Essay On The Compromise Of 1850

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When Henry Clay created the Compromise of 1850, his intent was to reduce sectional tension between the North and South, or more specifically, the free and slave states. In awarding each side a part of their list of grievances, the Compromise was supposed to appease the divided the country and stop a conflict. Unfortunately, the Compromise was not successful in its intent. It further divided the country due to the loopholes found in the Compromise´s words. The North got the upperhand of the Compromise of 1850 due to the region's power in the Senate, their unwillingness to obey the laws, and the idea of popular sovereignty.

In the decades leading up to 1850, every time a state wanted to be admitted, Congress had to take special care in not …show more content…

The Compromise of 1850 stated that the New Mexico and Utah territories annexed from Mexico were to decide whether they wanted to be a free or slave territory. The decision was easy for these two territories based on their backgrounds. Both of these territories had no interest in agriculture due to the terrain, eliminating slavery as a need. New Mexico and Utah had both been apart of Mexico, which outlawed slavery in 1829. Furthermore, the majority of Utah's population was Mormon. Slavery contradicted with the beliefs of the Mormons, so Utah had no interest in being pro- slavery. In conclusion, the balance between free and slave states was unable to be maintained through popular sovereignty.

The Compromise of 1850 ultimately led to more tension between both sides and was a contributing factor to the start of the Civil War. The Compromise failed to equally appease each of the sides and allowed the North to have the advantage. In summary, the North benefited more from the Compromise of 1850 due to the idea of popular sovereignty, breaking the laws, and their superior power in the nation´s