What legislation included provisions for California's admission as a free state and the implementation of popular sovereignty in Utah and New Mexico?

The Compromise of 1850 was a significant legislative package that addressed the contentious issues surrounding the status of territories acquired after the Mexican-American War, particularly in relation to slavery. One of its key provisions was the admission of California as a free state, which aimed to balance the interests of both free and slave states in the Union amidst the expanding westward territories.

Additionally, the Compromise included the implementation of popular sovereignty in the newly organized territories of Utah and New Mexico. This principle allowed the settlers of these territories to determine for themselves whether they would allow slavery, effectively leaving the decision to the local population rather than Congress.

These provisions were essential in temporarily alleviating tensions between the North and South over slavery, illustrating the complex negotiations that characterized pre-Civil War America. The Compromise of 1850 was instrumental in shaping the political landscape and is often seen as a pivotal moment in the ongoing struggle over slavery in the United States.