Question #f02ae
1 Answer
The compromises of 1820 and 1850 were attempts to keep the peace between the south and the north.
Explanation:
The Missouri compromise of 1820 was designed to maintain a balance of political power between the southern states and the northern states. Before the Missouri compromise there were 11 free states and 11 slave states. This protected the southern slave states from legislation enacted by the house of representatives where the northern slave states had a clear majority.
The territory of Missouri petitioned to be admitted as slave state. Missouri was north of the line previously established to prevent the spread of slavery in northern territories. Missouri as a slave state would have given the southern states a majority in the senate. The northern states opposed the admission of Missouri for these reasons.
The compromise proposed by Henry Clay was to admit Maine as a separate state from Mass. of which it had been a part though separated physically from Mass. This would create one free state to balance the one slave state of Missouri. It would recognize popular sovereignty. ( that territories should be able to chose their form of government) At the same time it destroyed the line prohibiting slavery north of the Mason Dixie line.
The Compromise of 1850 was also designed to keep the peace and potentially maintain the political power. The compromise of 1850 was caused by the petition of California to be admitted as a free state. The southern states opposed the admission of California because it would give the northern state a majority in the senate.
There were five parts to the Compromise of 1850
1. California would be admitted as free state.
2. New Mexico and Utah would be allowed to use popular sovereignty to determine if they would be admitted as free states or slave states potentially giving the slave states two new states to the one free state of California.
3. Texas was to be given $10,000,000 to pay its debts to Mexico in return for giving up its claims to the territory of New Mexico allowing it to be a potential slave state.
4. Slave trade would be abolished in DC making the north happy.
5. The Fugitive Slave Act was established making the south happy.
