Prompt One

The “diffusion theory,” Eli Whitney’ cotton gin, the Louisiana Purchase and the War of 1812 all are tied together and largely effected the outcome of slavery in 1800s. These events all lead to one another and forever changed the face of slavery in the United States. Thomas Jefferson’s “diffusion theory” was the first of this series of events. Jefferson believed that selling “surplus” slaves from the east and moving them westward would help to put an end to slavery. By the end of the revolution, it was becoming apparent that two distinct regions were forming. One of these regions was enslaved and the other was gradually becoming free. Transatlantic slave trade had been ended and tobacco lands in the Chesapeake were exhausted and needed less labor. Jefferson thought that slavery was a “necessary evil” and that slave owning was beneficent, yet he also believed that slavery could be ended. Eli Whitney quickly destroyed this “diffusion theory” dream of Jefferson’s with his invention of the cotton gin. This invention of the cotton gin completely turned the economy around and was a game changer for wealth and labor. Cotton …show more content…
At the time when Missouri applied for statehood, it had around 10,000 enslaved people that lived within its boarders. If Missouri were to become a state this could disrupt the balance of the senate and anger the House of Representatives. With the Missouri compromise, Missouri was able to enter as a slave state. It argued that slaves could enter in pairs of free/slave. The entire country was angered by the compromise. The final stipulation stated that slavery could not exist above the 36 30 parallel. This was very confusing to many because the entire state of Missouri, along with Kentucky and Virginia, were classified as slave states yet were above the parallel. To northerners, the compromise meant that new slave states could enter the north. To southerners, the compromise meant that there were now limits to