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Emily Hart
Mrs. Wooton
AP US History
November 25, 2014
DBQ Essay
During the early nineteenth century, the American government wanted to resolve political
disputes through compromise, but by 1860 this was no longer enough to do the job. The reasons
for this change lie in politicians sweeping the real issues under the rug, South Carolinas threat to
secede, and the obvious argument over slavery.
Tensions between the North and South were always changing, through every new
territory that wanted to be a state, new laws, etc., they made both sides nervous of how the
balance of power would change. The government not outright confronting the issues of both
sides was able kept war at bay, until neither side could take it. They wanted action to be taken,
they wanted change, in 1836 the House of Representatives said, it is extremely important
that the agitation of this subject should finally be arrested the subject they mention is slavery
(Doc. C). Well before the Civil War people could see that the issue needed to be clearly
addressed. The Compromise of 1850 did no such thing even though they were supposed to be
having a compromise over what to do about slavery, the only major thing that came out of this
was California was admitted as a free state, therefore tipping the balance, and slave trade became
illegal in D.C. President Lincoln asked about the agitation of slavery in a speech, Is this the
work of politicians? also addressing that there has been violence because of this and that yes, it
does reach outside a political circle but all together saying change needed to be made (Doc. G).

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Another thing that changed the subtle peace in America was the election of 1860. This
was the whole reason South Carolina threatened to secede, they said if Abraham Lincoln became
president they would secede, and since he did win the election they followed through with their
threat. Many people thought they would not be doing any good to secede, Henry Clay spoke
about this in 1833 to the Senate he said, I believe it is utterly impracticable, whatever course
of legislation she may choose to adopt, for her to succeed (Doc. A). Also Senator Daniel
Webster in 1850 spoke to Senate saying, Secession! Peaceable secession! Sir, your eyes and
mine are never destined to see that miracle he could see that secession could not end in peace,
only war and that it was a moral impossibility (Doc. D).
The most obvious and prominent change was the argument of slavery. It seemed to
always be there but blossomed because of the Antebellum Period with the outgrowth of the
abolitionism reform movements. People were starting to gather and speak out against the evils of
slavery and this was a tremendous change from people seeming to ignore the subject. While
Southerners still disagreed with the North saying things like, Free society! We sicken at the
name, the North still fought (Doc. F). From the Declaration of the National Anti-Slavery
Conventions abolitionists apart of the American Anti-Slavery Society compiled a document of
their thoughts of slavery and people involved. They stated that, every American citizen who
retains a human being in involuntary bondage as his property is (according to Scripture) a MAN
STEALER, along with saying any law that slaves should be set free and laws that do enforce
slavery are null and void (Doc. B). With both sides saying extreme things such as these caused
many tensions that, ultimately, would lead to the Civil War.
In conclusion, the American government wanted to keep the peace in their still new
nation through compromise but unfortunately this was not enough. Through politicians not fully

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addressing the problems at hand, South Carolina threatening and ultimately seceding from the
Union and the argument of slavery between the North and the South were the cause for this
drastic and violent change.