The Missouri Compromise. Since the bulk of the settlers in the territory of Missouri were southerners, it was implied that if Missouri were to be welcomed to the Union as a state it would have to be a slave state.

BSGE Zakir Hussain

11-2 1/27/12

Missouri Compromise

In 1819, The United States of America was made up of 22 states. At the time there was an even amount of free states and slave states. Due to the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, there were boundless acres of territory that had yet to be settled in the United States. Later that year, the territory of Missouri requested for statehood (Jones 361). This request set up controversy and conflict between the North and South states. Since the bulk of the settlers in the territory of Missouri were southerners, it was implied that if Missouri were to be welcomed to the Union as a state it would have to be a slave state. Nonetheless, if Missouri were added it would strictly disturb the political status quo. Amid all this tension, “Missouri’s admission was stalled” (Jordan 247). During this debacle, the territory, which we now call Maine, applied for statehood. Henry Clay, a politician at the time, knew that with Maine applying for statehood, this stalemate between slave states and free states could end. Soon after, the Missouri compromise of 1820 was the agreement that politicians made to evenly balance slave states and free states. Additionally, it was established that slavery would not be permissible to prolong in the territories north of the 36° 30’ latitude line (Jordan 247).

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The predicament with the Missouri Compromise was that the compromise was going to boost sectional division by outlining what the free states are in the North and what the slave states are in the South (Jordan 247). The result of this compromise was going to be a division between the North and the South. Furthermore, the Missouri Compromise was not adequately sufficient enough to keep the North and the South pleased. As the Missouri Compromise was written it was made permissible for Missouri to turn into a slave state as long as Missouri didn’t limit the rights of blacks or whites that immigrated into Missouri and that Maine would merge into the US as a free state (Jones 362). Even though the Missouri Compromise was very thought out, it was not the resolution to the slave predicament that people look forward to. To be more precise, it brought about the quarrel between politicians and citizens and led to a larger sense of sectionalism.

The United States transformed into a hand tools, animal-power society into a mechanized, market-oriented society that came into sight in the North and West during the 1800s. This period of transformation was known as the Industrial Revolution. The Industrial Revolution was during the time the cotton gin was invented. Eli Whitney invented the cotton gin to help making the picking of cotton easier (Jordan 248). Inadvertently, the cotton gin helped revitalize slavery. Inventions like the textile mills, and interchangeable parts helped create the market economy. In the market economy, produce was raised and merchandise was created for sale in the market. The money that farmers and merchants made from market transactions was spent to pay for goods raised or created by others (Norton 245). There was a market cycle beginning to form. Due to the market economy, cotton started to become very valuable and it also started to become more lucrative due to the cotton gin. Many settlers wanted to join in on this newfound wealth so all the settlers started to move west to grow cotton. Since the settlers knew that they would make more money if they had slaves on their farms they demanded slavery. To accommodate the needs of the new settlers the Missouri Compromise was drafted.

Manifest Destiny was a belief that the United States had to keep on moving west. Moving west and settling in more area is the outcome of territorial expansion. With the combination of the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 and the Louisiana Purchase states would be created easier. The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 allowed territories to have its own government if it met a certain amount of people residing in that territory (Jordan 141). As I stated before in my introductory paragraph, the Louisiana Purchase gave the United States thousands of acres of land. It nearly doubled the size of the United States at the time of the transaction. The Louisiana Purchase gave settlers land to move west while the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 helped set up statehood and government for territories. If the Louisiana Purchase and the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 didn’t occur there would be no Missouri Compromise if no one settled in Missouri.

The Missouri Compromise brought out the disparities within the politicians of different parties and was a foundation to a transformation in American politics. The country was gradually separating into two distinct factions, those that preferred the southern agrarian, slave holding economy and those that preferred to shift the country in a more industrial course and preferred the abolition, or at least the restraining, of slavery. The resolution that Henry Clay recommened that was to be known as the Missouri Compromise of 1820 simply suspended a quarrel of great proportions until a later date.

Word Count: 837

Outline

Missouri Compromise

Soon after, the Missouri compromise of 1820 was the agreement that politicians made to evenly balance slave states and free states.
Additionally, it was established that slavery would not be permissible to prolong in the territories north of the 36° 30’ latitude line (Jordan 247).

Sectionalism

The predicament with the Missouri Compromise was that the compromise was going to boost sectional division by outlining what the free states are in the North and what the slave states are in the South (Jordan 247).
Even though the Missouri Compromise was very thought out, it was not the resolution to the slave predicament that people look forward to. To be more precise, it brought about the quarrel between politicians and citizens and led to a larger sense of sectionalism.

Industrial Revolution and Market Economy

In the market economy, produce was raised and merchandise was created for sale in the market.
The money that farmers and merchants made from market transactions was spent to pay for goods raised or created by others (Norton 245).

Territorial Expansion

The Northwest Ordinance of 1787 allowed territories to have its own government if it met a certain amount of people residing in that territory (Jordan 141).
The Louisiana Purchase gave settlers land to move west while the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 helped set up statehood and government for territories

Conclusion

The resolution that Henry Clay recommened that was to be known as the Missouri Compromise of 1820 simply suspended a quarrel of great proportions until a later date.