Wilmot Proviso
The Spark for Stopping Slavery
Aditya Agashe #28
Buildup to The civil war
Preface
The Wilmot Proviso had a large impact on the buildup of conflicts throughout America leading up to the Civil War. Despite not passing, it was responsible for sparking further tensions and hatred amongst the northern and southern regions of the country. This, combined with the other movements and documents released during this time, contributed to the eventual bloodiest war in our nations history: The Civil War.
Political Effects
The Wilmot Proviso's direct effect on history was how it reshaped politics, as well as deepening existing divides across the nation. For instance, it split the Whigs and Democrats, two of the main political parties at the time, on the issue of if and how to incorporate the new lands acquired from Mexico. Yet, its impact far from ended there. The document led to the substantial growth of the Free Soil Party, whose main goal involved permanently ending slavery throughout the United States. This party had the unique characteristic, during this time of increasing conflict between differing groups, of actually uniting those individuals in different political parties. It united various Democrats, Whigs, and those of the Liberty party, with individuals unhappy with the steps taken by their respective party. In fact, David Wilmot himself was a firm believer in this new party, credited as one of its key founders.
Wilmot proviso
EFFECTS IN BRIEF
Deepened already existing political divides in the nation
Severed relations between the north and south over slavery
Led to the drafting of similar documents to curb slavery's expansion
United different regions under a common goal
Led to the formation of the Free Soil Party, with the goal of abolishing slavery
Led to the buildup of conflict leading to the Civil War
Regional Effects
Breakout of War
The Wilmot Proviso's significant impact during the 1800's stretched not only to political lines, but state lines as well. As nearly all the northern, slave-free states readily approved the new bill, with nearly all the south slave states fiercely against it, it brought about clear, key divide between the two sides of America. Its effect's great impact became more apparent as the newfound divide only grew as the years went on. More territories and more bills constantly were admitted to the union, and with each one, came the same problems that the Wilmot Proviso attempted to tackle. And yet, time and time again, these bills merely pitted the north and south against one another.
In the end, the Wilmot Proviso served as one of the key tipping points, changing the relationship of the north and south from opposing to hostile. It created great bitterness and high tensions between groups of people. These regional and political disputes escalated to higher and higher heights, and were effective in dividing the country over the issue of slavery. Eventually, the two sides realized compromise was not a solution. The north wanted nothing less than a full abolition of slavery, which the south was unwilling to consider. And with the firing of Fort Sumter on April 12, 1861, the growing spark for these two tensions lit up. The Civil War had begun.
