Question

Study the map above, then answer the question that follows based on what

you've learned about the Missouri Compromise of 1820.

2. Can you predict any problems that might occur with the compromise that was created?

Answer 1

From the map, it can be seen that the Missouri Compromise of 1820 resulted in the admission of Missouri as a slave state and the admission of Maine as a free state. This created an arrangement where free states and slave states were distributed equally amongst the states of the Union. However, this arrangement proved to be unsustainable in the long run, as changing population and political dynamics would eventually result in an uneven distribution of free and slave states. One potential problem with the Missouri Compromise of 1820 is that it could lead to a situation known as "slave power," in which the number of slave states would give them an outsized influence in federal politics. Additionally, the Missouri Compromise of 1820 was ultimately declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, leading to further tension and conflict between northern and southern states.