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Compromise of 1850 By the 1850's the Constitution had become a source of sectional discord and tension due to the different interpretations taken by the North and South. The North's interpretation was that slavery was immoral and not protected under the Constitution. The South, on the other hand, interpreted the Constitution as recognizing slavery where it existed. In addition, the acquisition of new land brought into question the expansion of slavery and the balance of power …

…slavery was a necessary institution and way of life. Since the North and South were essentially two different societies united under one common law, it seemed inevitable that the conflict over slavery and political power would arise. It would have been impossible to accommodate the differences between the North and South under one law that applied to both. Therefore the only solution to preserve the union would be to either abolish or accept slavery -