Which of the following statements about the provisions of the Compromise of 1850 is true?
A. The principle of popular sovereignty was abandoned.
B. The New Mexico Territory was absorbed into Texas.
C. Fugitive slaves were denied any and all constitutional rights.
D. The slave trade was abolished in the District of Columbia.
http://americanhistory.about.com/od/beforethewar/g/compromise1850.htm
What do you think?
Is it d?
To determine which of the following statements about the provisions of the Compromise of 1850 is true, we need to examine each statement and evaluate its accuracy.
A. The principle of popular sovereignty was abandoned.
To verify this statement, we need to understand what popular sovereignty means in the context of the Compromise of 1850. Popular sovereignty referred to the idea that the residents of a territory should decide whether to allow slavery within their borders. Under the Compromise of 1850, this principle was not abandoned. It allowed popular sovereignty in the territories of New Mexico and Utah, where residents could determine whether to permit slavery.
B. The New Mexico Territory was absorbed into Texas.
To assess the accuracy of this statement, we need to check the historical record. The New Mexico Territory was not absorbed into Texas as part of the Compromise of 1850. Instead, it was organized as a distinct territory and remained separate from Texas.
C. Fugitive slaves were denied any and all constitutional rights.
To verify this statement, we should examine the provisions regarding fugitive slaves in the Compromise of 1850. The Compromise did include stricter provisions for the return of fugitive slaves to their owners, but it did not deny them any and all constitutional rights. Some rights, such as the right to due process, were still theoretically protected, although these protections were often not honored in practice.
D. The slave trade was abolished in the District of Columbia.
To verify this statement, we can consult the provisions of the Compromise of 1850. The Compromise did not abolish the slave trade in the District of Columbia. However, it did ban the slave trade (but not slavery itself) in Washington D.C., establishing a transition period for the gradual emancipation of enslaved people in the nation's capital.
Based on our evaluation, statement C (Fugitive slaves were denied any and all constitutional rights) is inaccurate. Therefore, the correct statement about the provisions of the Compromise of 1850 is:
D. The slave trade was abolished in the District of Columbia.