HIST 2112 Lecture Notes - Lecture 18: Anthony Burns, Slave Power
Document Summary
California statehood and the balance of slavery. Southern slaveholders become highly paranoid and more aggressive in their defense of slavery. California is a free state > tips senate towards north. Residents of new mexico and utah are allowed to vote for what kind of state they want to be (the rest of the land from the mexican war) Strengthened fugitive slave law: northern states have to enforce laws. Slave power forcing north to do dirty work of catching fugitive slaves. Anthony burns > black kidnapped in boston (born and raised) and shipped to owner. Personal liberty laws:no northern citizen shall be compelled to catch slaves. V divide nebraska in half: north and south nebraska. Supposed to be free according to compromise of 1820, but k-n act. Parties split: n. democrats, s. democrats, n. whigs, s. whigs, republicans nullifies this act (specifically anti-slavery) Tipping the electoral scales in kansas: pro slavery and anti-slavery groups flood territory with settlers to sway votes.