Balancing Nationalism and Sectionalism

The Missouri Compromise

The Missouri Compromise was developed by Henry Clay to settle the dispute whether or not Maine would be free or slave, or Missouri would be free or slave. The Compromise stated that any states north of the line would become free states. If any states south of the line were to be established, then they would become slave states. For example, the Arkansas Territory would become a slave territory because it was located below the Compromise line. But Michigan Territory would be considered a free territory. If it were to become a free state because it was locate above the Compromise line. But what would happen to territories east of the Compromise? What happens to the territories west of the Compromise?

The Missouri Compromise came about because northerners wanted to end slavery. But people in the South wanted to keep slavery in order to keep the cotton production up. The Compromise helped solve any fighting that would uproar in America. After the Compromise was official, if two new territories applied for statehood, one would have to be free. The other would have to be slave. But, when California and Kansas decided to enter has free states, many southerns got mad because they thought that if the power in the House wasn't equal, then the people from up North would outvote slavery and make their economy bad. Maybe if Henry Clay had been more specific about the Compromise when he wrote it, then it might have prevented many conflicts during this error.

Mickeal Burdine