Notes

1. Brief Intro:

The Compromise of 1850 was a package of five bills passed in the United States in September 1850, which ended a four-year confrontation between the slave states of the South and the free states of the North regarding the status of territories. Soon after the Mexican War, the question of whether slavery should be allowed or not created tension between the Northern and Southern United States. Connects to the theme of compromise because they compromised on regards to the slaves and there were conflicts that they had to face before getting to the point of a compromise.

2. Causes of Conflicts:

A. What background information do I need to know to understand the event?

Who was apart of it?

Congressmen Henry Clay, Daniel Webster, and Stephen Douglas are the ones who introduced the Compromise of 1850.

What was going on during this time?

The September 18, 1850, Fugitive Slave Act provides for the return of slaves brought to free states.

What did the fugitive slave compromise of 1850 accomplish?

Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 penalized officials who did not arrest an alleged runaway slave. And any slave that was suspected to be a runaway slave was arrested could not ask for a jury trial or testify on his or her own behalf

Anyone aiding a runaway slave by providing food or shelter was subject to six months' imprisonment and a $1,000 fine. Officers who captured a fugitive slave were entitled to a bonus or promotion for their work.

B. What were the long term causes? What events, debates, etc. occurred at an earlier time to influence the issue or its long term causes?

California