Which state was admitted as a free state under the Compromise of 1850?

• A. Texas
• B. Nevada
• C. Utah
• D. California

Answer: (D)

The key idea here is how California entered the Union as a free state as part of a package designed to resolve the clash over slavery in new areas. California’s rapid population growth from the Gold Rush helped it push for statehood, and Congress agreed to admit it without slavery. That move shifted the balance in the Senate toward free states, which was exactly what the Compromise of 1850 aimed to manage. In return, the package included other measures intended to placate the Southern states, such as the Fugitive Slave Act. The other places listed were not admitted as free states in this agreement. So California stands out as the state admitted free under this compromise.