One of the most significant pacts in American history was the Missouri Compromise of 1820. On March 6, 1820, President James Monroe signed it. This agreement demonstrated how difficult it was for the nation to remain cohesive when opinions on slavery differed. America had eleven slave states and eleven free states by 1819. This indicated that the Senate had an equal number of each class. Because it meant that neither the North nor the South could dictate how slavery laws were implemented, this equilibrium was crucial. Subsequently, Missouri sought to admit slavery and become a state. Slave states would have had a 12 to 11 advantage as a result, which deeply alarmed Northerners.
This was a serious issue. It involved more than simply one state joining the union. How America might continue to grow without collapsing was the key question. The crisis revealed long-standing, stark differences between the North and South's views on slavery. Northerners did not wish for slavery to expand to other areas. Southerners expressed concern that they were losing control and argued Congress could not dictate to them what to do about their slaves.
The Speaker of the House, Henry Clay, devised a solution to this issue. He was known as "The Great Compromiser" because he was skilled at persuading others to agree with him. There were three components to his solution. First, the South was pleased that Missouri could become a slave state. Second, the balance was maintained since Maine would simultaneously become a free state. Third, he drew a hypothetical line across all of the land that America had purchased from France at 36°30'. Slavery would not be permitted above this boundary. Slavery may be practiced south of this boundary. Although this line at 36°30' was innovative, it eventually caused issues. It made tensions between the two groups while supporting their respective concerns.
Although no one was entirely happy with the compromise, it stopped a significant conflict from breaking out right away. The statement "We got Missouri but lost everything else" was made by proponents of slavery because they believed Congress was being unjust by restricting the areas where slavery could operate. Southerners were concerned that states' rights were being overruled by the federal government. Even though the agreement was limited, those in the North who opposed slavery believed it was risky because it permitted slavery in some new locations. Several immediate impacts resulted from the compromise. It also made clear that the North and South held essentially divergent opinions on slavery, which were difficult to reconcile.
For over three decades, peace was maintained by the Missouri Compromise. However, a new statute known as the Kansas Nebraska Act essentially shattered the agreement in 1854. People in territories were given the opportunity to vote on whether or not they wanted slavery under this new law. As a result, Kansas experienced horrific violence that many referred to as "Bleeding Kansas." The nation was pushed toward the Civil War by the breaking of the Missouri Compromise.The Missouri Compromise demonstrates both the positive and negative aspects of attempting to reach political agreements. For over thirty years, it was successful in avoiding a national crisis, allowing the nation to mature and prosper.
However, it also demonstrated that rules and map lines alone could not permanently solve some challenges, particularly ethical ones like slavery. Although the compromise bought America some time, it was unable to close the wide divide between those who believed slavery was morally acceptable and those who did not. The Civil War would ultimately split the nation along this line. Knowing the Missouri Compromise enables us to see how tensions between the North and South increased over time and why, despite its temporary success, the compromise was ultimately unable avoid America's most pressing problem.
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