Final answer:
California sought statehood in 1849 following a population boom caused by the Gold Rush, which sparked a national controversy over the extension of slavery and precipitated the Compromise of 1850.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Controversy of California Statehood in 1849
The year 1849 marked a turning point for the territory of California due to a series of events that led to its controversial bid for statehood. The discovery of gold in 1848 at John Sutter's sawmill unleashed the famous Gold Rush, propelling a massive influx of settlers known as "forty-niners." This rapid population growth led California to bypass the usual territorial phase and instead, directly seek statehood.
This move sparked a national debate centered around the extension of slavery. Southerners viewed California as promising land for expanding the institution of slavery and were disturbed by the prospective state's desire to enter the Union as a free state. The Compromise of 1850, which saw California admitted as a free state, sought to quell these tensions but ultimately did little to alleviate the growing sectional divide that would lead to the Civil War.
The controversy was not only about the rapid statehood but also about the balance of power within the Senate, where the admission of new states could tilt the scales toward either free or slave state interests. The situation invoked strong reactions, including threats of secession from the South and rigorous debates in Congress. The events surrounding California's admission were a significant step toward the escalation of the sectional crisis.