Answer:
The Missouri Compromise of 1820 was an important legislative agreement reached by the United States Congress. It aimed to address the issue of slavery expansion into newly acquired western territories.
Explanation:
1. Admission of Missouri: The compromise allowed Missouri to enter the Union as a slave state, balancing the admission of Maine as a free state. This was done to maintain a balance of power between free and slave states in Congress.
2. Division of the Louisiana Territory: The compromise drew a line, known as the 36°30' parallel, across the Louisiana Territory. Territories north of this line, except for Missouri, were to be free states, while territories south of the line could allow slavery.
3. Slave vs. Free State Balance: The compromise aimed to maintain an equal number of slave and free states in the Union to prevent one side from gaining too much power in Congress.
4. Tension and Disputes: The Missouri Compromise temporarily resolved the issue of slavery expansion, but it did not address the underlying conflicts between slave and free states. These tensions eventually led to further compromises, such as the Compromise of 1850 and the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854.
