Valencia M.

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Wilmot Proviso-	In 1846, Shortly after outbreak of the Mexican-American War, Congressman David Wilmont of Pennsylavania introduced this controverial amendment stating that any lands won from Mexico would be closed to slavery.
Popular Sovereignty-	The concept that the settlers of a newly organized territory have the right to decide whether or not to accept Slavery. Promoted as a solution to the slavery question, popular soverignty became a fiasco in Kansas during the 1850s.
Free Soil party-	Organized in 1848, his third party proposed to exclude slavery from federal territories and nominated former President Martin Van Buren in the presidential election of that year.
Compromise of 1850-	This series of five congressional statutes temporarily calmed the sectional crisis. This made California a free state, ended the slave trade in the District of Columbia, and strengthened the Fugitive Slave Trade.
Fugitive Slave Law-	Passed in 1850, this federal law made it easier for slaveowner to recapture runaway slaves; it also made it easier for kidnappers to take free balcks. The law became an object of hatred in the North.
Republicans-	Members of the Republican party established following the enactment of the Kansas-Nebraska Act in 1854. Republicans were oppsed to the extention of slavery into western territories.
Ostend Manifesto-	written by Ameriacn officials in 1854, this secret memo-later dubbed a "manifesto"-urged the acquistion of cuba by any means necessary. Northerners claimed it was aplot to extend Slavery and the manifesto was disavowed.
Know-Nothing party-	After the collape of the Whig party in the 1850s this anti-immigrant and anti-catholic party rose to national prominence. through the party enjoyed some sucess in local and state elections, it failed to sustain its existance and quickly disappeared.
Lecompton Constitution-	In 1857, a fraudulently-elected group of pro-slavery delegates met in Lecompton,Kansas, and drafted a state constitution.