An Examination of Powers and Forces in the American Revolution

This essay delves into the pivotal forces and powers that shaped the Second American Revolution, offering a detailed analysis of the events that transformed the United States in the 19th century. It examines key events such as the Compromise of 1850, the Dred Scott case, and the Prigg v. Pennsylvania case, highlighting how these legal and political developments exacerbated sectional tensions between the North and the South. The essay also explores the impact of influential works like "Uncle Tom's Cabin" and significant speeches such as Lincoln's Cooper Union address, demonstrating how these cultural and political forces fueled the abolitionist movement and ultimately contributed to the outbreak of the Civil War. The role of organizations like the American Anti-Slavery Society is also explored, providing a comprehensive understanding of the complex interplay of factors that led to this defining period in American history.

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Powers and forces that shaped the second American Revolution
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Powers and forces that shaped the second American Revolution
The events that took place in the United States of America in the 19th century shaped
what the country looks like today. These forces shaped the nation through a set of events that
changed the status quo and forced the nation to take different directions in what had been
previously believed (Downs 2016)1. The war is historical because it is said to pity Americans
against their fellow Americans ripping the country into conflict. This was based on differences in
economic growth between the North and the South due to differences in the economies of the
two regions. The North was a manufacturing and industry region while the South was based on
large scale farming that entirely depended on black slave labor (Goldner 2001)2. The growing
abolition of slavery sentiments and opposition of the North from extension of slavery into new
western territories led to major differences between the two sides. Other events followed like the
Kansas-Nebraska Act and the Dred Scott case which led to an enormous conflict between
different states. The civil war was characterized by several events that took place from the
beginning of the civil war up to the end. This essay discusses the powers and forces that shaped
the American nation in the early 19th century.
Compromise of 1850
The compromise of 1850 is a set of five laws that were passed in September 1850 dealing
with slavery. Through the California request for permission to enter the union as a free state a
balance between Free states and slave states was disturbed leading to the need to develop new
resolutions that will and compromise the difference ion numbers between the North and the
South (Stegmaier 1996)3. This led to the amendment of the Fugitive Slave Act leading to the
1 Downs, Gregory P. 2016. "Why the second American Revolution deserves as much attention as the first." The Washington Post, July.
2 Goldner, Ellen. 2001. "Arguing with Pictures: Race, Class and the Formation of Popular Abolitionism Through Uncle Tom's Cabin." Journal of
American & Comparative Cultures 24 (1): 71–84.
3 Stegmaier, Mark J. 1996. Texas, New Mexico, and the Compromise of 1850: Boundary Dispute & Sectional Crisis. Kent State University Press.

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abolition of the slave trade in Washington D. C., leading to California entering the state as a Free
State and creation of territorial government in Utah.
The events of the compromise delayed the civil war for almost ten years. This is because
it allowed a balance between the South and the North allowing equal representation of slave
states and non-slave states. This is because it kept the union from splitting through the
congressional balance reached through the Missouri Compromise. This is because the application
of Missouri as a slave state sparked controversy that led to a series of debates to balance the two
regions (Kennedy and Cohen 2012)4. This led to admission of Missouri as a slave state and
Maine as a free state. The events of the compromise led to peace between the two regions where
a boundary line was established between the two sides thus leading to a peaceful coexistence and
preventing the push for secession from the South.
Scott v Sandiford
The Dred Scott case was based on a slave who sue for his freedom, where the case rose
up to the Supreme Court although the court denied him the legal rights that he was seeking. The
case was based on the Missouri Compromise since the case was intended to be used to settle the
issue of slavery. This issue became political which exuberated sectional tensions between the
two groups. This is because the classification of slaves as mere property Southern challenges and
limitations on slavery (Dred Scott v. Sandford, 1857)5. This led to political arguments over the
legality of free slaves in the country between Lincoln and Douglas. The arguments were based
on different opinions that had been read by the judges like the descending opinion of Curtis
which suggested that blacks had been free citizens of the country thus their freedom needed to be
upheld.
4 Kennedy, David M., and Lizabeth Cohen. 2012. The American Pageant: A History of the Republic . Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
5 Dred Scott v. Sandford, . 1857. 60 U.S. 393

