What was a key feature of the Compromise of 1850?

The Compromise of 1850 was a series of five bills that were intended to stave off sectional strife in America. Its main goal was to seek a compromise and avert a crisis between North and South.

One of the key features of the Compromise of 1850 was the Fugitive Slave Act, which was a concession to the South. This act required that all escaped slaves were, upon capture, to be returned to their masters and that officials and citizens of free states had to cooperate in this law. This was highly controversial and caused much tension between the North and South.

Another key feature was the admission of California as a free state. This was a concession to the North, as it would upset the balance of free and slave states in the Union.

The compromise also involved a decision on the issue of slavery in the territories acquired after the Mexican-American War. Instead of deciding whether these territories would allow slavery, as had been done in the past, the decision was left up to the territories themselves through popular sovereignty.

Lastly, the compromise included the abolition of the slave trade (but not slavery itself) in the District of Columbia, and a more stringent fugitive slave law.

In summary, the key features of the Compromise of 1850 were the Fugitive Slave Act, the admission of California as a free state, the decision to allow the territories to decide the issue of slavery for themselves, and the abolition of the slave trade in the District of Columbia.