In a paragraph, describe three compromises that were made over the practice of slavery during the expansion of the United States into western areas. Identify the details in each act designed to appeal to the South.

Answer 1

During the expansion of the United States into western areas, several compromises were reached regarding the practice of slavery, with each act designed to appease the South. Firstly, the Missouri Compromise of 1820 allowed for the admission of Missouri as a slave state, while Maine entered as a free state, maintaining the balance between the free and slave states. Additionally, a line was drawn at 36°30' north latitude, stating that all new states created north of the line would be free states, while those south of it could permit slavery. This compromise aimed to preserve the equilibrium in Congress between pro- and anti-slavery factions. Secondly, the Compromise of 1850 included the Fugitive Slave Act, which required the return of escaped slaves to their owners, even in free states. This act heavily favored the South, enabling them to recover their runaway slaves, reinforcing their economic dependence on slave labor. Lastly, the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 repealed the Missouri Compromise line, allowing residents of these territories to decide on the legality of slavery through popular sovereignty. Despite its seemingly neutral approach, this act favored the South by allowing the possibility of creating more slave states, leading to a violent clash between pro- and anti-slavery settlers in "Bleeding Kansas."