the fight for slavery in california part 2

““The Fight for Slavery The Fight for Slavery in California”in California”

JAMES McPHERSONJAMES McPHERSONHist 141Hist 141

Summer 2011Summer 2011By: Le Thi My HoBy: Le Thi My Ho

Major DatesMajor Dates 1820 1820 Missouri Compromise Missouri Compromise 18451845 Annexation of Texas to Annexation of Texas to

the United Statesthe United States 1846-18481846-1848 Mexican-American War Mexican-American War 1848 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo; Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo;

transferred California to the US from transferred California to the US from MexicoMexico

1854 1854 Kansas-Nebraska Act Kansas-Nebraska Act Utah in Utah in 1852 1852 and New Mexico in and New Mexico in

18591859 legalized slavery legalized slavery Minnesota in Minnesota in 1858 1858 and Oregon and Oregon

in in 18591859 came in as free states came in as free states 1860 1860 Abraham Lincoln won the Abraham Lincoln won the

PresidencyPresidency

Civil War IngredientsCivil War Ingredients Slavery due to the expansion of the cotton frontier into Eastern Texas had Slavery due to the expansion of the cotton frontier into Eastern Texas had

reached the “natural limits” of its growth in 1830sreached the “natural limits” of its growth in 1830s Many opposed Pennsylvania Congressman David Wilmot’s Many opposed Pennsylvania Congressman David Wilmot’s “Proviso”“Proviso” – ‘any – ‘any

territory acquired from Mexico “neither slavery nor involuntary servitude territory acquired from Mexico “neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall ever exist in any part of said territory”‘shall ever exist in any part of said territory”‘

Disunion within the nationDisunion within the nation Southern feared of losing control of the federal government to antislavery Southern feared of losing control of the federal government to antislavery

forces, and Northern resentment of the influence that the forces, and Northern resentment of the influence that the Slave Slave Power Power already wielded in government already wielded in government

Disagreements between Abolitionists and others over the morality of Disagreements between Abolitionists and others over the morality of slavery, the scope of democracy and the economic merits of free labor slavery, the scope of democracy and the economic merits of free labor versus slave plantations caused the Whig and “Know-Nothing" parties to versus slave plantations caused the Whig and “Know-Nothing" parties to collapse, and new ones to arise collapse, and new ones to arise

Southern concerns included not only economic loss but also fears of racial Southern concerns included not only economic loss but also fears of racial equality equality

"Northerners came to view slavery as the very antithesis of the good "Northerners came to view slavery as the very antithesis of the good society, as well as a threat to their own fundamental values and interests." society, as well as a threat to their own fundamental values and interests."

Majority of Confederate soldiers fought to Majority of Confederate soldiers fought to protect slaveryprotect slavery, which they , which they viewed as an integral part of southern economy, culture, and manhood. viewed as an integral part of southern economy, culture, and manhood.

Union soldiers believed the primary reason for the war was to Union soldiers believed the primary reason for the war was to bring bring emancipation to the slaves emancipation to the slaves

GOLD RUSH!!!GOLD RUSH!!! Early Early 1848 1848 Gold was Gold was discovereddiscovered in in

the riverbed on the American River the riverbed on the American River near near SacramentoSacramento

December 1848 - Two hundred December 1848 - Two hundred ounces of pure gold was sent to ounces of pure gold was sent to Washington as proofWashington as proof

Spring of 1849 – California Spring of 1849 – California population boomed due to the population boomed due to the discovery of golddiscovery of gold

"There is no vocation in the world in "There is no vocation in the world in which slavery can be more useful which slavery can be more useful and profitable than in mining“and profitable than in mining“

"California is by nature peculiarly a "California is by nature peculiarly a slaveholding State." If it were not for slaveholding State." If it were not for the agitation to exclude slavery, the agitation to exclude slavery, "thousands of young, intelligent, "thousands of young, intelligent, active men...would have been in active men...would have been in that region, having each carried that region, having each carried with them from one to five slaves.“with them from one to five slaves.“

Affects on CaliforniaAffects on California The Southern fear that The Southern fear that admission of Californiaadmission of California as the as the

sixteenth sixteenth free statefree state would would tip the balance of powertip the balance of power against slave against slave states in the Senate and set a precedent for additional free states in the Senate and set a precedent for additional free states from the Mexican cession giving the Northern/Union states from the Mexican cession giving the Northern/Union the upper handthe upper hand

Democratic PartyDemocratic Party vs. vs. Chivalry’s ProslaveryChivalry’s Proslavery The Chivalry made repeated efforts to infiltrate slavery into The Chivalry made repeated efforts to infiltrate slavery into

CaliforniaCalifornia 1852 Permitted slave owners to “sojourn” indefinitely in 1852 Permitted slave owners to “sojourn” indefinitely in

California with his human propertyCalifornia with his human property Divided the state in two, with the Southern portion reverting to Divided the state in two, with the Southern portion reverting to

territorial status and open to slavery like New Mexico and Utahterritorial status and open to slavery like New Mexico and Utah Violent and disharmony among California politiciansViolent and disharmony among California politicians

David Terry killed David BroderickDavid Terry killed David Broderick Despite everything, California Despite everything, California remained remained one state and one state and slave slave

freefree in the end in the end