The compromise of 1850 did not delay the breakup of the union: on the contrary, it created more problems?

Question

"the compromise of 1850 did not delay the breakup of the Union: on the contrary, it created more problems that it solved."

Answer 1

Government solutions creating more problems than they solve surprises you?

The problem with any compromise is that nobody gets what they want.

Answer 2

yes and no. Yes it did because the new Missouri Compromise was constitutional til repealed in 1854. No because it was repealed because the courts found that the government is not allowed to control lands, not written in the constitution anywhere. So they repealed this act. By doing this then it created all the problems your talking about which is if free lands can have slaves, if they be free, is there a border for slavery. It create problems with Kansas and Nebraska entering the union and with California as a state because it upset the balance of free vs slave states. As well with this they passed the Fugitive Slave law where union troops or people had to return slaves to the slave states and people began to feel it was wrong to help them out. Then u have John Brown martyred, and the Congress splintering on pro-con of slavery. With this u have Stephen Douglas and Abraham Lincoln fighting for the presidency. All of this begins to become civil war when Lincoln is president because he was against slavery and most of the southern states were for it so they left the union and thats where the Civil War begins.

So it did delay the civil war but it added to the problems they had before and during the civil war.

Answer 3

Well yes, we see that today, but hindsight's always 20-20 isn't it? It was only 2 years after the end of the Mexican American War and the U.S. had to deal with California, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah and the Texas Republic. I think it was a horrible piece of legislation, but we're judging it in the eyes of 2007. It was intended to be a COMPROMISE to placate the growing differences between the North and the South. While it was ultimately unsuccessful, it did outlaw the slave trade--but also approved the fugitive slave act which everyone in the Northern states promptly ignored thank God. We had a weak president, Milliard Filmore, who lacked the courage of Zachiary Taylor, who had died. We had a strong Congress with Henry Clay and John Calhoun and preserving the Union was seen as a greater good. I mean, I do agree with you, but you have to view historic events within the confines of their times.

Answer 4

Got a question?
The compromise was an attempt to avoid dealing with the Slavery issues, and to make politicians happy rather than enforcing the Constitution of "all men are created equal." Eventually the issue had to be dealt with, and due to the stubbornness and intransigence of the Southern States (and the refusal to give up lucrative businesses) in had to be enforced by the Union Army at the cost of millions of lives. It was all so unecessary and sad - the most shameful period of American history, including ending with the senseless murder of one of our best Presidents by a Southern sympathiser.

Answer 5

What is your question? The above quotation is a statement and not a question.

You may have been asked to explain the statement and to give your opinion about it.

Copy and paste the sites below into you web browser and read them.

http://www.gliah.uh.edu/database/article_display.cfm?HHID=325

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compromise_of_1850

http://www.mce.k12tn.net/civil_war/compromise_of_1850.htm

http://www.civilwarhome.com/compromise1850.htm

http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h182.html