1.
- Other territories might follow California's example.
- Nonslave states would control the Senate.
While the South supported slavery, the North wanted to abolish it. This created a difficult situation in Congress, as the views were so opposed to each other. Therefore, in order for Congress to be able to compromise, a balance between the number of free and slave states needed to be maintained. The South was worried that if California was allowed as a free state, this would mean that nonslave states might control the Senate. Moreover, it could encourage other territories to follow this example.
2.
The Compromise of 1850 was particularly important for three reasons. First, it dealt with the newly-acquired territory as a result of the Mexican-American War. This territory was more contentious and more heavily populated than the territory addressed in the Missouri Compromise. The second reason was the fact that this compromise allowed for popular sovereignty. While the Wilmot Proviso proposed outlawing slavery in the new territories, the Compromise of 1850 allowed people to decide. This encouraged citizens to develop an opinion in the matter. Finally, the Compromise of 1850 was significant because it came at a time when the question of slavery was very pressing and heavily debated, which allowed it to have significant implications in the Civil War.
