The Compromise of 1850 | Henry Clay and the Struggle for the Union

Explore how Senator Henry Clay crafted a compromise to solve the dispute over expansion of slavery in the Mexican Cession lands. As students watch the video, they will consider what Clay’s compromises meant for the nation and what they might say about his character.

The compromise was an attempt to appease free states and slave states. To gain support of free states, California would be admitted to the Union as a free state and the slave trade in Washington, D.C., would be abolished. To gain the support of slave states, there would be more penalties added for violations of the Fugitive Slave Act, the federal law requiring the seizure and return of escaped enslaved persons.

Students will explore the positions of Senator John C. Calhoun of South Carolina and Senator Daniel Webster of Massachusetts on the 1850 Compromise and compare those to their previous stances. Students will also learn about the Fugitive Slave Act, what it required of Northerners and federal marshals, and how it would affect those who helped enslaved people escape.