Wilmot Proviso

The Wilmot Proviso was a proposed amendment in 1846 aimed at banning slavery in territories acquired from Mexico after the Mexican-American War. Introduced by Congressman David Wilmot, it sought to prevent slavery from spreading into new western lands. Although it passed the House of Representatives, it was rejected by the Senate, highlighting the deep divisions over slavery's expansion. The proposal intensified tensions between free and slave states, contributing to the growing conflict that eventually led to the Civil War. The Wilmot Proviso is significant as an early example of political efforts to restrict the spread of slavery in the United States.