What did the Compromise of 1850 establish regarding California?

The Compromise of 1850 established that California was admitted as a free state. This was a significant outcome of the compromise, as it helped to address the contentious issue of slavery in new territories acquired from Mexico following the Mexican-American War. By admitting California as a free state, the balance of power between free and slave states in the United States Senate was shifted, which was a crucial consideration in the political landscape of the time.

The Compromise aimed to ease tensions between free and slave states and included various provisions, such as the establishment of popular sovereignty in other territories and a stricter Fugitive Slave Law. However, the admission of California as a free state was particularly important because it came with the rapid influx of settlers during the Gold Rush, making the state’s status a pressing issue. This decision was part of a broader attempt to maintain the delicate balance between the North and South, but ultimately it highlighted the growing divide that would lead to the Civil War.