28. List the five provisions of the Compromise of 1850.
1. California would be admitted to the Union as a free state, thereby upsetting the balance between free and slave states in Congress.
2. The territory of New Mexico and Utah would be organized without any specific mention of slavery, allowing popular sovereignty to decide whether they would be admitted as free or slave states.
3. The slave trade would be abolished in the District of Columbia, although slavery itself would still be legal.
4. A more stringent Fugitive Slave Act would be passed, requiring all citizens to assist in the capture and return of runaway slaves.
5. The Texas border dispute would be resolved, with Texas receiving financial compensation for relinquishing its claim on certain territories.
The Compromise of 1850 consisted of several provisions aimed at appeasing both the North and the South over the issue of slavery. Here are the five main provisions:
1. California's Admission as a Free State: California was admitted to the Union as a free state, meaning that slavery was prohibited in its borders.
2. Popular Sovereignty: The territories of New Mexico and Utah were given the right to determine whether slavery would be allowed within their borders through the principle of popular sovereignty. This meant that the residents of the territories could vote on the issue.
3. Texas Boundary Adjustment: The western boundary of Texas was adjusted and set at its present location, allowing for the creation of the New Mexico Territory and financial compensation to Texas for the loss of land.
4. Slave Trade Ban in Washington, D.C.: The slave trade within the District of Columbia was banned, although slavery itself was still allowed to continue.
5. Stricter Fugitive Slave Law: A more stringent Fugitive Slave Act was enacted, requiring the return of escaped slaves to their owners, even if they had reached free states. This provision increased the powers and activities of slave catchers and frustrated many abolitionists.
It is important to note that while the Compromise of 1850 temporarily eased tensions between the North and the South, it ultimately did not bring a lasting solution to the issue of slavery.
The Compromise of 1850 was a set of legislative measures passed by the United States Congress in an effort to settle the territorial and slavery disputes between the North and the South. It consisted of five key provisions:
1. California's Admission as a Free State: The compromise allowed California to enter the Union as a free state. This was significant because it tilted the balance of power in Congress in favor of the free states.
2. Fugitive Slave Act: This provision strengthened the Fugitive Slave Act of 1793. It required the federal government to capture and return runaway slaves to their owners, even in states where slavery was illegal. It was highly controversial and contributed to growing tensions between the North and the South.
3. Creation of the Utah and New Mexico Territories: The compromise allowed for the creation of two new territories, Utah and New Mexico, without any specific provisions regarding slavery. The issue of slavery in these territories would be decided by popular sovereignty, meaning the residents would vote on whether to allow it.
4. Texas Border Adjustment: Texas agreed to relinquish its claims to parts of present-day New Mexico in exchange for the federal government assuming its significant debt. This adjustment settled a border dispute and solidified the boundaries of the newly created states.
5. Slave Trade in Washington, D.C.: The compromise outlawed the slave trade in Washington, D.C., the nation's capital, but it allowed slavery to continue there. This provision was seen as a compromise between the desires of both the northern and southern states.
These provisions, while aimed at temporarily resolving the conflicts between the North and the South, ultimately failed to address the underlying tensions over slavery. Instead, they contributed to the escalating divisions in the nation that ultimately led to the American Civil War.