2. The Mexican American War of 1846 was caused because of the annexation of Texas to the United States in 1845. This caused Mexico’s population to be reduced by more than half while The United States population was increased by a third. The conflict that eventually was lead to the civil war started over the debate of whether or not there would be expansion of slavery to the west. The issue became current when Pennsylvania Congressman David Wilmot introduced the Proviso document stipulating that in any territory required by Mexico, quoting, “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude shall ever exist in any part of said territory.”
3. This is what caused the Northern and Southern Democrats and The Southern and Northern wigs turn against each other. The self serving Northern Politicians were corrupt in that they were trying to expand their self-righteous southern rhetoric belief with their aggressive theories of “Slave Power.” Slave holders continued to vote to legalize slavery because from 1852 to 1859, Nevada, Arizona, Utah and New Mexico continued to legalize slavery. Luckily Abram Lincoln won the Presidency in 1860 and started the decline of the injustice that was taking place in office.
4. December 1848, President Polk confirmed the discoveries of gold. By the Spring of 1849, The gold rush era ha hit full blown- tens of thousands of men from all over the United States as well from all over the world, were on their way to California. This created a entire new society in its own which needed new laws and regulations. This caused chaos as well because the balance between freedom and slavery was now misconstrued and piled together. The National House of Representatives with its Northern Majority passed legislation to organize California territory. by 1849, California had petitioned to be a state.
5. This led to the compromise of 1850 which was composed of five parts: allowed California to enter Union as free state, formed territories of New Mexico and Utah and decision of slavery based on sovereignty, end slave trade in Washington D.C., created the fugitive slave act. The fugitive slave act consisted of: requiring all citizens to report runaway slaves, if you were caught helping runaway slaves you would be fined $1,000 and put in jail. Stephen Douglas proposed to establish Kansas and Nebraska as territory where it gave settler the sovereignty to decide on slavery. This left many Northerners unhappy because the Kansas-Nebraskan act was repealing the Missouri compromise. Leading to violence and riots that broke out and leaving hundreds dead.
