Nashville Convention of 1850

The Nashville Convention of 1850 was a gathering of Southern states' representatives to discuss their concerns over the tensions with the North and the impact of the recent California Gold Rush and new territories on slavery. Although not officially authorized by all states, the convention emphasized Southern interests, especially the protection of slavery and states' rights. It set the stage for the Compromise of 1850, a series of laws aimed at balancing the interests of free and slave states, reflecting the escalating sectional conflicts that would eventually lead to the Civil War.