The Missouri Compromise which occurred in 1820 was a compromise made over slavery. The union had an even number of slave states and free states at the time. Missouri wanted to enter the union as a slave state, but this would make the number of slave states and free states uneven. If this occurred, slavery would become even more controversial, and there would probably be a civil war. Instead, Missouri entered as a slave state and Maine broke off from Massachusetts to become a free state. This compromise temporarily resolved the slavery issue. Missouri and Maine were to enter statehood simultaneously to preserve sectional equality in the Senate. For almost a generation this Compromise seemed to settle the conflict between the North and South. As expansion continued westward, the question of whether slavery should be allowed in the new territories was heatedly argued between the North and South. The Missouri Compromise was formulated to address this. Now the main reason for the SouthÕs secession was the Slavery issue. Basically
the South wanted and needed it and the North did not want it at all. The South
was going to do anything they could to keep it. This was the issue that overshadowed
all others. At this time the labor force in the South had about 4 million
slaves. These slaves were very valuable to the slaveholding planter class.
They were a huge investment to Southerners and if taken away, could mean massive
losses to everyone. Slaves were used in the South as helpers in the fields
in the cultivation of tobacco, rice, and indigo, as well as many other jobs.
The South especially needed more slaves at this time because they were now growing more cotton then ever because of the invention of the cotton gin.
To please theSouth, slavery would be prohibited forever from Louisiana Purchase territories north of 36¡ 30'. Southern extremists opposed any limit on the extension
of slavery, but this issue was settled for now.