More about the Missouri Compromise of 1850
Several issues led to the need of the Compromise of 1850. First and foremost, the Missouri Compromise of 1820 led to Missouri being considered a "slave" state and Maine being considered a "free" state. Slavery was then prohibited in any state north of Missouri's southern border. This statement alone would cause a larger problem when one of the largest states in modern times, California, was being considered for statehood. The second topic covered in the Compromise of 1850 was the newer idea of popular sovereignty, which would be held in the newly ceded Utah and New Mexico territories. This concept would revolutionize how newer territories were dealt with in terms of slavery until the time it was abolished.
California's statehoodIn the latter half of the year of 1849, before California was recognized as a state in the Union, there rose an issue. The previously used Missouri Compromise of 1820 did not allow slavery in any state north of the southern border of Missouri. However, the southern half of California is below the southern border of Missouri, and the northern half is above. This led to an argument arising when California attempted to join the Union with a constitution PROHIBITING slavery. The Compromise of 1850 would address this, but was unable to proceed until Fillmore accepted Henry Clay's proposal after previous president Zachary Taylor would not accept the idea. California was finally accepted after the Compromise of 1850 was passed, as a "free" state despite the ruling of the Compromise of 1820.
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Popular SovereigntyAnother aspect of the Compromise of 1850 was the new territories of New Mexico and Utah being recognized. These were taken from Texas; in return Texas was relieved of a $10 million federal debt. Because these new territories were also below the southern border of Missouri, talks began of whether they should be considered "free" or "slave" territories. Despite this, there was no actual confirmation in the Compromise of 1850, leading to the newer idea of popular sovereignty to be in effect in the territories. The government of these territories were able to choose whether to prohibit slavery or not. Both territories, however, chose to enact slave codes and became open to slavery, and even California would elect officials that were pro-slavery.
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