Question

Why did Statehood for California alarm the south? a. No one there was in favor or slavery. b. The south could not compete with California's good weather and soil. c. California's constitution had a clause banning slavery. d. California would support the south should war break out between the north and south.

Answer 1

The South was alarmed by California's statehood due to the issue of slavery. California's constitution prohibited slavery, upsetting the balance in the U.S. Senate and fueling concerns about limitations on slavery's westward expansion. These tensions were part of a broader sectional conflict that led to the Compromise of 1850.

Step-by-step explanation:

The statehood for California alarmed the South primarily due to slavery-related issues. Following the California Gold Rush, California rapidly moved toward statehood and adopted a state constitution prohibiting slavery. This was concerning to the South since it shifted the balance of power in the U.S. Senate towards free states and the South feared that it would restrict the expansion of slavery into the western territories.

These issues were part of a broader picture of increasing tensions between the North and South over slavery. The question of whether new states would allow slavery or not was a hotly contested issue, as it upset the delicate balance between pro-slavery and anti-slavery states. All these led to the Compromise of 1850 which included the entry of California as a free state, a stronger Fugitive Slave Act, and the use of popular sovereignty to decide the slavery issue in the Utah and New Mexico territories.

Learn more about California's statehood