AP US History in 1 Minute Daily: The Compromise of 1850 (Day 128/309)

Hey APUSHers, let’s chat about the Compromise of 1850 as part of my series- APUSH in 1 Minute Daily!

A New Map of the Gold Region in California, Library of Congress

After the War with Mexico, U.S. land claims greatly expanded. With the discovery of gold in California, hundreds of thousands of people headed west. 

California State Flag 1846-1910, California Department of Parks and Recreation

In 1849, California applied to be a free state which would have upset the fragile balance of power in Congress. This renewed debates over slavery that had been temporarily resolved through the Missouri Compromise.

Henry Clay & the Compromise of 1850, Britannica

Henry Clay proposed a series of compromises to deal with California’s state status as well as prevent future deliberations in Congress as other western territories would eventually apply for statehood. 

Extension of Slavery, Britannica

The main aspects of the Compromise included that California would be admitted as a free state, popular sovereignty would be used determine the status of the Utah and New Mexico territories, a stricter fugitive slave law, and abolition of the slave trade in the District of Columbia.

The Compromise of 1850 included several components designed to settle debates over the expansion of slavery after the Mexican-American War. Unfortunately, it would not permanently resolve these tensions.

Join me tomorrow as I explain the Fugitive Slave Act and the Abolition Movement in the next APUSH in 1 Minute Daily!