The Missouri Compromise was an agreement passed in 1820 between the pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions in the United States Congress, involving primarily the regulation of slavery in the western territories. It prohibited slavery in the former Louisiana Territory north of the parallel 36°30' north except within the boundaries of the proposed state of Missouri. The Missouri Compromise was, of course, a compromise which was reached with much quarreling and debate between the two sides. It highlights the split between those who favor slavery and those who do not in Congress. Although this split clearly illustrates sectionalism, the two sides were able to come together and compromise, which is an example of nationalism as well.
