How did Missouri's application as a slave state in 1819 challenge U.S. law?
1 Answer
It sharpened the debate over whether the federal government could legislate about slavery in the states.
Explanation:
At the time of Missouri's application for admission as a slave state, the country was equally divided between slave and free states, eleven-eleven. Admission of Missouri as a slave state would upset that balance.
Southerners argued that any new states formed out of the territories had the same rights as the thirteen original states, meaning they could decide for themselves whether to allow slavery or not. They were afraid that if new states were prohibited from allowing slavery then the balance would tip and slavery would eventually be abolished.
Northerners argued that the federal government had control of the territories, and therefore could legislate conditions for any states formed. They were afraid that if new states could decide to allow slavery then the balance would tip and slavery would endure forever.
The acrimonious debates lasted for almost a year, and resulted in the Missouri Compromise of 1820, which admitted Missouri as a slave state and also admitted Maine (which had been a part of Massachusetts) as a free state, thus maintaining the status quo.
It made neither side very happy, but it managed to hold the Union together for another thirty years. It was negated by the Kansas-Nebraska act of 1854, which allowed new states to decide the question of slavery for themselves.
