Compromise+of+1850,+including+the+Fugitive+Slave+Law

The Compromise of 1850 was put into action to take care of three major issues and keep both the northern anti-slavery men and the southern slave owners satisfied. The United States had just gained land from Mexico and it was undecided whether the territory would allow slavery or not. California was also under debate, the state had gained enough citizens to apply for statehood, but because of the Missouri Compromise there would also have to be another state added to balance out the free states and slave states. Washington D.C. was also an issue; it was a huge slave trading market. The Compromise of 1850 stated that when the new territories applied for statehood, the people of the state would vote to be a slave state or free state. D.C. would not allow slave trading anymore, but anybody that had a slave before the law was passed would be able to keep his slave legally. The most controversial part of the compromise was the Fugitive Slave Law. This act required citizens to turn in any run away slaves, and the slaves did not have the right to a trial to defend themselves. The Underground Railroad became much more active at this point, run away slaves needed to get to Canada to get away from slavery, if they stayed in the U.S., then they would be sent back to their owners, or be killed publically as an example to other slaves.