Why was the Wilmot Proviso so controversial?

1 Answer
ibnerd
Nov 17, 2017

The fact that it almost passed...

Explanation:

Seige Mentality was hitting the South big-time at this point, where they had a somewhat-irrational fear that every Yankee was against them. This plan would have made slavery illegal in the new states brought into the Union and played majorly on the fears of Southerners. The Proviso passed in the House (since the North had way more people and the House is based on population), but failed in the Senate (where representation was equal). The fact that it almost passed caused outrage in South and pushed the Union further towards Civil War.

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