Question

What is the Wilmot Proviso (1848) and why is it significant?

Answer 1

Thesis: The purpose of the 1846 Wilmont Proviso was to ban slavery in all acquired territory from the Mexican-American War.

Supports:

1. The US was expected to win territory from Mexico after winning the Mexican-American War (lasted from 1846-1848).

2. There was a divisive problem about whether or not slavery would be allowed in the north, south, both, or not at all in the newly acquired territory. Many northerners felt slavery was wrong and did not want to further expand it in the country. Many southerners acknowledged that slavery upheld their economy and way of life and wanted to see it expand in the US.

3. David Wilmont, in the interest of northern free labor and not abolition, came up with the Wilmont Proviso that would not allow slavery to exist in any part of the newly acquired former Mexican territory.