why did California's request for statehood cause a crisis in congress?
http://www.sfmuseum.org/hist5/caladmit.html
California's request for statehood caused a crisis in Congress primarily because it brought attention to the contentious issue of slavery. At the time when California's request was being considered (in the mid-1800s), the United States was deeply divided over the issue of slavery.
California was seeking admission to the Union as a free state, which meant that it would not allow slavery within its borders. This caused a major problem because it upset the balance between free states and slave states in Congress. Maintaining this balance was a matter of great concern for both the North and the South.
The admission of a new state typically required reaching a compromise, where one free state and one slave state would enter the Union simultaneously, in order to maintain this balance. However, California's request for statehood upset this delicate equilibrium, as there was no corresponding slave state seeking admission at that time.
This created a crisis in Congress, as various sectional interests clashed over the issue of allowing or prohibiting slavery in California. Southern lawmakers feared that the admission of a free state like California would disrupt the power dynamics in Congress and potentially lead to the abolition of slavery. Northern lawmakers, on the other hand, were more supportive of California's admission as a free state.
Ultimately, this crisis in Congress was resolved through the Compromise of 1850, which allowed California to enter the Union as a free state, but also included provisions such as the Fugitive Slave Act that were favorable to the South.
To further explore this topic, you can delve into the historical events surrounding the admission of California to the Union, the debates in Congress, and the Compromise of 1850 through books, articles, and online resources that cover the history of this period in American politics.