Crittenden Compromise

Definition

The Crittenden Compromise was a failed last-ditch effort to prevent the American Civil War by addressing the growing tensions between the Northern and Southern states over the issue of slavery. It was proposed by Senator John J. Crittenden of Kentucky in December 1860, shortly after the election of President Abraham Lincoln.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The Crittenden Compromise proposed six constitutional amendments that would have permanently protected slavery in the existing Southern states, while allowing for popular sovereignty in newly acquired territories.
2. The compromise also called for the reinstatement of the Missouri Compromise line, which had been repealed by the Kansas-Nebraska Act, to divide the western territories into slave and free states.
3. The Crittenden Compromise was intended to appease the Southern states and prevent them from seceding from the Union, but it was ultimately rejected by the Republican-controlled Congress.
4. The failure of the Crittenden Compromise was a significant factor in the outbreak of the Civil War, as it demonstrated the inability of the federal government to find a peaceful solution to the slavery issue.
5. The Crittenden Compromise was the last major attempt to resolve the sectional tensions between the North and South before the start of the Civil War in 1861.

Review Questions

• Explain the key provisions of the Crittenden Compromise and how they were intended to address the growing tensions between the North and South.
  • The Crittenden Compromise proposed several constitutional amendments that would have permanently protected slavery in the existing Southern states, while allowing for popular sovereignty in newly acquired territories. It also called for the reinstatement of the Missouri Compromise line, which would have divided the western territories into slave and free states. The compromise was intended to appease the Southern states and prevent them from seceding from the Union, but it was ultimately rejected by the Republican-controlled Congress, demonstrating the inability of the federal government to find a peaceful solution to the slavery issue.
• Analyze the historical context and significance of the Crittenden Compromise in the broader context of the origins and outbreak of the Civil War.
  • The Crittenden Compromise was proposed in the midst of growing sectionalism and tensions between the Northern and Southern states over the issue of slavery. It represented a last-ditch effort to prevent the outbreak of the Civil War by addressing the concerns of the South and preserving the Union. The failure of the Crittenden Compromise was a significant factor in the eventual outbreak of the war, as it highlighted the inability of the federal government to find a peaceful solution to the slavery issue. The compromise's failure also demonstrated the depth of the divisions between the North and South, and the growing intransigence of both sides on the issue of slavery, which ultimately led to the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861.
• Evaluate the potential impact that the implementation of the Crittenden Compromise could have had on the course of American history and the trajectory of the Civil War.
  • If the Crittenden Compromise had been implemented, it could have had a significant impact on the course of American history and the trajectory of the Civil War. By permanently protecting slavery in the existing Southern states and allowing for popular sovereignty in newly acquired territories, the compromise could have appeased the Southern states and prevented them from seceding from the Union. This could have averted the outbreak of the Civil War altogether, or at least delayed it, potentially allowing more time for a peaceful resolution to the slavery issue. However, the compromise was ultimately rejected by the Republican-controlled Congress, which was unwilling to accept the permanent protection of slavery. This decision demonstrated the depth of the divisions between the North and South and the intransigence of both sides on the issue of slavery, which ultimately led to the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861 and the profound social, political, and economic changes that followed.

Related terms

Sectionalism: Sectionalism refers to the growing economic, social, and political differences between the Northern and Southern states in the decades leading up to the Civil War.

Popular Sovereignty: Popular sovereignty was the idea that the residents of a territory should decide for themselves whether to allow slavery or not, rather than having the decision imposed by the federal government.

Compromise of 1850: The Compromise of 1850 was a series of legislative measures that attempted to resolve the growing tensions between the North and South over the issue of slavery.