Compromise of 1850
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LEQ: How did the Compromise of 1850 transform the nation?
The Compromise of 1850 was a compromise between the North and the South of the United States, which was originally brought up by Henry Clay, along with Calhoun and Webster. The North wasn't very in favor of slavery and thought of it as wrong, where as the South was in favor of slavery and their economy depended upon it. The Compromise of 1850 basically states that the South gets to permit slaveholding in Washington, D.C., but cannot permit slavery in Utah or New Mexico territories, and get the Fugitive Slave Law, along with $10 million dollars to Texas. The North gets California admitted as a free state, slave trade banned in Washington, D.C., and Texas losses the boundary dispute with New Mexico. Generally, the North got the better end of the deal in the Compromise of 1850, but overall, the slavery issue wasn't settled. However, the South was able to still have a victory with the Fugitive Slave Law, which required Northerners to return runaway slaves back to their Southern owners under law. But, in the end, the North ignored the law and refused to enforce it, as they believed slavery was wrong and immoral. The North claimed that the law was unconstitutional and unfair. The Compromise of 1850 transformed the nation because it was the United States' first baby steps into abolishing and putting an end to slavery forever in our nation. |