President Millard Fillmore, serving from 1850 to 1853, played a crucial role in the passage of the Compromise of 1850, which aimed to ease tensions between free and slave states. His support for the Fugitive Slave Act, a controversial component of the compromise, intensified sectional conflict and contributed to the growing divide leading up to the Civil War. Fillmore's administration also saw the opening of Japan to American trade through Commodore Perry's expedition, marking a significant shift in U.S. foreign policy. Overall, his presidency was marked by attempts at compromise that ultimately failed to resolve the deepening national divisions.
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