Why was the US on the verge of falling apart in 1850?

Answer 1

In 1850, the United States was on the verge of falling apart due to intense sectional conflicts over slavery, particularly as new territories were being acquired and whether they would permit slavery. The Compromise of 1850 sought to address these tensions by admitting California as a free state and allowing popular sovereignty in other territories, but it ultimately failed to resolve the underlying issues. Additionally, the rise of abolitionism in the North and the strengthening of pro-slavery sentiment in the South deepened divisions, leading to increased polarization and hostility between the regions. This growing discord foreshadowed the impending Civil War.