Seems like it's always about the Benjamins. The Compromise of 1850 doesn't address wealth in the most straightforward way, but it's in the background as a concern or motivation for a lot of its legislation. Money's offered as compensation or payment, systems are set up to prevent corruption in the new territories, and so on.
One of the major motivations for southerners to want to expand slavery in the first place was that their economy was based on plantations and slave labor. Without slavery, the South's economy would collapse. Slaves were valuable commodities; owning them was a very profitable investment for plantation owners, so if one of them managed to escape, it was a huge financial loss. Can you believe we're even talking about human beings like this?
Questions About Wealth
- What would you say were the main economic incentives behind the Compromise of 1850?
- Did the North have any economic reasons in their pursuit of the Compromise?
- How does the pursuit of wealth relate to the origins of the Compromise of 1850?
- Does the final Compromise legislation promote the increasing wealth of Americans? If so, how?
Chew on This
Southern politicians largely fought to protect their way of life because they felt economically threatened by the North.
The average price of a slave in 1850 was $400-$600; that's about $12,000-$15,00 in today's money. A young man in his prime work years could cost as much as $35,000. No wonder they wanted runaways returned.