Final answer:
The Tallmadge Amendment deepened the sectional divide in the United States and intensified the conflict over slavery. It sparked debates and calls for disunion, eventually leading to the Missouri Compromise of 1820.
Step-by-step explanation:
The impact of the Tallmadge Amendment was significant in terms of deepening the sectional divide in the United States and intensifying the conflict over slavery. The amendment proposed to prohibit slavery in Missouri and gradually emancipate the existing slaves. It sparked fierce debates and led to strident calls of disunion and threats of civil war.
Northern representatives supported the Tallmadge Amendment, arguing against the morality of slavery and advocating for equality and liberty. In contrast, southerners opposed it, viewing it as a threat to their property rights and political power. The amendment's defeat eventually led to the Missouri Compromise of 1820, which sought to maintain a balance between free and slave states.