By the 1850s America was in the middle of the Second American Party System of Democrats and Whigs. The two equally strong parties had members in every corner of the country. While there was plenty to argue about – banks, tariffs, and internal improvements – these issues always came down to party line votes. However, one festering subject that could kill parties and cause votes to be based on sectionalism rather than parties remained: slavery.Our Founding Fathers understood this when in they created Northwest the Southwest and Ordinances in 1787 and 1790, respectfully, which state that new states created above the Ohio River would be free and any below would be slave states. This was done so that Congress would not have to debate slavery with the addition of each new state; the decision had already been determined. The plan worked and slavery was not addressed in Congress until 1820.By 1820 there was a second generation of leaders who learned from the Founders the importance of compromising slavery for the sake of unity. In 1803 Thomas Jefferson acquired the Louisiana Purchase which doubled the size of the U.S. and opened new territory. In 1820 the first territory from this new land, Missouri, applied for statehood as a slave state. For the first time, slavery was on Congress’ table.At that point, there were 11 slave states and 11 free states, and neither side wanted Missouri to go the other direction and shift the balance of power. As Northerners pushed for free soil land to protect white workers, the South pressed for a continuation of slavery. This was not a fight between parties but between sections.U.S. House Speaker Henry Clay proposed an agreement to solve the immediate crisis but also eliminate the conversation in the future. The Missouri Compromise of 1820 allowed Missouri to enter as a slave state but allowed Maine to break from Massachusetts and become a free state, keeping the balance of power and making both sides content. To solve future issues a new line was drawn, the 36º 30’ latitude or southern border of Missouri, across the remainder of the nation. (Remember at this time, Mexico still owned the Southwest, and the Northwest was being disputed by Britain). From that point on any new state above the line would be free and any south would be slave. Then, to guarantee no further problems, in 1836 Congress passed a ...
