week three on "Aurelia's journey"

For the Valentine holiday:

left, Wandering Lover,

right, Economy.

Aren't those good ones for the week of Valentine's Day?

 Those were both nine inch blocks.

Now, a couple of twelve inch blocks...

Album...using that Cheddar that I love:

 and Drunkard's Path:

They were all fun blocks to make...especially the cheddar.

I was afraid it was going to be too much, but, I'm really still liking it.

Now the history part...

The Compromise of 1850 and the Fugitive Slave Act...

California was ready to join the Union...

Texas and lands west wanted to become territories of the U.S.

And with all the other unrest

regarding the balance of power

between free and slave-holding states,

Congress adopted five bills - known as the Compromise of 1850. 

The compromise was meant to

soothe tensions

between the North and South and

not split the Union...

The effect was exactly opposite...

neither the Abolitionists nor the Southerners were happy,

and the Compromise of 1850 just added to the unrest.

At the same time,

the Fugitive Slave Act was passed

to strengthen slave-owners' rights

and a commission was formed

to pursue slaves across boundaries,

without time limits, and

return them to slavery

without any due process.

Tensions rose...