America was growing rapidly from 1800-1850, with the Louisiana Purchase and Mexican cessions. These expansions had a large impact on national unity. The question of slavery in new territories caused national disunity; however as the nation expanded in areas not suitable for slavery, unity was much stronger.
The Louisiana Purchase, of 1803, had a positive effect on national unity. Acquiring this land was very important, because with the land came New Orleans and thus the mouth of the Mississippi. In fact, it was the expectation that only New Orleans would be bought, however all of the Louisiana Territory was offered. This was a huge piece of land, almost one-third of the country. Most Americans were thrilled because now these new western lands were theirs to exploit.
With the new lands, states were bound to form; however problems between the North and South did arise. When Missouri issued for statehood in 1820, there was controversy on whether it would be a free state or slave state. Northerners largest complaint was that if more slave states entered the union, the north would be outnumbered by the south in Congress. But a compromise was reached, the Missouri Compromise. This stated everything above 36 < 30` of the Louisiana Purchase would stay free, and everything below, slave. Although the South was thrilled with it, the compromise did not settle all sectional conflicts. In fact, some northern legislators refused to accept the compromise all together, and thus debates over issue continued. The Missouri Compromise, brought out strong feelings on either side, and national unity suffered thereafter.
The Report on National Unity
... and south. The compromise defined the line of north and south. This division had a strong negative effect on national unity. Eventually this ... war. America bought a large chunk of land from France known as the Louisiana Purchase. At the time of the purchase ... a majority of southern states over northern states. Fearing this loss of power the North passed the Missouri Compromise allowing Missouri to ...
Expansion in areas where slavery was not suitable, such as way up north, there were no sectional conflicts. There was very little controversy with the admittance of Maine, even though it became a state in the same year as Missouri. There was no question of slavery in Maine, mostly because that question was settled with Missouri Compromise. Moreover, with Maine as another free state, it evened out the number of free states to slave states.
Although most territorial expansions disunited the nation, there were some instances where it brought them together. In 1845 the fervor of Manifest Destiny swept the nation, and most Americans wanted to expand the country. When America annexed the Oregon Territory from Britain, the goal was to gain land north of 54 < 40 Oe. The Democrats adopted this slogan, “fifty-four, forty, or fight!” The nation sang along as Democrat James Polk was elected president. However, only up till the 49th parallel was obtained. But the only reason no conflict ensued was because there was no question of slavery in the Oregon Territory, for lands in that area were not suitable for slave labor.
The annexation of Texas, in 1845, intensified hostility between the North and South. While the South was thrilled to gain another slave state, northerners wanted to stop the spreading of slavery into new lands, thus the Wilmot Proviso was introduced in 1847. This was bill that stated that slavery would be excluded from territories purchased from the Mexican War. The Proviso led to widespread controversy, and open talk, from the South, of secession. But, another compromise was made, the Compromise of 1850, to pacify southern “threats.”
The Essay on State Vs Nation Common Society Nations
STATE VS. NATION State, as we know today is a political term, which could be define as an institution that organises and makes countries or nations being governed. We could add to this definition that state as institution is a need of society at a certain stage of development to control and to enforce society into a common will. The state has legitimated the use of force over a given territory to ...
The Compromise of 1850 was made to soothe southern talk of secession, but instead it divided the nation even more. After California was admitted to the Union as a free state in 1850, the south expressed its sentiments, which included fugitive slave laws and popular sovereignty. These sentiments faced great opposition from the North, for Northerners wanted to stop the expansion of slavery in the new territories, while Southerners wanted to expand institution further. There were long debates and much hostility between free states and slave states, but the bill did pass in Congress.
The matter slavery in new territories had a negative effect on national unity. The North wanted to keep slavery contained where it was, not let it expand further, whereas, the South wanted to continue slaver throughout America. And this division disunited the nation.
Bibliography:
Garraty, John. “Louisiana Purchase.” The American Nation. Ed. Bruce Borland. New York: HarperCollins College, 1979.
Garraty, John. “Manifest Destiny.” The American Nation. Ed. Bruce Borland. New York: HarperCollins College, 1979.
McPherson, James M. Battle Cry of Freedom. New York: Oxford University Press, 1988.
