Eleanor Finch
The Missouri Compromise of 1820 was a federal law that admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state, maintaining the balance of power in the Senate between free and slave states. This was a critical agreement to preserve the Union, as it temporarily settled a divisive national debate over whether new states would permit or prohibit slavery. The Compromise was an outgrowth of the US Constitution, with interpretations of the Constitution's privileges and immunities clause in Article IV, Section Two, and Article IV, Section Three, which left the terms of statehood admission up to Congress, playing a role in the debate. The Compromise was later repealed by the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, and the Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional in 1857.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of legislation | March 3, 1820 |
| Date of signing into law | March 6, 1820 |
| Purpose | To maintain a balance in the Senate between free and slave states |
| Admitted Missouri as | Slave state |
| Admitted Maine as | Free state |
| Prohibited slavery | In the remaining Louisiana Purchase lands north of the 36°30′ parallel |
| Clause in Missouri's constitution | Exclusion of "free negroes and mulattoes" from the state |
| Outcome | Helped postpone the Civil War |
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What You'll Learn
The Missouri Compromise balanced the number of free and slave states
The Missouri Compromise, also known as the Compromise of 1820, was a federal law that balanced the number of free and slave states in the United States. It admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state, maintaining the balance between the North and the South in the Senate. The Compromise was a response to Missouri's application for statehood in 1819-1820, which stirred up divisive debates over slavery, industrial development, and trade policies.
Before the Compromise, there were 22 states, with an equal number of free and slave states. Missouri's application threatened to upset this balance, as it sought to enter the Union as a slave state. The Compromise was crafted by Senator Henry Clay of Kentucky, who was known as "The Great Compromiser." It passed the House by three votes on March 3, 1820, and was signed into law by President James Monroe on March 6, 1820.
The Compromise also included a provision that prohibited slavery in the remaining Louisiana Purchase lands north of the 36°30′ parallel, which was known as the Thomas Limitation. This line divided the nation into competing halves—half free, half slave. The Compromise was seen as a critical agreement to preserve the balance of power in Congress and maintain the Union. However, it only lasted 34 years, and its elimination was a contributing factor to the Civil War.
The Missouri Compromise was controversial and faced opposition from both the North and the South. Northern politicians were concerned about the expansion of slavery and its moral implications, while Southerners objected to federal restrictions on slavery. The Compromise was later found to be unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in the Dred Scott v. Sandford decision in 1857, as Congress had no power to prohibit slavery in the territories, and slave owners were guaranteed property rights under the Fifth Amendment.
Despite its eventual repeal, the Missouri Compromise was a significant milestone in American history. It temporarily settled a divisive national debate over slavery and marked the start of a new era in Senate history, with the Senate becoming a legislative forum for Union-saving compromises.
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It admitted Maine as a free state
The Missouri Compromise, also known as the Compromise of 1820, was federal legislation that aimed to balance the conflicting desires of northern and southern states concerning the expansion of slavery. The Compromise admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state.
Maine, previously the northern region of Massachusetts, had sought admission to the United States as a separate state following the War of 1812. However, its bid for statehood was complicated by the issue of slavery. The admission of Missouri as a slave state threatened to upset the balance between slave and free states in the nation, with northern politicians already regretting the Constitution's Three-Fifths Compromise, which gave southern states increased representation in the House of Representatives.
The Missouri Compromise connected the admission of Maine and Missouri, ensuring that both entered the Union simultaneously, with Maine as a free state and Missouri as a slave state. This compromise maintained the balance between slave and free states, with neither side gaining a political advantage. The legislation also outlawed slavery in the remaining Louisiana Purchase lands north of the 36°30′ parallel, excluding the proposed state of Missouri.
The Missouri Compromise was passed by Congress on March 3, 1820, and signed into law by President James Monroe on March 6, 1820. It was hailed as an essential agreement to preserve the Union and postpone the Civil War. However, it was also deeply disappointing to many, as it legitimized slavery as a Southern institution and halted the progression of gradual emancipation.
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It admitted Missouri as a slave state
The Missouri Compromise, an 1820 law passed amid debate over slavery, admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state. This was done to maintain the balance between slave and free states in the nation. The legislation also outlawed slavery above the 36°30' latitude line in the remainder of the Louisiana Territory.
