In American political history, the Compromise of 1850 was a set of legislation built upon five planks and designed to mitigate growing hostility between the north and south of the United States in the aftermath of the Mexican-American War. It was chiefly brokered by Whig Party grandee Henry Clay.
First, the Fugitive Slave Act was enhanced, requiring slaves who had escaped to free states to be returned, if captured. Prior to this, many free states refused to repatriate escaped slaves.
Second, the District of Columbia acquired a special status with respect to slavery. While slave trading would be outlawed, slave owning would be permitted.
Third, Texas ceded its claims to certain territories acquired during the war in exchange for the federal government assuming its debt.
Fourth, California—which had been captured from Mexico and annexed by the United States—was admitted to the United States as a free (non-slave) state.
Fifth, the newly acquired territories of New Mexico and Utah would be permitted to decide for themselves whether slavery would be permitted or outlawed.
https://guides.loc.gov/compromise-1850
There were four main components to the Compromise of 1850. California wanted to join the Union as a free state and would be allowed to do so. Secondly, the Utah and the New Mexico territories were created. The people living in these territories would determine if there would or wouldn’t be slavery in them.
There were two other parts to the Compromise of 1850. The trading of slaves in Washington, DC would end. Finally, the Fugitive Slave Law was passed. This law required northerners to help capture runaway slaves and return them to the South. This meant that a runaway slave could no longer be confident that escaping to the North would mean he or she would be free. The Compromise of 1850 gave both the North and the South some things that they wanted. However, each side didn’t get everything that it wanted.
https://www.history.com/topics/abolotionist-movement/compromise-of-1850-video
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