c) Slave and free states

The Missouri Compromise of 1820 was a significant legislative act in American history, aimed at maintaining a balance between slave and free states in the U.S. Senate. This compromise admitted Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state, preserving the delicate balance of power. It also established the 36°30′ parallel as the dividing line for slavery in the Louisiana Territory. The Missouri Compromise was a critical attempt to address the growing sectional tensions over slavery, reflecting the complexities of the issue and the efforts to find a political solution in the early 19th century.