Final answer:
The Compromise of 1850 decided that new territories would determine the legality of slavery by popular sovereignty. It was a series of measures aimed to quell the tensions between free and slave states, although it ultimately failed to provide a long-term solution to the issue of slavery and led to further conflict.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to the Compromise of 1850, the question of slavery in new territories and states was to be determined by the principle of popular sovereignty. This concept meant that the people living in those territories could vote on whether to allow slavery within their borders. This Compromise included the admission of California as a free state and the establishment of territorial governments for New Mexico and Utah without any restrictions on slavery, thus leaving the decision to the settlers. Additionally, the Compromise included the enactment of a stricter Fugitive Slave Law, which inflamed anti-slavery sentiment in the North.
The Compromise attempted to address the contentious issue of slavery and its extension into newly acquired territories following the Mexican-American War. It reflected the ongoing sectional tensions and the complexities involved in balancing the interests of free and slave states. This agreement however did not resolve the underlying divisions and merely provided a temporary truce in the national debate over slavery.
Popular Sovereignty was seen as a suitable compromise at the time but eventually led to increased tension, particularly in areas like Kansas-Nebraska, where pro- and anti-slavery forces clashed violently in what became known as "Bleeding Kansas".