The Missouri Compromise was passed in 1820. It was made because some people believed in pro-slavery or anti-slavery in the US. In 1819 the people of Missouri territory requested Missouri to be a slave state which made the balance uneven between free states and slave states in the US. Congress decided to make Missouri’s request come true but also made Maine a free state out of territory of northern Massachusetts. It passed an amendment that split across the Louisiana territory making a boundary of free and slave territory for future western states. The Missouri compromise made everything north of the 36, 30 parallel line, except Missouri, would be free states or territories, everything south would be open to having slaves.
This compromise was an effort to keep balance of power. It helped a lot in the slave and free states. It was the first move to limit slavery in the United States. The Missouri compromise lasted for three decades.It helped keep the slavery issue from leading to war. I think the Missouri Compromise was a good choice that was put in place but it could not last. Eventually America was faced with solving the divide of slavery and eventually America would be divided in a Civil War.
http://www.history.com/topics/missouri-compromise
Below is a portrait of the great compromising politician Henry Clay in 1830.
