What impact did the Compromise of 1850 have on California?

It joined the United States as a free state.
It gave up much of its claims of land to the west.
It marked the beginning of the Gold Rush.
It opened up new routes for railroads.

1 answer

The correct impact of the Compromise of 1850 on California is:

It joined the United States as a free state.

The Compromise of 1850 included California's admission as a free state, which was significant in the context of the ongoing debate over the expansion of slavery into new territories. This decision played a crucial role in the tensions between free and slave states in the lead-up to the Civil War.