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Later when President Abraham Lincoln was elected as president, the issue of slavery was
renewed since the Republican Party had an anti-slavery stand. This later triggered the Wilmot
Provision in the House of Representatives which sought to ban slavery in Mexican territories.
This escalated the tension between the two sides since the South became scared with the Lincoln
administration despite the ruling in the Dred Scot case (Downs 2016)6. Although the compromise
had relieved tension between the two sides, the case led to renewed tension when the court ruled
that there are no territorial limitations on slave trade. This led to hunting of slaves in Northern
Free States making the North angrier.
Prig v Pennsylvania
The case revolves back to the Pennsylvanian legislature law passed in 1788 and 1826
prohibiting slavery and removal of Negroes to enslave them. The law seen as contradicting the
section 2 of the fugitive law which allowed supremacy of federal law over state laws (Goldstein
2011). This is because the law was seen to deny slave owners the right to return their slaves
under Article IV of the Federal Fugitive law. Therefore, in the Prig v Pennsylvania case the court
held that the Pennsylvanian state law violated the slave and thus Prig was right to hunt down
Morgan for sale to slave buyers (Prigg v. Pennsylvania 1842)7.
However, this changed the whole slave scenario since the Pennsylvanian state enacted
new personal liberty laws prohibiting state officials from interfering with runaway slaves. This
was seen by The Southern States as a violation of the federal laws and unsecured slavery in the
South since slaves could run away to Northern states. This led to the Compromise of 1850 which
needed a balance between the Northern and The Southern States (Miller 1995)8. Like the Scott
6 Downs, Gregory P. 2016.
7 Prigg v. Pennsylvania. 1842. 41 U.S. 539
8 Miller, William Lee. 1995. Arguing About Slavery. John Quincy Adams and the Great Battle in the United States Congress. New York: Vintage
Books.

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case, Morgan had also lost in a bid to secure freedom through the constitution. However, the
liberty laws enacted by the state and election of Lincoln as the president threatened slavery in the
South and created high tension since slaves were escaping to Free states in the North.
Uncle Tom’s Cabin
A second selling book in the 19thcentry highlighted the lives of slaves and the cultural
sensation that revolve around slavery. This book had different implications on the attitude of
Northerners on slavery through exposing the horrors of slave trade (Hulser 2009)9. This led to
serious demonstrations from Southerners claiming that the book was slanderous thus widening
the divisions between the South and the North. Like other events that took place, the South and
the slave trade issue was on the spot again over slavery (Williams 2001)10. This means that the
South was ever defending slavery without recognizing the increased rebellion in the country over
slavery (Goldner 2001)11. The only impeding factor was the fugitive slave which was giving the
South advantage over slaver. This led to the formation of the new Republican Party which
spearheaded abolition. The novel created a political climate for the elections of Abraham Lincoln
and publicizing of abolitionary debates.
Lincoln at the Cooper Union
The writing of Uncle Tom’s Cabin came at a time when the Lincoln’s presidential debate
had intensified. The Cooper Union speech is attributed to the victory in the presidential debate
due to the stand he had on slavery. This speech was based on foundations of slavery, issues
between the Republicans and Democrats and lastly supporting the constitution of the country
9 Hulser, Kathleen. 2009. "Reading Uncle Tom's Image: From Anti-slavery Hero to Racial Insult." New-York Journal of American History 65 (1):
75–79.
10 Williams, Linda. 2001. Playing the Race Card: Melodramas of Black and White from Uncle Tom to O. J. Simpson. Princeton University Press,.
11 Goldner, Ellen. 2001. "Arguing with Pictures: Race, Class and the Formation of Popular Abolitionism Through Uncle Tom's Cabin." Journal of
American & Comparative Cultures 24 (1): 71–84.

