It was also the driving force behind the annexation of vast territories by the United States in the West, including Texas, California, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Arizona, which were conquered from Mexico, and Louisiana, which was purchased from France (Lubbrage, 2003).
The newly acquired territories became a bone of contention between the Southern and Northern states as the slave-holding South wanted to create more slave-holding states in order to restore the balance of power with the North, while the North resisted the expansion of slavery mainly because of a fear of "Slave Power." Hence, Manifest Destiny, at least indirectly contributed to the start of the Civil War.
The Fugitive Slave Law
During the drafting of the U.S. Constitution in 1787, the delegates from the Southern slave states refused to join the Union unless certain specific provisions on slavery were agreed. One of the provisions relating to slavery introduced in the Constitution as a result of a compromise was Section 2 of Article IV, which obligated the Northern, no-slave states to return the escaped or "fugitive slaves" to their owners; however, the federal law was often ignored in most northern states. The Compromise of 1850 included a harsher Fugitive Slave Law, which was enacted to appease the southern slave owners. It required return of the runaway property (i.e. The slave); up to six months in jail, and/or up to $1,000 fine for those aiding a slave's escape; anyone successfully helping a slave
It also created a bounty system to help create incentive among Northerners to aid Southern slave catchers in retrieving their "property" and resulted in the illegal kidnappings and return to slavery of thousands of free blacks. The reaction to the law was a new wave of abolitionism and anti-South sentiment in the North. Even those Northerners, who had previously tolerated slavery, now saw the law as a governmental endorsement of kidnapping. It increased the tension between the Southern and Northern states and contributed in no small measure to the start of the civil war (Swogger, 1997)
References
The Free Soil Party Platform." (1848). Professor Mark Lause's Links. Retrieved on December 13, 2007 at http://www.geocities.com/CollegePark/Quad/6460/doct/848frsl.html
Hawes, R.F. Jr. (2007). "Nullification Re-visited." The Libertarian Enterprise. Number 411, April 1, 2007. Retrieved on December 13, 2007 at http://www.ncc-1776.org/tle2007/tle411-20070401-03.html
Lubragge, M.T. (2003). "Manifest Destiny: The Philosophy That Created a Nation." From Revolution to Reconstruction. http://www.let.rug.nl/usa/E/manifest/manif1.htm
Swogger, M.J. (1997). "Causes of the Civil War: The Compromise of 1850 and the Fugitive Slave Law." Suite 101. Retrieved on December 13, 2007 at http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/american_civil_war_retired/4390
The impression has probably been reinforced by the focus in history on Abolitionists, who no doubt opposed slavery due to moral reasons and their religious beliefs about the inherent sinfulness of human bondage.
The Alien and Sedition Acts were the controversial laws passed by the Federalist government of President John Adams which provided for the prosecution of anyone who criticized Congress or the President
John Sullivan, a 19th century American journalist, is credited with coining the phrase of Manifest Destiny in 1845
The clause was repealed by the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment which abolished slavery in 1865
Civil War
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