recognize and help the South due to their dependence on its exports like cotton, tobacco, rice and sugar cane. The South also had strategic advantages: it controlled the mouth of the Mississippi and needed only to defend rather than conquer. The South considered its men, who spent more time outdoors, to be in much better condition to fight. The South had better generals, and would have done far better had its generals like Stonewall Jackson not died in battle. | | The South had a feeling of invincibility from its tremendous economy, which was based on high prices for "King Cotton" and other crops, such as tobacco and sugar cane. The South also felt that the North lacked a will to fight and, if it did, Britain and France would recognize and help the South due to their dependence on its exports like cotton, tobacco, rice and sugar cane. The South also had strategic advantages: it controlled the mouth of the Mississippi and needed only to defend rather than conquer. The South considered its men, who spent more time outdoors, to be in much better condition to fight. The South had better generals, and would have done far better had its generals like Stonewall Jackson not died in battle. |
| | | | |
| − | But the North benefited from the railroad system, heavy immigration and a much more balanced economy. Opposition to immigration, in the 1850s had arisen in the North through the American (Know-Nothing) Party, had roused popular fears about the Irish Catholics flooding into America. But the greater numbers from immigration ended up helping the North in the war, as large numbers of immigrants fought for the North against the South. Overall, the population of the North was 22 million compared with only 9 million in the South, 3.5 of whom were slaves whom the South were reluctant to arm. The North also had control of the United States Navy, which proved to be useful in the war. | + | But the North benefited from the railroad system, heavy immigration and a much more balanced economy. German and Irish immigrants came in large numbers before and during the 1850s, and in the 1850 census, 10% of the male population over 23 was foreign born, mostly from Germany and particularly Ireland. The "Know-Nothing" or American Party arose as anti-immigration, anti-Catholic organization (most of the Irish were Catholics), given its name because its members would pretend not to "Know Nothing" when asked about their views.<ref>In 1855 the Know-Nothing Party successfully elected its candidate for mayor of Chicago, who then banned immigrants from city jobs.<ref/>. But the greater numbers from immigration ended up helping the North in the war, as large numbers of immigrants fought for the North against the South. Overall, the population of the North was 22 million compared with only 9 million in the South, 3.5 of whom were slaves whom the South were reluctant to arm. Large populations have proportionately more people to use as soldiers and support the war in other ways. The North also had control of the United States Navy, which proved to be useful in the war. |
| | | | |
| | Finally, the North was successful in keeping border slave states -- Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri and the to-be-formed West Virginia -- from joining the Confederacy and fighting against the North. Abraham Lincoln said about Kentucky, "Kentucky gone, we can not hold Missouri, nor as I think, Maryland. These all against us, and the job on our hands is too large for us. We would as well consent to separation at once, including the surrender of this capitol."<ref>http://www.mrlincolnandfreedom.org/inside.asp?ID=31&subjectID=3</ref> Had those border states sided with the South, as it expected, the outcome may have been different. | | Finally, the North was successful in keeping border slave states -- Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri and the to-be-formed West Virginia -- from joining the Confederacy and fighting against the North. Abraham Lincoln said about Kentucky, "Kentucky gone, we can not hold Missouri, nor as I think, Maryland. These all against us, and the job on our hands is too large for us. We would as well consent to separation at once, including the surrender of this capitol."<ref>http://www.mrlincolnandfreedom.org/inside.asp?ID=31&subjectID=3</ref> Had those border states sided with the South, as it expected, the outcome may have been different. |
| | | | |
| − | == What Else Happened in the 1850s? ==
| |
| − |
| |
| − | While the conflict over slavery dominated much of American history during the 1850s, it was not all that happened. Many people, particularly in the North, went about their daily business while paying little attention to the slavery conflict. Even during the Civil War, students in colleges in the North were competing in sports like rowing as though there was not even a war going on.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | In the Clayton-Bulwer Treaty in 1850, the United States agreed with Britain that neither nation would obtain exclusive control over an interoceanic canal joining the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | The 1850s also brought a new type of ship called the Clipper. These ships were longer and faster than their predecessors. They greatly enhanced shipping and increased the trade in port cities.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | German and Irish immigrants came in large numbers before and during the 1850s. In the 1850 census, 10% of the male population over 23 was foreign born, mostly from Germany and Ireland. The Know-Nothing Party, mentioned above was an anti-immigration, anti-Catholic organization, popular in the 1850s. This party cleverly adopted each local region's view of slavery to become popular in many states.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | President Fillmore sent Matthew Perry to Japan to negotiate a treaty allowing open borders. The mission was successful.
| |
| | | | |
| − | The Ostend Manifesto of 1854 was a government plan that if Spain refused to sell Cuba, then America would take it by force.
| |
| | | | |
| | During this period, the Transatlantic cable/telegraph was created. The first cable across the ocean was finished in 1858, but high voltage damaged it. In 1866, a better cable was completed and lasted for some time. | | During this period, the Transatlantic cable/telegraph was created. The first cable across the ocean was finished in 1858, but high voltage damaged it. In 1866, a better cable was completed and lasted for some time. |