Compromise of 1850

• The Rio Grande border extended all the way up to Colorado.

• Many Texans felt that the area in New Mexico and Colorado was their territory.

• If this territory did belong to Texas, it would be legal for slavery and many Americans did not agree.

• In 1850 California asked congress to admit them as a free state. This would upset the balance between free and slave states.

• Henry Clay draws up the Compromise of 1850 to solve this problem.

Compromise of 1850

• 1. California became a free state.• 2. New Mexico and Utah became territories

with popular sovereignty deciding the slave question.

• 3. Fugitive Slave Law was passed• 4. Slave trade in Washington D.C. ended• 5. Texas lost it’s extended panhandle and

received $10,000,000.

Life in Texas – 1850s

• Most Texans lived on farms and ranches.• Crops – Corn, Sweet Potatoes, Sugar Cane,

Cotton• Livestock – Hogs, milk cows, chickens, cattle• Major towns:• 1850 – Galveston• 1860 – San Antonio• Third largest - Houston

Transportation

• Horse, wagon, foot• Rivers – steamboats• Railroads – 1850’s and 1860s

Slavery

• They were brought to Texas to work the farms• No property rights, no legal rights, no way to

gain freedom, and could not vote• They could be separated from their families• Most people supported slavery because they

felt it was needed to support the economy.• This economy was based primarily on COTTON• 1860 – 1/3 of population were slaves

Election of 1859

• Houston is elected governor even though he did not support states’ rights or the idea of secession from the union.

• This is because of the past heroics from the Texas Revolution.

• When Texas does finally secede it proves to be difficult with a governor who is against secession.