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Osayimwen 1

Popular Sovereignty Odaro Osayimwen HIST 2111- 012

Osayimwen 2 Odaro Osayimwen Dr. Carl Garrigus HIST 2111 09 February 2013 Popular Sovereignty After the American Revolution, a new nation was born, an independent nation, free from the rule of Great Britain. The colonists broke away because Great Britain were interfering with their daily and personal lives, and also passing laws that the colonists find to be just. The colonists eventually got tired of Great Britains nonsense, thus the American Revolutionary war began. The long war showed the thirst Americans have for Life, Liberty and Property (American Promise, p. 155). And when the war was finally over, and Americans were victorious, they were a step closer to achieving these goals. However, after the war, not everyone could partake in this dream; slaves were still kept in bondage by their masters. But the thing was, slavery was not a topic of concern, at least not at that time; Americans had an important task ahead of them, they had to structure their nation. So the constitution was created, which included the Bill of Rights, The commonly used term for the first ten amendments to the U.S. constitution. The Bill of Rights (the last of which was ratified in 1791) guarantees individual liberties and defines limitations of federal power (American Promise, p. G-1). The new nation was excelling economically and the population was growing rapidly, so western expansion began. In 1803, Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States and principal Author of the Declaration of Independence, made a deal with France, $15 million for a vast amount of land, Louisiana Purchase, which double the size of the country (American Promise, p. 275). Later, In 1845, a New York political journal edited by John L. OSullivan coined the term Manifest Destiny (American Promise, p.343), This idea provided an

Osayimwen 3 ideological shield for west ward expansion and marked the economic and political motivation of many of those who championed it (American Promise, p. G-4). So began to migrate west. But before expansion, an era began that revolutionized the market system, mostly in the north, the Industrial revolution. At this time, slavery in the north was becoming less relevant, so their master freed them. In the south, however, slavery was a major part of living, but the thoughts of freeing slave was still on their minds. But these thoughts vanished as soon as Eli Whitney created the cotton gin. Cotton was in serious demand, but the harvesting and separating the seeds from the cotton, without getting the cotton dirty, was really tedious. The cotton gin changed this, and slaves were even needed more than ever now. As expansion continued, the formation of new states began. Now a new question erupted, should the state be Free states or Slave states? Debates and disputes began to arises between abolitionists and the pro-slavery south, so compromises and acts were brought forth to settle them. There was the Compromise of 1856, the fugitive slave Act, and the Kansas- Nebraska Act. But in all of these, there was an issue that was hindering the north and south from being at peace, and it was the idea of Popular Sovereignty (American Promise, p. 400-405). Popular sovereignty, a doctrine offered by Senator Lewis Cass of Michigan, in 1847, was an idea in Which the people who settles the territories would decide for themselves slaverys fate (American Promise, p. 399). This sounded like a bright idea; people could exert their power of freedom and make the decision on the side that they wanted to be on. The book says; Northern advocates believed that the decision on slavery could be made as soon as the first territorial legislature assembled .With free-soil majority likely because of the Norths greater population, they would shut the door to slavery almost before the first slave arrived. [And] Southern supporters believed that popular sovereignty guaranteed that

Osayimwen 4 slavery would be unrestricted throughout the entire territorial period (American Promise, p.399). So everyone thought it was well, that popular sovereignty would solve their problems. But they couldnt be so wrong, not only did popular sovereignty fail to decrease the tension but it also created even greater problems, which involved violence. The one event that reeks with the overwhelming consequences is, Bleeding Kansas. According to the American Promise, Three days after the House of Representatives approved the Kansas-Nebraska Act in 1854, Senator William H. Seward of New York boldly challenged the South. Come on then, Gentlemen of the Slave States, he cried, since there is no escaping your challenge, I accept it in behalf of the cause of freedom. We will engage in competition for the virgin soil of Kansas, and God give the victory to the side which is stronger in number as it is right (American Promise, p. 411). The abolitionists were not going to let Kansas become a Slave State, and slavery supporters were not going to let it become a Free State. This dilemma began bloody battles between pro-slavery people and Abolitionists in Kansas. At this point, the nation was already divided but it wasnt official until Abraham Lincoln was elected President that states began to secede, thus began the civil war. In conclusion, it wasnt just one event that caused the Civil war; it is hard to explain one without explaining them all. However, I believe it all began with Westward Expansion. The conflicts erupted when the new states were formed. Popular sovereignty was put forth to ease the tension but it only added gasoline to the already scorching fire. States secession created a division and the event at Fort Sumter began the war.

Osayimwen 5 Work Cited Roark, James, Johnson, Cohen, Stage, Hartmann. The American Promise: A History of the United States (Vol. 1), 5th edition. Boston: Bedford St. Martins. Print.

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