David Wilmot

Antebellum by Last Best Hope of EarthAugust 18, 2016June 14, 2021

The Theories of Slavery

In the 15 years leading up to the Civil War, a wide variety of theories emerged for how the federal government should deal with slavery expanding, or not expanding, into the territories acquired by the United States.

Antebellum by Last Best Hope of EarthAugust 16, 2016August 11, 2016

The Role of Slavery in Splitting America

Since the outbreak of the Civil War and continuing to the present day, the role of slavery in splitting America has been hotly debated. One may wonder whether there was merely a correlation between slavery and the Civil War or whether slavery was the cause. Investigating the nuances of the issue of slavery reveals that […]

Mexican-American War by Last Best Hope of EarthJuly 23, 2016July 17, 2016

The Wilmot Proviso

President James Polk, expecting a fast resolution to the Mexican-American War, “requested from Congress in August 1846 a $2 million appropriation for ‘defraying any extraordinary expenses which may be incurred in the intercourse between the United States and foreign nations.’” Daniel Walker Howe, What Hath God Wrought: Transformation of America, 1815-1848, 766 quoting James Polk, Diary, II, 76-77 (Aug. […]