The Missouri Compromise: Significance in American History

Historical Context

• Year: 1820
• US Status: A young nation with 22 states: 11 free states (North) and 11 slave states (South)
• Issue: Balance of free and slave states threatened by Missouri's request to join the Union as a slave state

Slavery Debate

• Contentious Issue: Slavery highly debated, some pushing for abolition, others for its expansion
• National Division: Families and states divided, creating high tensions
• Debate Focus: Missouri's status and slavery's role in future states
• Congressional Authority: Debate over Congress's right to regulate slavery
  • Northerners: Argued for Congress to prohibit slavery
  • Southerners: Advocated for popular sovereignty (states decide)

Political Power Concerns

• Balance of Power: Missouri's entrance as a slave state would disrupt Congressional balance

The Missouri Compromise

• Solution:
  • Missouri: Admitted as a slave state
  • Maine: Admitted as a free state to maintain balance
  • Slavery Ban: Prohibited in remaining Louisiana Purchase territory north of latitude line 36°30'
• Impact: Limited spread of slavery but did not abolish it in existing slave states

Long-term Effects

• Prevention of Civil War: Temporarily staved off conflict but maintained status quo
• Ongoing Debate: Missouri's admission intensified national slavery debate
• Resolution: Issue not resolved until the end of the Civil War

Broader Implications

• Red Guards: Reference to later historical movements (e.g., Red Guards under Mao) that involved public humiliation and violence against political opponents