#stephen douglas

The Compromise of 1850 emerged from mounting tensions in the United States over the expansion of slavery following the Mexican–American War (1846–1848). In the wake of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which ceded vast territories to the United States, policymakers grappled with whether slavery would be legally authorized in these new lands. The discovery of gold in California in 1848 precipitated a rapid influx of settlers, prompting local leaders to draft a constitution that outlawed slavery. Southern legislators resisted California’s free‐state status, fearing it would upset the balance of power in the Senate and embolden abolitionist sentiment. Simultaneously, debates raged over the status of slavery in newly organized territories such as New Mexico and Utah where local populations were divided. Congress, primarily through the efforts of prominent figures including Henry Clay and Stephen Douglas, sought a legislative package to quell the escalating crisis by satisfying Northern and Southern interests.

The proposed compromise consisted of five interrelated measures designed to address the contentious issues at play.

California was admitted to the Union as a free state, a victory for Northern interests.

The federal government assumed $10 million in debts Texas had incurred during its years as an independent republic, while the new boundary limited Texas’s claim to lands westward.

The territories of New Mexico and Utah were organized with the principle of “popular sovereignty,” meaning that white male settlers in those territories would vote to determine whether slavery would be permitted.

The slave trade (but not slavery itself) was abolished in Washington, D.C., appeasing Northern critics of the capital’s overt connections to slavery.

A more stringent Fugitive Slave Act was enacted, requiring federal officials and citizens in free states to assist in the capture and return of alleged runaway slaves.

Music Video

Music

Artist

Trashcan Sinatras

Composer

Trashcan Sinatras

Lyricist

Trashcan Sinatras

Produced

Simon Dine, Trashcan Sinatras

Credit

Stephen Douglas - Drums, vocals Francis Reader - Vocals, acoustic guitar Paul Livingston - lead guitar John Douglas - Rhythm guitar, vocals Davy Hughes - Bass Grant Wilson - Bass Steve Mulhearn - Organ, synthesizer Donald Gillan - Cello Wouter Raubenheimer - Viola Greg Lawson - Violin Guido De Groote - Violin

Released

August 31 2004

Streaming

Doodle about the appeal of the independent democrats and Kansas-Nebraska debate!!