The Compromise of 1850 made the problems between the North and South worse before the Civil War. It was supposed to fix issues between slave states and free states, but instead, it created even bigger divisions.

Important Parts of the Compromise:

1. California Becomes a State:

   • California was admitted as a free state. This changed the balance because there were now 16 free states and 15 slave states. That upset the equal numbers that existed before.

2. Fugitive Slave Act:

   • This law required that escaped slaves be returned to their owners, even if they were found in free states. It put pressure on all citizens, which made many in the North resist slavery even more.
   • From 1850 to 1860, about 30,000 escaped slaves were caught because of this law.

3. Popular Sovereignty:

   • The people living in New Mexico and Utah could vote on whether or not to allow slavery. This led to violent fights called "Bleeding Kansas," as people who wanted slavery and those who didn't rushed into these areas to have their say.

4. Economic Reasons:

   • The economy in the South relied a lot on slavery, especially with its $2 billion cotton industry that depended on enslaved workers. This economic reliance made the South even angrier toward the North, where many people opposed slavery.

In short, while the Compromise of 1850 temporarily reduced some tensions, it actually set the stage for even more division that would lead to the Civil War.