Missouri Compromise of 1820

Decades before the territory of Missouri petitioned Congress for access to the Union as an independent state, slavery has been at odds as an issue in the United States of America.

Ever since Revolution took place, the country, although it grew from 13 to 22 states in number, has always maintained that equilibrium between the free states and the slave states. Out of the 22 states, 11 were free while 11 were slave states, where the states that were free held total control over the House of Representatives.

That said, in 1819, James Tallmadge, who was one of the Representatives of New York, put forth an amendment addressing the banning of slavery in Missouri. Note that, there were already more than 2000 slaves present in Missouri at that time which, eventually, led to the country being exposed to the erratic concern of slavery and its unfolding in newer states.

The wail became louder, and since, the entire economy of the South relied on slavery of the black, it was quite difficult to combat the 200 years of Southern life and culture that made slavery an integral part of life.

However, it was after Henry Clay, the great pacificator, made constant efforts to resolve the issue, that led to the Missouri Compromise of 1820, significance of which was so strong, that Missouri along with Maine was admitted as a state. There is a lot to know about the Missouri Compromise of 1820.

Summary of this agreement, and it's after-effects are talked about in the content that follows forward.

The Institution knew that with Maine admitted as a non-slave state, and Missouri admitted as a slave state simultaneously, the balance between the slave and free states within the country wouldn't be disturbed in any way. James Tallmadge, who belonged to New York, put forth the amendment saying that no more slaves would be admitted in the state.

What's more, he also addressed that the slaves serving presently would be waived of all charges the day they turn 25. This, certainly, ruminated the conviction of gradual emancipation.

Facts regarding the Missouri Compromise of 1820 in American history also reveal that there was no single person or authority set for any kind of discourse or response. Initially, the statement of statehood was segmented into two parts in order to be paid attention to on a separate basis.

However, astonishingly, both the segments of the amendment were passed together in the House, and the bill was sent to Senate, where the chamber was divided equally: free and slave.

However, senators of the South argued that Congress held no authority to exclude slavery from Missouri, post which, State Houses throughout the South backed the inclusion of Missouri as a state in the slave category.

As far as the West was concerned, they did not support enough, and instead, sided with the South, backing up not for pro-slave, but for the free entry of territories into the Union, eventually, subsiding the bill in Congress.

It was when Maine applied for statehood that Congress agreed to admit the two states, unrestricted, however, under one condition, that while Missouri would enter the Union as a slave state, Maine would enter as a free state.

The Missouri Compromise of 1820 made way for a number of political disputes that involved contention between the northern and the southern states for authority in Congress. These disputes mainly targeted effective control over territories that were likely to be created in the future.

What is more, the consideration of Congress towards acceptance of Missouri as an independent state hoisted the issue of sectional balance, that meant, in order to admit Missouri as a slave state, the Union would have to maintain proper balance by admission of a free state at the same time, and hence, Maine was admitted as a free state.

Howbeit, it was considering the domain of the US constitution, that the Missouri Compromise of 1820 was extremely significant towards exclusion of slavery from public territories. On similar paths of Missouri and Maine, Arkansas was admitted as a slave state, along with Michigan as a free state, in the year 1837.