Question

List at least three laws/compromises that helped stall the Civil War. Explain the three you chose (their effects).

Answer 1

The Compromise of 1850 included the Fugitive Slave Act, the admission of California as a free state, and the principle of popular sovereignty. The Fugitive Slave Act angered Northerners and fueled the abolitionist movement. The admission of California upset the South, and popular sovereignty led to further conflict and the rise of the Republican Party.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Compromise of 1850 was a series of laws and compromises that attempted to address the issue of slavery and prevent the outbreak of the Civil War. The three key laws/compromises of the Compromise of 1850 were:

1. The Fugitive Slave Act: This law required the return of escaped slaves to their owners, even in free states. It provided federal funding to slave-catchers and was meant to appease the South.
2. The Admission of California as a Free State: This act admitted California to the Union as a free state, balancing the power between the slave and free states.
3. Popular Sovereignty: Instead of making a direct decision on the expansion of slavery into territories, Congress relied on the principle of popular sovereignty, allowing residents of the territories to decide for themselves whether to allow slavery or not.

These compromises had various effects. The Fugitive Slave Act outraged many Northerners and fueled the abolitionist movement. The admission of California as a free state upset the South, further widening the sectional divide. Popular sovereignty appeased both sides temporarily but ultimately led to further conflict and violence, as seen in the Kansas-Nebraska Act and the rise of the Republican Party dedicated to halting the spread of slavery.