A New Look at The Compromise of 1850

Before I explain what the Compromise was, please view my groups whole project using this link.

The Compromise of 1850 was one of the many compromises and resolutions at the time that was issued in an attempt to stave off conflict between two parties, the abolitionist northern US and the slave dependent southern US. As can be seen from the timeline to the left, the compromise was not the first to be passed by the government in hopes that it would quell the rage brewing on both sides of the conflict. However, The Compromise of 1850 was one of, if not the largest compromise to be successfully passed, so large in fact that it had to be broken into five smaller bills just so all parts could be passed by the government. Some of the most important parts of the compromise were the admittance of California into the union as a free state, the slave trade was banned in Washington D.C. (however slavery itself was still permitted) and slave states received the Fugitive Slave Act which forced free northern states to assist southern slave states by returning any runaway slaves found, whether in the borders of a free or slave state, to the slaves owner. This last act was one that drew the most controversy as abolitionists in the north were disgusted at having to return men and women to slavery and felt that their very rights were being violated by forcing them to do so. The compromise was drafted by Henry Clay and Stephen Douglas, members of the Whig and democratic party respectively. Both men firmly believed in democracy and how it should be the driving force in deciding whether laws be passed or failed and whether policies should be adopted or not. Both men were against slavery in certain ways but neither would claim to be abolitionists. They simply wanted to return America to peace once again and hoped this document could do so. Although the document seemed successful at doing so for a time, the US would inevitably fall to its knees under the weight of the conflict and a full blown war would be ignited because of it.