Study GuideU.S. History I–Expansion, War, and Sectional Tensions1. Slavery in the New LandsThe Mexican War raised the urgent question ofwhether slavery would expand into newlyacquired territories. Several solutions were proposed:1.1Key Proposals1.Wilmot Proviso (1846)–Introduced by Democrat David Wilmot of Pennsylvania:oCalled forslavery to be bannedin all territory acquired from MexicooNever became law2.Calhoun’s Response–John C. Calhoun argued:oSlaves were property protected under theFifth AmendmentoCongress could not prevent a slaveowner from taking slaves into new territories3.Popular Sovereignty (Squatter Sovereignty)–Lewis Cass of Michigan proposed:oSettlers in a territory shoulddecide for themselveswhether to allow slaveryoSeen as a middle ground between Wilmot Proviso and Calhoun’s position1.2The Election of 1848•Democrats:Lewis CassoPlatform: Congress shouldnot interfere with slavery•Whigs:Zachary TayloroSlaveowner but hadno public stance on slaveryoRan mainly onmilitary record•Free-Soil Party:oCoalition of anti-slavery Democrats, Liberty Party members, and Northern WhigsoAdvocatedno slavery in the territoriesPreview Mode
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