Compromise of 1850

The Compromise of 1850 was a series of legislative measures aimed at easing tensions between slave and free states in the United States. It was created in response to the debate over whether new territories acquired from Mexico should permit slavery. Key components included admitting California as a free state, establishing popular sovereignty in Utah and New Mexico (allowing residents to decide on slavery), and enacting a stricter Fugitive Slave Law. While it temporarily reduced conflict, it ultimately highlighted the deep divisions in the country over slavery, paving the way for future conflicts leading to the Civil War.