A fraudulent referendum on the Lecompton Constitution occurs in Kansas Territory, with pro-slavery forces manipulating the process to attempt forcing slavery on Kansas despite the Free-State majority. Free-State settlers refuse to participate in the June 1857 election for constitutional convention …
James BuchananStephen A. DouglasPro-slavery delegatesBorder RuffiansFree-State settlerslecompton-constitutionelectoral-fraudslavery-expansionbleeding-kansasinstitutional-corruption+1 more
Congress passes and President Franklin Pierce signs the Kansas-Nebraska Act, creating the territories of Kansas and Nebraska while repealing the Missouri Compromise’s prohibition on slavery north of the 36°30’ parallel. The Act, drafted by Democratic Senator Stephen Douglas of Illinois, …
Stephen A. DouglasFranklin PierceU.S. CongressPro-slavery Border RuffiansFree-State settlerskansas-nebraska-actslavery-expansionpopular-sovereigntybleeding-kansaslegislative-corruption+1 more
The 1848 presidential election takes place in the aftermath of the Mexican-American War and intense debates over the extension of slavery into the Mexican Cession. After both the Whig Party and the Democratic Party nominate presidential candidates who are unwilling to rule out the extension of …
Martin Van BurenFree Soil PartyDemocratic PartyWhig PartyLewis Cass+1 morefree-soil-partyantislaverypolitical-realignmentsectional-conflictslavery-expansion
On August 8, 1846, amidst the Mexican-American War, Democratic Congressman David Wilmot of Pennsylvania introduces an amendment to President James Polk’s $2 million appropriation bill for purchasing territory from Mexico, boldly declaring that “neither slavery nor involuntary servitude …
David WilmotJames K. PolkU.S. House of RepresentativesU.S. SenateNorthern Democrats+1 morewilmot-provisoslavery-expansionsectional-conflictmexican-american-warterritorial-expansion+1 more
President James K. Polk obtains a declaration of war against Mexico after deliberately provoking hostilities by sending American troops into disputed territory between the Nueces River (Mexico’s claimed boundary) and the Rio Grande (Texas’s claimed boundary) in January 1846. When Mexican …
James K. PolkU.S. CongressMexicoWhig Party oppositionAbraham Lincolnmexican-american-warslavery-expansionland-grabmanifest-destinyinstitutional-corruption+1 more
Congress admits Texas to the Union as the 28th state on December 29, 1845, following a nine-year political struggle that delayed annexation due to opposition from antislavery forces. The annexation represents a clear victory for Slave Power expansion: Texas arrives as a vast slave-holding region …
James K. PolkJohn TylerJohn C. CalhounU.S. CongressMexico+1 moreslavery-expansiontexas-annexationmanifest-destinysectional-conflictinstitutional-corruption+1 more
Secretary of State John Quincy Adams and Spanish Minister Luis de Onís sign the Adams-Onís Treaty (also known as the Transcontinental Treaty or Florida Purchase Treaty) in Washington, D.C., under which Spain cedes Florida to the United States and establishes a boundary line extending to the Pacific …
Secretary of State John Quincy AdamsSpanish Minister Luis de OnísPresident James MonroeGeneral Andrew Jacksonterritorial-expansionimperial-coerciontreaty-manipulationslavery-expansion