The Compromise of 1850 sought to address tensions between which two groups?

The Compromise of 1850 aimed to address the escalating tensions between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions in the United States, particularly in the context of expanding territories acquired from the Mexican-American War. As the nation grappled with the question of whether to permit slavery in these new territories, both sides found themselves increasingly entrenched in their positions.

The Compromise included a series of measures designed to balance the interests of both factions: it admitted California as a free state, which favored the anti-slavery side, while implementing a tougher Fugitive Slave Law to appease pro-slavery advocates. Additionally, it allowed for popular sovereignty in Utah and New Mexico, enabling the residents of those territories to decide the issue of slavery themselves. This delicate arrangement was a significant attempt to maintain the Union and stave off conflict at that moment, highlighting the deep divisions that existed over slavery.

The other groups listed, such as immigrants and nativists, Unionists and Confederates, and Federalists and Anti-Federalists, were not the primary focus of the compromise, making it clear that the key contention during this period was indeed between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions.