Missouri Compromise Research Paper

Words: 441
Pages: 2

The Missouri Compromise was the legislation passed on May 9, 1820 by the 16th US Congress. This allowed Maine as a free state, and Missouri as a slave state, keeping the balance of power between North and South. Part of the compromise prohibited slavery north of the 36, 30 parallel, excluding Missouri. The legislation was signed on March 6, 1820 by President James Monroe. Prior to this, on February 4, 1819, James Tallmadge Jr. submitted two amendments to Missouri’s statehood request. This included slavery restrictions. Southerners disagreed with anything that put federal restrictions on slavery. Southerners believed slavery was settled by the Constitution. If Missouri passed, it would give the South an advantage 12-11. When Maine put in a petition for statehood, the Senate combined it with Missouri’s petition. This made it so if Maine entered as a free state, Missouri could enter as an uncontrolled slavery state. Jesse B. Thomas, a senator, added a statement to restrict slavery in all remaining Louisiana Purchase lands, north of the 36, 30’ parallel. This passed the Senate, but was voted down in the House by Northerners who wanted a free Missouri. …show more content…
Clay pressured half of the Southerners to vote for the passage of the bill. This eventually ended in a stalemate on March 4, 1819. The House held its free state position, while the South held it’s non-restricting ways. The bill was controversial, because many believed the country would be divided. The Missouri Compromise was repealed in 1854 by the Kansas-Nebraska Act, and during Dred Scott vs. Sandford it was made unconstitutional. Tensions over slavery laws eventually led to the Civil