Compromise Of 1850 Dbq Essay

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Pages: 3

Both the North and South had conflicting opinions about slavery. As tension rose, congress hurried to create something that would douse the embers of coming conflict. Their answer? The Compromise of 1850. The Compromise “was designed to end the crisis by giving both supporters and opponents of slavery part of what they wanted.” It consisted of five bills, each filled with the hope for a path to peace. To calm the North, California became a free state upon entrance to the union. The Compromise also banned slave trade in the capital of America. To please the south, congress implemented the Fugitive Slave Act. Though The Compromise of 1850 aimed to lessen dispute about slavery, the result was even worse tension. In conclusion, The Compromise did the exact opposite of what it had intended, and was ultimately the trigger of the Civil War.
The Compromise may have been successful if it wasn’t for the addition of the Fugitive Slave Act (FSA). The FSA was a part of The Compromise of 1850 that had aimed to give the south part of what it wanted, while still keeping the north in check. The act allowed fugitive slave hunters to enter a state in the Union and
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Nevertheless, the union still seemed to be barely intact. Concord between the two groups still remained- but not for long. The final provocation of the civil war resided within the presidential election of 1860. The long drawn out debate about slavery had left America exhausted. With candidates that had two very different opinions on slavery, stress laid upon the union. As expected, both sides leaned toward the candidate that supported their perspective on slavery. When Lincoln won the election, the south felt like backed into a corner with no escape. They believed they no longer had any voice in government, and things had been set up against their interests. With what felt like their best option, shots were fired, and civil war was set in