Question

Who drafted the compromise that established california as a free state and allowed the territories of utah and newmexico decide the slavery issue by popular sovereignty?

Answer 1

Henry Clay drafted the Compromise of 1850

Answer 2

The correct answer is Henry Clay.

Henry Clay is known as the great compromiser, as he helped to organize the Missouri Compromise and the Compromise of 1850. The Compromise of 1850 is the one being described in the question. This helped to delay the Civil War by about a decade and a half, as the issue of whether or not slavery would exist in these newly acquired territories caused extreme tension between Northern and Southern politicians.