The Missouri Compromise
From Exhibition: A More Perfect Union: Congress and the War of 1812 Part 2
Congress and the War of 1812 II
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When Missouri, which allowed slavery, applied for statehood in 1819, Congress struggled for a way to maintain the Union despite strongly opposing pro- and antislavery constituencies. After heated debate, Congress adopted the Missouri Compromise, which admitted Maine as a free state to balance Missouri and prohibited slavery north of the 36º 30’ latitude in the Louisiana Territory.