The Compromise of 1850 and the Fugitive Slave Act These are notes on section 10.1

California California applied for statehood in 1850 as a free state. Once again, the debate over slavery in the territories we won in the Mexican American War raged in Congress. Calhoun (yep, he’s still around) said that if slavery was not allowed in those territories, then the South would secede.

Life in the North The North had industrialized and developed large cities. City life was dominated by workers going to textile and other factories. These cities also attracted many immigrants, and railroads connected the cities to each other.

Life in the South Life remained very much agricultural. Only produced 10% of the nation’s goods. Goods were mainly transported by rivers.

Wilmot Provisio This was a piece of legislation, introduced in 1846, that forbid slavery in any of the new territories America was about to get. Northerners largely supported it, Southerners largely fought against it. It passed the House of Representatives, but failed in the Senate.

California Statehood Their state constitution forbid slavery, but most of the state fell below the 36 degree latitude line that was established in the Missouri Compromise in 1820. Zachary Taylor (President after Polk) supported California becoming a free state. Southern states are very angry and threaten to secede.

Long story short, it passes… Terms California becomes free state. Utah and New Mexico have Popular Sovereignty, which allowed their residents to vote to be slave or free. The Fugitive Slave Act- required people in free states to actively help in returning runaway slaves to the South. This is something you will also want to focus your reading on, the longer story appears toward the end of section 10.1. But you know that, you’ve already read it! Right? Right.