Why the Southern States Seceded from the Union

Paper Summary:

This paper looks at the legislation that affected the southern states in the U.S. in particular, the declaration of causes by the seceding states and the widespread division that affected America in the late 1850's. It analyzes the constant pressure faced by the southern states from such quarters as northern politicians, anti slavery groups and the national government at the time.

From the Paper:

"The admittance of new states, sectional arguments and the issue of slavery very much dominated American politics during the 1840's and 50's. 1845 saw the admittance of Texas into the Union which was fine for the south but the northern politicians and anti slavery groups saw this as an extension of slavery. But the real dispute would come when the US gained the new territories of New Mexico and California after the war with Mexico. In 1850, California and New Mexico applied to become states of the Union, California was north of the 36 30 line so it would automatically become a free slave state, and the issue of New Mexico would be left unresolved."

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