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(Carnes and Garraty 2011)12. The election of Lincoln election sparked new fears in the South that
led to the push for secession by The Southern States. Since Lincoln had antislavery views, the
opportunities that existed in both houses threatened the state of slavery in the South leaving The
Southern States with no option (Holzer 2004)13. Although the Missouri compromise controlled
the civil war for almost a decade, the ascension to power by Lincoln threatened this compromise
making the Southern States disadvantaged.
American Anti-Slavery Society
The society was founded by William Lloyd and Arthur Tappan due to the increased
issues that were revolving around slave trade. The North was considering freeing the slaves and
resettling back in Africa. The movement led to an uprising that was focused on fighting slavery
in the South (Miller 1995). The movement was calling for an end to slavery to slavery and
treatment of blacks equally like other people (Dubofsky and Dulles 2005). However, the
movement continued and became too radical leading to it splitting into two. Those who did not
believe in the radical nature of Garrison formed their own group. This
Conclusion
The civil war in The United States revolved around the issue of slavery. Northern and
The Southern States had different views on how slaves need to be treated. The South was backed
by the constitution which recognized slavery and ownership of slaves as objects. On the other
hand, the Northern states had an economic system which did not rely on slave trade. The
activities that took place from compromise of 1850 and the election of President Abraham
Lincoln all contributed to the civil war. Therefore, the civil war was as a result of successive
events that could not be avoided making it difficult to control the war. The only way to control
12 Carnes, Mark, and John A. Garraty. 2011. The American Nation: A History of the United States. 14th. New: AP textbook.
13 Holzer, Harold. 2004. "Still a Great Hall After All." American Heritage Magazin, May.

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the war was for one side to win in the war the way it happened. These events were mostly
focused on abolition slave trade rather than protecting it. Despite the fact that the constitution
allowed slave trade, the activities led to forces that escalated a rift between the two territories
with slavery being the balance between them.

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References
Carnes, Mark, and John A. Garraty. 2011. The American Nation: A History of the United States.
14th. New: AP textbook.
Downs, Gregory P. 2016. "Why the second American Revolution deserves as much attention as
the first." The Washington Post, July.
Dred Scott v. Sandford, . 1857. 60 U.S. 393
Dubofsky, Melvyn, and Foster Rhea Dulles. 2005. Labor in America: A History (7th ed.).
Harlan Davidson. NewYork: M. E. Sharpe.
Goldner, Ellen. 2001. "Arguing with Pictures: Race, Class and the Formation of Popular
Abolitionism Through Uncle Tom's Cabin." Journal of American & Comparative
Cultures 24 (1): 71–84.
Goldstein, Leslie Friedman. 2011. "A ‘Triumph of Freedom’ after All? Prigg v. Pennsylvania
Re-examined." Law and History Review 29: 763-796.
Holzer, Harold. 2004. "Still a Great Hall After All." American Heritage Magazin, May.
Hulser, Kathleen. 2009. "Reading Uncle Tom's Image: From Anti-slavery Hero to Racial Insult."
New-York Journal of American History 65 (1): 75–79.
Kennedy, David M., and Lizabeth Cohen. 2012. The American Pageant: A History of the
Republic . Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Miller, William Lee. 1995. Arguing About Slavery. John Quincy Adams and the Great Battle in
the United States Congress. New York: Vintage Books.
Prigg v. Pennsylvania. 1842. 41 U.S. 539
Stegmaier, Mark J. 1996. Texas, New Mexico, and the Compromise of 1850: Boundary Dispute
& Sectional Crisis. Kent State University Press.

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Williams, Linda. 2001. Playing the Race Card: Melodramas of Black and White from Uncle
Tom to O. J. Simpson. Princeton University Press,.