1. Slavery: The issue of slavery was a central point of contention between the North and the South. The North generally opposed the expansion of slavery into new territories, while the South sought to protect and extend the institution.
- Compromise of 1820 (Missouri Compromise): This compromise admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state, maintaining a balance between slave and free states in the Senate. It also established a dividing line at 36°30' latitude, prohibiting slavery in new territories north of this line.
- Compromise of 1850: This compromise admitted California as a free state, while allowing the people of the New Mexico and Utah territories to decide for themselves whether to permit slavery (popular sovereignty). It also included the Fugitive Slave Act, which required the return of escaped slaves to their owners, even in free states.
2. Western Expansion and Statehood: The issue of whether new states admitted to the Union should be slave or free states caused tension between the North and the South.
- Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854: This act overturned the Missouri Compromise and allowed the people of Kansas and Nebraska to decide for themselves whether to allow slavery. This led to violent clashes between pro- and anti-slavery forces in the territories.
- Compromise of 1860 (Crittenden Compromise): This proposed compromise aimed to resolve the issue of slavery in the territories by dividing the remaining unorganized territory along the 36°30' line. It also sought to protect slavery in the District of Columbia and allow Southern states to keep their fugitive slaves. However, the compromise was ultimately rejected by both the Northern and Southern states, leading to the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861.
3. Tariffs and Economic Development: The North generally favored protective tariffs to support its manufacturing industries, while the South preferred low tariffs to keep the prices of imported goods affordable.
- Tariff of 1832: This tariff, also known as the "Tariff of Abominations," imposed high duties on imported goods, leading to protests and increased tensions between the North and the South.
- Compromise Tariff of 1833: This compromise gradually reduced the tariff rates over a period of several years, addressing the concerns of the Southern states while providing some protection for Northern industries.
These issues and compromises highlight the complex and often contentious dynamics between the northern and southern states in the United States and the efforts to find solutions that would preserve the unity of the nation.