What compromise allowed California to join the Union while addressing the issue of slavery?

The Compromise of 1850 was a multifaceted agreement reached in order to resolve tensions between free and slave states as the nation expanded westward. This compromise was crucial in allowing California to enter the Union as a free state, which was significant given its rapid population growth due to the Gold Rush.

In addition to California's admission, the compromise included other provisions such as the enforcement of stricter fugitive slave laws, the abolition of the slave trade in Washington, D.C., and the establishment of popular sovereignty in the territories of Utah and New Mexico, meaning that the residents of those territories would decide whether to allow slavery.

This careful balancing act aimed to maintain tensions between Northern and Southern states, striving to preserve the Union amid increasing divisions over the issue of slavery. The Compromise of 1850 highlighted the complexities involved in addressing slavery during a time when the nation was expanding and grappling with its moral and political implications.