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How did the Louisiana purchase lead to the civil war?

The Louisiana Purchase: A Precedent for Conflict

The Louisiana Purchase, finalized in 1803, was a significant event in American history that had far-reaching consequences. While it may seem unrelated to the American Civil War, the purchase played a crucial role in shaping the country’s development and ultimately contributed to the conflict that ravaged the nation from 1861 to 1865. In this article, we will explore how the Louisiana Purchase led to the Civil War.

Westward Expansion and Slavery

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The Louisiana Purchase was a land deal between the United States and France, where the U.S. acquired approximately 828,000 square miles of land west of the Mississippi River for $15 million. This massive territory doubled the size of the United States and opened up new opportunities for westward expansion.

H1: Impact on Slavery

The Louisiana Purchase had a profound impact on the institution of slavery in the United States. Prior to the purchase, the Missouri Compromise (1820) had prohibited slavery in the Louisiana Territory north of the 36°30′ parallel. However, the compromise also allowed Missouri to enter the Union as a slave state, while Maine entered as a free state.

Louisiana TerritoryMissouri Compromise
Slavery AllowedNoMissouri (slave state)
Slavery ProhibitedNorth of 36°30′ parallelNorth of 36°30′ parallel

The Louisiana Purchase added fuel to the debate over slavery. Pro-slavery advocates argued that the new territory should be open to slavery, while anti-slavery advocates believed that the Missouri Compromise should be extended to the new territory.

H2: The Mexican-American War and the Wilmot Proviso

The Mexican-American War (1846-1848) and the subsequent Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo shifted the debate over slavery. The treaty granted the U.S. control over a vast amount of new territory, including present-day California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and parts of Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Wyoming.

Wilmot Proviso (1846) was a congressional proposal that would have prohibited slavery in any territory acquired from Mexico. Although the proviso was defeated, it highlighted the growing divide between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions.

Mexican-American WarWilmot Proviso
Territorial ExpansionU.S. gained control over new territoryProposed prohibition of slavery in new territory
Slavery DebateShifted debate over slaveryHighlighted growing divide between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions

H3: The Kansas-Nebraska Act and Bleeding Kansas

In 1854, the Kansas-Nebraska Act was passed, allowing new states to decide for themselves whether to allow slavery. This led to violent conflicts in Kansas, known as "Bleeding Kansas," as pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions clashed over the issue.

Kansas-Nebraska ActBleeding Kansas
Slavery DecisionAllowed new states to decide on slaveryLed to violent conflicts in Kansas
Political DivideWider political divide between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factionsWider political divide between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions

H4: The Dred Scott Decision and the Election of 1860

The Dred Scott decision (1857) by the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that slaves were not citizens and had no right to sue in court. The decision also stated that the Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional, effectively allowing slavery to expand into new territories.

The election of 1860, won by Abraham Lincoln, was a turning point. Lincoln’s anti-slavery platform and the formation of the Republican Party deepened the divide between the North and South. Southern states began to secede from the Union, ultimately leading to the outbreak of the Civil War.

Dred Scott DecisionElection of 1860
Slavery RulingRuled that slaves were not citizens and had no right to sueDeepened the divide between the North and South
Election ConsequencesLed to Southern secession and the Civil WarLed to Southern secession and the Civil War

Conclusion

The Louisiana Purchase, while a significant event in American history, had far-reaching consequences that contributed to the Civil War. The purchase opened up new opportunities for westward expansion, which ultimately led to the debate over slavery. The Mexican-American War, the Wilmot Proviso, the Kansas-Nebraska Act, and the Dred Scott decision all played a role in deepening the divide between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions, ultimately leading to the secession of Southern states and the outbreak of the Civil War.

In summary, the Louisiana Purchase led to the Civil War by:

  • Expanding the territory available for slavery
  • Deepening the divide between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions
  • Creating opportunities for violent conflicts, such as Bleeding Kansas
  • Ruling that slaves were not citizens and had no right to sue
  • Deepening the divide between the North and South, ultimately leading to secession and war.

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