The Missouri Crisis, also known as the Missouri Compromise of 1820-21, was a series of confrontations between the pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions in the United States over whether the Missouri Territory would enter the Union as a free or slave state. The crisis also coincided with the Panic of 1819, leading to a widespread economic crisis in the country. Here's a brief summary of the events:
Background:
- Missouri was a territory in the Louisiana Purchase, acquired by the United States in 1803.
- The issue of slavery in new territories admitted to the Union had become contentious, with free and slave states evenly split in the Senate. Adding another slave state would upset the balance.
Events:
- In early 1819, Missouri applied to become a slave state, causing significant political tension in Congress.
- The House of Representatives passed a resolution to admit Missouri as a free state, while the Senate favored admitting Missouri as a slave state.
- The disagreement sparked heated debates between Northern and Southern representatives over issues such as slavery expansion, states' rights, and the future of the Union.
Compromise:
- In 1820, Senator Henry Clay of Kentucky proposed a compromise that would admit Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state, preserving the balance of power in the Senate.
- Additionally, the compromise included the famous "36°30' line," which established a boundary above which slavery would be prohibited in the rest of the Louisiana Territory north of Missouri.
- The Missouri Compromise was narrowly approved in both the House and the Senate, averting an immediate crisis.
Significance:
- The Missouri Crisis highlighted the deep divisions between Northern and Southern states on the issue of slavery and exposed the tension that would grow even further in the coming decades.
- It served as a temporary resolution to avoid splitting the Union, but it did not ultimately address the underlying issue of slavery.
- The crisis set a precedent for sectional compromises and temporarily stabilized the balance between free and slave states until the onset of the Civil War.