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Political Compromise Between 1820 And 1860 Essay

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As young nations slowly progress to their full potential, many obstacles riddle their ways. For the United States, the Constitution was the word of law, written by demigods who could possibly do no wrong. Until of course, the question of archaic versus modern morality rises. Such was the problem in between the troubled years of 1820 and 1860. Rapid polarization on the institution of slavery between the North and the South, as well as the magnitude of importance of the ideologies of secession and slavery led to political compromise being increasingly difficult. The Northern abhorrence of slavery coupled with the hierarchical sectionalism of the South hindered any political compromise between the regions. As many Northerners didn’t require slaves …show more content…

Before the full sectionalized emotions came out to the public, the government attempted to just push back the conflict of slavery. This is seen in the balance of slave and free states as well as in the Resolution of the Pinckney Committee. The House of Representatives decided to have “no further action…to the subject of slavery…” would be the best policy to follow (DOC 3). Unfortunately, this would just increase tensions for someone else to deal with. As the middle of the century approached, the Southern states became wearier of the growing Republican and abolitionist power. The Senator Daniel Webster, a known advocate of compromise pleaded for a solution. Of course, Webster had his own ambitions since he was a key supporter of the Compromise of 1850, he’s still necessary to understand (DOC 4). Doing nothing just let the political compromise be even more unlikely. And, of course there was the demand of an answer to slavery itself. President Abraham Lincoln discussed the prominence of slavery issue and how it encapsulated all life at the time. Of course, Lincoln personally disliked slavery and wanted it to be gone, it was the lack of quick compromise and a new wave of radicalized abolitionists from the Dred Scott case that obstructed his way. (DOC 7) Soon the country would dive into a war with the most American casualties ever, something that could’ve been

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