LibGuides: American History 1820-1860, Expansion & Reform: Articles

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Issues

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Dred Scott Decision: Can a Slave Sue for His Freedom? In the 1830s, a slave named Dred Scott resided for several years with his owner in Illinois and Wisconsin Territory, both of which prohibited slavery. Scott later claimed that this made him a free man, and he sued his owner to gain his freedom. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on his case in 1857. Does a slave have a right to sue for his freedom? Or does a slave have no legal standing to even file a lawsuit?
The Fugitive Slave Act: Are Citizens Obligated to Capture and Return Fugitive Slaves? The Fugitive Slave Act, passed on September 18, 1850, as part of the Compromise of 1850, created detailed procedures for federal officials to capture and return slaves who had escaped across state lines. Advocated by politicians in the upper South concerned about free state interference with enforcement of the U.S. Constitution's fugitive slave clause, the act produced a wave of revulsion in free states. Sensational rescues of fugitives, occasional rioting, an increase in escapes to Canada through the Underground Railroad, and several court challenges to the law's constitutionality fueled a major debate concerning the conflict between obedience to law and obedience to conscience. Were ordinary citizens obligated to help enforce a law they considered to be unconstitutional, oppressive, and an invitation to the kidnapping of free blacks into slavery, even at the price of disunion?
Manifest Destiny: Noble Ideal or Excuse for Imperialist Expansion? Does the U.S. have a "manifest destiny" to expand all the way to the Pacific Ocean? Or is Manifest Destiny merely an excuse to take other people's lands?
Missouri Compromise: Should the Federal Government Have the Right to Restrict Slavery in the West? Does the U.S. government have the right to restrict slavery in federal territories seeking admission into the Union? Or does the question of whether to permit slavery rest solely with the white settlers of such territory?
Monroe Doctrine: The U.S. Closes the Western Hemisphere to European Influence Is the Monroe Doctrine motivated by democratic ideals or national self-interest? Should the Monroe Doctrine be adopted in the first place, or should the U.S. enter into a joint Anglo-American alliance instead?
Second Great Awakening: Was It More Notable as a Religious Revival or as a Social Reform Movement? Between 1790 and the 1830s, the U.S. experienced a period of Protestant religious revival known as the Second Great Awakening, during which people joined churches in record numbers. The period was also known for the emergence of several reform societies, addressing a range of social concerns. Was the Second Great Awakening more notable as a religious movement or as a social reform movement?
Ten-Hour Workday: Should Massachusetts Legislators Enact a Ten-Hour Law? Should the government of Massachusetts enact a law to limit a day's work in the textile mills to 10 hours? Or should it be left to private industry to determine workers' hours?
Texas Revolution: Should the United States Recognize Texas's Independence from Mexico? In 1835, long-simmering tensions between Mexican officials and U.S.-born settlers in Texas, which had been under Spanish and Mexican control since the 17th century, exploded into revolution. After Texans declared independence in 1836, the U.S. government was faced with the question of whether to officially recognize Texas's independence.