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The Missouri Compromise: Balancing Free and Slave States in the United States, Exercises of African American History

An overview of the missouri compromise, a political agreement in the united states that aimed to balance the number of free and slave states in the country. The compromise was necessary to prevent the issue of slavery from tearing the nation apart as new states joined the union. The background of the issue, the compromise itself, and its consequences.

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2021/2022

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Slave States, Free States Name:
Reading
Slavery: The Deep Divide
The United States may have started out with only thirteen states,
but it soon began to grow. As each new state joined the union,
everyone wanted to know if it would be a slave state or a free
state. The issue of slavery was slowly driving a wedge through the
United States. Abolitionists believed slavery was wrong. They
wanted to abolish slavery completely, or at least keep slavery from
spreading by making sure all new states would be free states. Most
slave owners relied on slave labor to run their businesses. They
believed they would lose their wealth without slavery, and they
wanted new states to allow slavery. Each side was determined not
to let the other side get any advantage.
A Different Kind of “Equality”
Missouri’s application triggered an uproar. If Missouri were admitted,
the balance would be gone. After months of debate, the Missouri
Compromise saved the day: Missouri would be admitted as a slave
state, and a new stateMainewould be created as a free state. To
avoid future problems, they also mapped out which parts of the rest
of America’s territory could become slave and free states. For almost
30 years, America kept the balance as more states joined the Union.
But by 1850, the U.S. had grown all the way to the Pacific coast.
This new land was not subject to the Missouri Compromise, and
debate over whether slavery would be allowed in the new territory
threatened to tear the nation apart.
When “Compromise” Means Going Backward
When California applied for statehood in 1849, there were 15 slave
states and 15 free states. California wanted to be a free state, but
you guessed it!that would upset the balance. The Compromise of
1850 tried to satisfy both sides. California would become a free state,
but the new territories of Utah and New Mexico would decide for
themselves whether to allow slavery. As part of the bargain, slave
trading would become illegal in Washington, D.C., the nation’s largest
slave market. But a new Fugitive Slave Act penalized citizens for
helping runaway slaves and required them to cooperate with the
process of returning slaves to their owners. All of this kept the nation
together… for the moment.
Balancing Act
There was one thing keeping the slavery issue in check: balance in
government. This was achieved by always making sure there was
an equal number of free and slave states. This balance was critical!
Each state gets to send two people to the U.S. Senate. An equal
number of senators from free and slave states meant neither side
had an advantage for getting laws passed. By 1819, there was a
delicate balance of 11 free states and 11 slave states. But then,
Missouria territory that allowed slaveryapplied for statehood.
FREE SLAVE
There were fierce emotions on both sides of
the slavery debate.
Buying and selling people was dehumanizing
and degrading, but that alone didn’t stop it.
Slave owners put runaway slave
notices in papers across the country.
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Reading

Slavery: The Deep Divide

The United States may have started out with only thirteen states, but it soon began to grow. As each new state joined the union, everyone wanted to know if it would be a slave state or a free state. The issue of slavery was slowly driving a wedge through the United States. Abolitionists believed slavery was wrong. They wanted to abolish slavery completely, or at least keep slavery from spreading by making sure all new states would be free states. Most slave owners relied on slave labor to run their businesses. They believed they would lose their wealth without slavery, and they wanted new states to allow slavery. Each side was determined not to let the other side get any advantage.

A Different Kind of “Equality”

Missouri’s application triggered an uproar. If Missouri were admitted, the balance would be gone. After months of debate, the Missouri Compromise saved the day: Missouri would be admitted as a slave state, and a new state—Maine—would be created as a free state. To avoid future problems, they also mapped out which parts of the rest of America’s territory could become slave and free states. For almost 30 years, America kept the balance as more states joined the Union. But by 1850, the U.S. had grown all the way to the Pacific coast. This new land was not subject to the Missouri Compromise, and debate over whether slavery would be allowed in the new territory threatened to tear the nation apart.

When “Compromise” Means Going Backward

When California applied for statehood in 1849, there were 15 slave states and 15 free states. California wanted to be a free state, but— you guessed it!—that would upset the balance. The Compromise of 1850 tried to satisfy both sides. California would become a free state, but the new territories of Utah and New Mexico would decide for themselves whether to allow slavery. As part of the bargain, slave trading would become illegal in Washington, D.C., the nation’s largest slave market. But a new Fugitive Slave Act penalized citizens for helping runaway slaves and required them to cooperate with the process of returning slaves to their owners. All of this kept the nation together… for the moment.

Balancing Act

There was one thing keeping the slavery issue in check: balance in government. This was achieved by always making sure there was an equal number of free and slave states. This balance was critical! Each state gets to send two people to the U.S. Senate. An equal number of senators from free and slave states meant neither side had an advantage for getting laws passed. By 1819, there was a delicate balance of 11 free states and 11 slave states. But then, Missouri—a territory that allowed slavery—applied for statehood.

FREE SLAVE

There were fierce emotions on both sides of the slavery debate.

Buying and selling people was dehumanizing and degrading, but that alone didn’t stop it.

Slave owners put runaway slave notices in papers across the country.

Map Activity

A. 11 Slave, 11 Free. Below is the list of free and slave states before 1820. On the Missouri Compromise map, write an S on each slave state and an F on each free state:

E. The Slave Population. On the Compromise of 1850 map, draw a tiny pie chart on each slave state to show the percent of that state’s population that was enslaved.

B. One of Each. The Missouri Compromise let Missouri in as a slave state and Maine in as a free state. On the Missouri Compromise map...

  1. Shade Missouri and Maine with diagonal lines like this:
  2. Label Missouri and Maine with S and F like you did for the other states.

C. Not Above That Line! The Missouri Compromise also drew an imaginary line across U.S. territory at the 36o^ 30’ line of latitude. New states north of that line would not allow slavery. New states below the line would allow slavery. On the Missouri Compromise map...

  1. Find the 36o^ 30’ line of latitude. It is half way between the 35o^ and 36o^ lines. (Hint: It’s also the border between Tennessee and Kentucky!) Pay attention — lines of latitude follow a slight curve!
  2. Starting at the Mississippi River, draw a

dotted linewestward to show the 36o^ 30’

line, like this:

  1. STOP when you reach the border of land controlled by Spain. 1. Draw criss-cross lines through California like this: 2. Draw a big question mark on the two territories that got to decide the slavery issue for themselves. 3. Find Washington, D.C. Draw a dollar sign with a line through it like this: 4. By 1850, there were a few new states:

Write F on ALL the free states (including the ones you marked on the other map). Do not mark on the slave states.

D. Another Compromise? On the Compromise of 1850 map...

Use this circle to help you figure out how much of each chart to shade:

% % % % % % % % % % % % % % % %

Example:

10%

20%

30%

40% 50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Slave States, Free States Name:

Map

MISSOURI COMPROMISE (1820)

COMPROMISE OF 1850

** TEACHER GUIDE **