“the Missouri Compromise Succeeded in Minimalizing Divisions Between North and South in the Years 1820-50.” How Far Do You Agree with This View?

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“The Missouri compromise succeeded in minimalizing divisions between north and south in the years 1820-50.” How far do you agree with this view? The Missouri compromise was a line that separated the United States into free soil (north) and slave states (south) to keep the balance in congress in regards to the extension of slavery. The 1820 compromise was successful in minimalizing divisions until 1846 due to that fact that for every free state, there will be a slave state and the gag rule (1836-44). However, despite the fact the compromise worked for 26 years, due to the effects of the Mexican war (1846), slavery became a national issue once again that increased divisions between the north and south. The Mexican cession disrupted the balance, which suggests that the Missouri compromise wasn’t successful in minimalizing divisions between north and south. As it could be argued that the compromise actually avoided the issue that caused division in the first place when the debate about the territories gained in the Mexican war should be free soil or slave state. The Missouri compromise was successful because its aim was to maintain the free soil/slave state balance in congress as the north feared the southern majority in congress would vote to the expansion of slavery and the south feared that northern majority in congress would vote to abolish slavery. By using the idea that for every free state, there is a slave state, there is a balance in congress. For example the free soil states were Maine, Michigan, Iowa and Louisiana and the slaves states were Missouri, Arkansas, Florida and Texas. This obviously shows the equal amount of both slave and free soil, thus an equal amount in congress the meant the compromise was successful. This further implies that because that both slave states and free soil states were equal, the compromise satisfied both parties and the
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