Final answer:
The Compromise of 1850 was an attempt to defuse the tensions over slavery by admitting California as a free state, introducing the Fugitive Slave Act, abolishing the slave trade in Washington, D.C., resolving a boundary dispute between New Mexico and Texas in favor of New Mexico, and applying popular sovereignty to the slavery question in new territories. However, it ended up exacerbating the sectional divide, leading to the Civil War.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Compromise of 1850 was a series of five legislative measures passed by the U.S. Congress to defuse sectional and political rivalries triggered by the request of the territory of California to be admitted to the Union as a free state. Here's a breakdown of the different aspects of the compromise and their implications:
- The admission of California as a free state was a significant win for the Northern states, altering the balance between free and slave states in the Senate.
- The Fugitive Slave Act was a concession to Southern states, stipulating that runaway slaves, if caught in free states, were to be returned to their owners. This law intensified anti-slavery sentiment in the North and led to acts of civil disobedience.
- The slave trade was abolished in Washington, D.C., pleasing Northern abolitionists, but the institution of slavery itself remained legal there.
- The boundary dispute between New Mexico and Texas was resolved in favor of New Mexico, which was a preference for the North. Texas received financial compensation for this loss of territory.
- On the complex issue of slavery in the territories of New Mexico and Utah, the principle of popular sovereignty was applied, meaning that the settlers had the right to decide whether slavery would be permitted.
Issues emerged with the compromise over time, including the Fugitive Slave Act, which was particularly controversial. It required citizens to assist in the capture of runaway slaves and penalized those who helped them escape.