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Slavery in Western Territories

In: Historical Events

Submitted By nursejennit
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Jennifer Thurman
Professor White
HIST 2111- United States History 1
April 13, 2012

Slavery in the Western Territories: A Good idea or Not?
By: Jennifer Thurman

Dear Readers:
I am writing to discuss where our country is in this fight over how to handle this new territory we are trying to add to our current union. Let me start off by giving you a brief history on the issue of slavery. First of all now that we have become a union of states and have been trying to expand our union the issue of slavery has become a more prominent subject of debate among Congress and the political parties. The states of the union are starting to divide due to this subject. At one time we had an even number of states arguing the topic. The slave Free states included: Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire. The pro-slave states included: Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana.
The new territory of Missouri wanted to be added as a pro-slave state in 1819 and that started a turbulent world wind of opinions from both sides. The question over the expansion of slavery brought about heated debates in congress. At first James Tallmadge Jr. made a proposal that slaves born in Missouri after Missouri became a state would be free at the age of twenty-five. He also said that no new slaves could be brought into the state. These proposals were denied by the southerners in congress. This delayed Missouri becoming a state because the north and south could not agree on the slavery issue. This issue was not resolved until Maine asked to be a member of the union and “the Great Pacificator”, Henry Clay, negotiated part of the state being free from slavery and the other part allowing it. This resolution was named the

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