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Primary sourceDocument29 January 1850 (resolutions); statutes enacted September 1850

Compromise of 1850

Henry Clay · 29 January 1850 (resolutions); statutes enacted September 1850

Henry Clay's handwritten resolutions that became the Compromise of 1850, whose Fugitive Slave Act forced Tubman to change her rescue routes.

Its Fugitive Slave Act forced Tubman to extend her rescue missions all the way to Canada.

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Handwritten manuscript on aged paper with cursive text and crossed-out words, showing the resolutions of the Compromise of 1850, including provisions on California statehood and slavery in the territories.
Henry Clay, Resolutions later known as the Compromise of 1850, 29 January 1850. U.S. National Archives.

About this source

What it is

This is Senator Henry Clay's handwritten resolutions from January 1850, which became the basis for the Compromise of 1850, a series of statutes passed by Congress that September. It is held by the U.S. National Archives.

Why it matters

The Compromise addressed slavery in new territories but also strengthened the Fugitive Slave Act, requiring law enforcement everywhere, North and South, to help capture escaped enslaved people. This law directly affected Harriet Tubman's rescue missions, forcing her to guide freedom seekers all the way to Canada rather than stopping in Northern states.

Look closer

  • Why did Congress try to balance the admission of free and slave states?
  • How might the Fugitive Slave Act have changed the risks faced by people like Tubman and those she helped?
  • What does this document leave out about the human cost of these political compromises?

This document is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, John Brown, Millard Fillmore, Zachary Taylor, Franklin Pierce, James K. Polk, James Buchanan, Harriet Beecher Stowe and William Lloyd Garrison on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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Three Hundred Dollars Reward Notice

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Black-and-white studio portrait of a standing woman in a dark long-sleeved dress with a white collar, buttons down the bodice, and a tasseled key at her waist. Her hand rests on a draped chair; a hat and coat lie on a fringed stool, and a draped table stands at left against a plain backdrop with a column.Photograph

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Scan of a dark brown cloth book cover with a worn, faded light-colored title block at the top left, too faded to read clearly. The rest of the cover is plain, with a visible spine edge along the left side.Book

Secondary source

Harriet, the Moses of Her People

Sarah Bradford · 1886

Sepia carte-de-visite portrait of a seated Black woman in a dark long-sleeved dress with a white collar and a light checked skirt, leaning her arm on a spindle chair. Handwritten signature reads Harriet Tubman. Red and cream border.Photograph

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Carte-de-visite Portrait of Harriet Tubman

Benjamin Powelson · c. 1868-1869

Scanned handwritten General Affidavit form, filled in by hand, with a title printed at top. The text describes a claim for services as nurse and cook in hospitals and as commander of scouts during the Civil War. Signatures of affiants appear at the bottom, including Harriet Tubman's name and her mark.Document

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General Affidavit of Harriet Tubman

Harriet Tubman · 1898

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