The situation affected by whether a state was admitted as a free state or a slave state was the balance of power in the United States Senate. The admission of a new state as either a free state (where slavery was prohibited) or a slave state (where slavery was allowed) would potentially tip the balance in favor of one group or the other. This was a highly contentious issue during the mid-19th century, as it directly impacted the question of whether slavery would be allowed to expand into new territories. The balance of power between free and slave states was seen as crucial for both sides in the ongoing debate over slavery and its future in the United States.
