The most significant political division established by the Missouri Compromise was the division between free states and slave states. The compromise allowed Missouri to enter the Union as a slave state while Maine entered as a free state, maintaining the balance between the two sides in the Senate. Additionally, a line was drawn at the 36°30' parallel, stating that any new states above that line would be free states, while those below it could be slave states. This division eventually led to growing tensions and played a role in the lead-up to the Civil War.
