The Crises of the 1850s 11 12 2013 Questions from the 1840s Westward expansion and Mexican War created issue of how to deal with slavery in new territories In 1848 most people assumed this was not a pressing issue Didn t count on the California gold rush or Mormon settlement of Utah Zachary Taylor Whig Lewis Cass Democrat Martin Van Buren Free Soil Taylor Wins the election more from the electoral vote than popular Election of 1848 vote Mormon Utah In 1844 only 2000 Americans in California almost none in Utah Joseph Smith and early Mormonism Early family history Move to Palmyra NY 1816 Death of Alvin and loss of farm Joseph s marriage to Emma Hale Joseph s visions and the Book of Mormon Mormon migration from New York to Ohio to Missouri Missouri Mormon War 1838 o Massacre at Haun s Mill Nauvoo Illinois Mormon Doctrines Death of Smith June 1844 Mormons under Brigham Young migrate to Utah Deseret applies for statehood 1849 California Gold Rush 1848 Gold discovered in northern California Overland immigrants to California o 400 in 1848 o 25 000 in 1849 o 44 000 in 1850 o By 1850 San Francisco was 13th largest city in U S Compromise of 1850 Henry Clay s omnibus bill California admitted as free state Created New Mexico and Utah territories Northwest corner of Texas becomes part of NM U S assumes Texas debt Taxes v Texas Slavery in District of Columbia Fugitive Slave Law Taylor dies July 1850 Millard Filmore becomes President Stephen A Douglas takes over Clay s compromise bill Only 4 of 60 senators vote for all bills Many in North reject Fugitive Slave Act Publication of Harriet Beecher Stowe s Uncle Tom s Cabin 1852 Election of 1852 Franklin Pierce Democrat Winfield Scott Whig John P Hale Free Soil Kansas Nebraska Act Proposed by Steven Douglas Creates 2 territories Kansas and Nebraska Slavery left up to popular sovereignty Overturned Missouri compromise of 1820 Kansas Settled first o Boston abolitionists organize New England Emigrant Company o Most early settlers come from Missouri Civil War breaks out between anti and proslavery supporters o Proslavery forces establish territorial government at Lecompton o Free soliers set up rival government at Topeka Antislavery printing presses destroyed at Lawrence May 1856 John Brown Son of a Connecticut Abolitionist Pottowatomie massacre May 1856 Bleeding Kansas John Brown becomes a symbol of the Kansas conflict Caning of Charles Sumner Charles Sumner Republican Senator from Massachusetts o May 1856 speech attacking the crime against Kansas o Critical of Sen Andrew Butler of S C Preston Brooks Rep of South Carolina Bleeding Sumner 11 12 2013 11 12 2013