The Missouri Compromise of 1820 did not have lasting effects. Which is the best explanation for this?
One of the best explanations for the Missouri Compromise of 1820 not having lasting effects is that it only temporarily resolved the issue of slavery in the United States, rather than addressing it comprehensively. The compromise established a balance between the number of free and slave states by admitting Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state, while also prohibiting slavery in the remaining territories north of the 36°30′ latitude line.
However, the underlying tensions and conflicts over slavery persisted, eventually leading to the American Civil War. The compromise failed to address the fundamental disagreement between the North and the South regarding the expansion of slavery into new territories, which continued to divide the nation. The Compromise of 1850 and the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 further exacerbated these tensions, ultimately rendering the Missouri Compromise ineffective in the long run.