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The Missouri CompromiseIn the Senate, where each state
gets two votes, the balance of power was necessary between the “Free” and “Slave” states, so that one side wouldn’t pass a law to ban or expand slavery.
In 1820, two states were added: Maine and Missouri.
Write in your book: Missouri was added as a slave state
The Missouri CompromiseLocate Maine on your map. Color it Yellow. Was Maine a Free or Slave State? Use what you know (think location) to answer that question.
Locate Missouri on your map. Color it Orange. Was it a Free or Slave State? Use what you know (think location) to answer that question.
The Missouri Compromised also made the creation of slave states above the 36˚ 30’ mark illegal. Let’s find the line on your map. Using your knowledge of the geography of
the region, do you think slavery would be needed or could even be established to the SOUTH of the Missouri Compromise line? Do you think that the Southern states resented this line? Do you think they were happy with this decision? What do you think they will do about it later on?
The Missouri Compromise
The Southwest Territories would have a chance to decide on slavery, called popular sovereignty. Color those two places PINK.
You see how they tried to keep the balance of power in Congress even. But eventually, it was impossible to do that. The Southwest Territories and Kansas-Nebraska could have been slave states, but couldn’t decided soon enough for the hard-core slave states. By Lincoln’s election in 1860, there was nothing else to give, from either side.