Final answer:
The Missouri Compromise of 1820, brokered by Henry Clay, admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state, and prohibited slavery north of the 36°30' line in the Louisiana Purchase, attempting to balance slave and free states and quell growing tensions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Missouri Compromise of 1820
The Missouri Compromise, a significant event in American history, was an effort to maintain the balance of power between slave states and free states. It brought Missouri into the Union as a slave state and Maine as a free state. To address the concerns of Northern states regarding the spread of slavery, the compromise introduced the Thomas Proviso, which prohibited slavery above the 36°30' latitude line, within the lands acquired from the Louisiana Purchase, effectively creating a geographic boundary for the expansion of slavery.
The debates leading up to the compromise highlighted the intense sectionalism and differing perspectives on slavery. Speaker of the House Henry Clay, known as the 'Great Compromiser', played a pivotal role in brokering this deal. The agreement attempted to quell the growing tensions by admitting Maine and Missouri in such a way as to preserve the Senate's balance. Besides, it established a precedent for dealing with the contentious issue of slavery in new states. Despite the temporary resolution, the Missouri Compromise exposed the deep-seated divisions over slavery and set the stage for future conflicts.