USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -The Missouri Compromise of 1820 established the latitude 36°30′ as the northern limit for slavery to be legal in the territories of the west. As part of this compromise, Maine (formerly a part of Massachusetts) was admitted as a free state.

Detailed explanation-2: -The Missouri Compromise also proposed that slavery be prohibited above the 36º 30’ latitude line in the remainder of the Louisiana Territory. This provision held for 34 years, until it was repealed by the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854.

Detailed explanation-3: -This parallel of latitude is very important in the history of the United States. This is because it was the line of the Missouri Compromise, which was used to divide the slave and free states west of the Mississippi River, with the exception of Missouri, which is mostly north of this parallel.

Detailed explanation-4: -The Missouri Compromise of 1820 designated the latitude, 36 degrees 30 minutes, as being a dividing line-slavery was allowed below the line, but not above. Missouri, Kentucky and Virginia were then slave states located above the line; however, the rest of the Louisiana Purchase lands were closed to slavery.

Detailed explanation-5: -Anti-slavery supporters were outraged because, under the terms of the Missouri Compromise of 1820, slavery would have been outlawed in both territories since they were both north of the 36º30’ N dividing line between “slave” and “free” states.