what was the wilmot proviso? why was it controversial?
Confidence votes 27.6K. The Wilmot Proviso was a more-or-less religious declaration that slavery would not be permitted in any of the new territories that were likely to be admitted to the USA.
The Wilmot Proviso was designed to outlaw slavery in territories  acquired from the War of Mexico. One of the effects was a political  party that became dedicated to stoppin â¦ g the spread of slavery.