The Missouri Compromise

In the early part of the 19th Century, slavery was the most divisive issue in the United States. Our history will show that the issue of slavery was not only about racism, bias or prejudice. It was not only about one race believing that they are superior against another at the expense of another race that is demanding liberty, equality and freedom. Slavery as an institution had little to do with morality or religious grounds.

After the Revolution, the states in the North started to outlaw slavery while the states in the South sought the perpetuation of slavery. Based on our history, the Southern States sought the perpetuation of slavery because their whole economy depended on slaves. The states in the South mainly relied on the production and exportation of cotton for their source of income. This meant maintaining vast tracts of land which served as plantations for cottons. Plantation owners had to rely on thousands of slaves for cultivation and harvesting of cotton. Relying mainly on slaves to support the state’s main source of income, the Southern States opposed any action on the part of the federal government to abolish slavery.

On the other hand, influential leaders in the North opposed slavery. They thought that maintaining slavery is immoral. The Northern States which were more progressive than the Southern States relied on manufacturing and exportation of goods for their source of income. They did not, however, need slaves to meet the demand for production.

The Missouri Compromise in 1820 was the short-term solution to ensure that balance is maintained between the pro-slavery and anti-slavery states. It determined whether slavery would be legal in new territories admitted as states to the Union. Under the Missouri Compromise, to ensure that a balance is maintained between the pro-slavery and anti-slavery states, two states will be admitted to the Union. It was very fortunate that at that time Maine also petitioned for admission to the Union. As a result, it was agreed that Missouri will be admitted as a slave state while Maine will be admitted as a free state. This compromise also formally organized a boundary in Missouri providing that in case future states join the Union slavery will not be allowed territories north of 36°30’ while slavery will be allowed south of it. This temporarily defused the tension between them.

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