The Compromise of 1850, the Fugitive Slave Act, and the Georgia Platform

Once again, the balance of power in congress could be disrupted. California wants to join as a free state. The Compromise of 1850 was the solution of this problem. California was admitted as a free state, and Texas gave up land, in return for 10 million dollars. Another reason the south gave California admission was because the Fugitive Slave Act was passed. (but slave buying and selling was abolished in DC.) What the Fugitive Slave Act did, was require that anybody was required, under the law, to return any runaway slaves to their owners. This was a huge advantage for the Southerners, as if their slaves ran away, the government was required to give them back. Georgia agreed to the Compromise of 1850, if the Northerners stayed true to the Fugitive Slave Act. That was called the Georgia Platform.

























As you can see above, California was now a free state.
Image from: http://withfriendship.com/user/pintu/compromise-of-1850.php

Some people tried to warn the fugitive slaves of the new act by hanging posters like this one.
Image from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fugitive_Slave_Act_of_1850