Compromise of 1850
Marisa, Gabbie, Khajal and Kathleen
What lead to this?
This time period is known as the "springtime of nations" because in Europe democratic uprisings against monarchies were becoming more common due to the popularity of the American ideas of liberty and self-government. After the Mexican-AMerican War, America gained large amounts of land. Because of this, slavery issues arose on whether to make the Mexican Cession free or slave territories. Gold in California increased the population of the area, which then caused controversy on whether to make California a slave or free state once it entered the Union
What happened?
In 1850 in California and Mexico Henry Clay wanted to find an issue to the increase of slavery. They attempted to settle disputes over territory from Mexico. Laws were placed in to try and please both the North and the South, however, both were still unhappy.
The Result
California will be entered as a free state. Laws now allow southerners to reclaim runaway slaves. United States agrees to pay off the massive debt Texas had accumulated while it was independent. Slave trade (not slavery itself) will be abolished in Tennessee. The ideas about slavery in the remaining territories from Mexico were left to the decision of the white inhabitants.
Effects of the Compromise
The Fugitive Slave Act resulted from the Compromise of 1850. The Fugitive Slave Act stated that any federal official who did not arrest a runaway slave had to pay a fine. Also prohibited local authorities from interfering. This act increased the use of Underground Railroad activity and also increased the abolitionist in their fight against slavery. The law widened sectional divisions.