The Missouri Compromise was a temporary solution to the brewing controversy over slavery in the United States. The question of Missouri's admission as a slave state threatened to upset the balance of power in the Senate, which is made up of two senators per state. Admitting Missouri as a slave state would tip the balance in the Senate in favour of the slave states, as the country was equally divided between eleven slave states and eleven free states at the time.
The admission of Missouri as a slave state was opposed by Northerners, who wanted to prevent the expansion of slavery in the country, and supported by Southerners, who wanted to expand it. The controversy over Missouri's admission arose within Congress, with the House initially rejecting the Senate bill and voting to admit Missouri without slavery. However, a compromise bill based on proposals by Senator Henry Clay of Kentucky passed the House by three votes on March 3, 1820. The bill was then signed into law by President James Monroe on March 6, 1820.
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It outlawed slavery in the northern part of the Louisiana Territory
The Missouri Compromise, passed on March 3, 1820, was an attempt to maintain the balance of power in Congress between slave and free states. It admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state. This was done to maintain the balance between slave and free states in the nation.
The Compromise also outlawed slavery in the northern part of the Louisiana Territory, above the 36º 30' latitude line. This was the southern boundary of Missouri, and the decision was made to prohibit slavery in the remaining Louisiana Purchase lands. The Louisiana Territory had been acquired through federal executive action in 1803, under President Thomas Jefferson. Prior to its purchase, the governments of Spain and France had sanctioned and promoted slavery in the region. The Missouri Compromise's outlawing of slavery in the northern part of the Louisiana Territory was an attempt to uphold the egalitarian intent of the Founders.
The Compromise was an important moment in US history, as it was seen as a critical agreement to preserve the balance of power in Congress and keep the Union intact. However, it failed to resolve the pressing question of slavery and its place in the nation's future. It also set a precedent for Congress to make laws concerning slavery, which was opposed by Southerners. The Compromise would remain in force for just over 30 years before it was repealed by the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854.
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It was deemed unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 1857
The Missouri Compromise of 1820 was a critical agreement to preserve the balance of power in Congress between slave and free states. It admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a non-slave state simultaneously to maintain the balance. The Compromise also proposed that slavery be prohibited above the 36º 30' latitude line in the remainder of the Louisiana Territory.
However, in 1857, the Supreme Court, led by Chief Justice Roger Taney, deemed the Missouri Compromise unconstitutional in its Dred Scott v. Sandford decision. The Court ruled by a 7-2 majority that the Compromise was illegal because Congress had no power to prohibit slavery in the territories, and slave owners were guaranteed property rights under the Fifth Amendment. This decision added fuel to the sectional controversy and pushed the country closer to civil war. The Dred Scott decision also held that African Americans were not and could never be citizens of the United States, a ruling that was later overturned by the 13th and 14th Amendments.
The Missouri Compromise, which had been the accepted constitutional settlement for nearly four decades, was thus overturned. The Compromise had been a contentious issue since its inception, with critics in the South objecting to the federal government imposing restrictions on a state's desire to uphold slavery. The Compromise had been achieved through paired admissions, with Maine admitted as a non-slave state to balance Missouri's admission as a slave state. This balance was further ensured by the proposal to prohibit slavery above the 36º 30' latitude line in the Louisiana Territory, which was repealed in 1854 by the Kansas-Nebraska Act.
The Dred Scott v. Sandford case centred on a slave, Dred Scott, who had resided in a free state and territory where slavery was prohibited. Despite this, the Supreme Court ruled that Scott was not entitled to his freedom and that Congress had exceeded its authority in the Missouri Compromise. This ruling was a significant example of the Court imposing a judicial solution on a political problem, and it contributed to the growing sectional divide in the country.
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Frequently asked questions
The Missouri Compromise was federal legislation that balanced the desires of northern states to prevent the expansion of slavery with those of southern states to expand it. It admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state.
The Missouri Compromise maintained a balance in the Senate between free and slave states. It also outlawed slavery above the 36º 30' latitude line in the remainder of the Louisiana Territory.
The Missouri Compromise represented a major milestone in American history. It temporarily settled a divisive national debate over whether new states would permit or prohibit slavery. It also set the stage for a new era in Senate history, with the Senate now being the legislative forum where critical debates on slavery took place.
The Missouri Compromise helped to postpone the Civil War. However, it lasted only 34 years, and its elimination was one of the contributing factors leading to the war. The Compromise also set a precedent for future compromises over the expansion of slavery, such as the Compromise of 1850 and the Kansas-Nebraska Act.
