The main issue addressed in the Missouri Compromise was the balance of power between free and slave states in the United States. With the admission of Missouri as a new state, there was a concern that it would tip the balance in favor of slave states in the Senate. This compromise aimed to maintain a balance by admitting Missouri as a slave state and Maine, which was previously part of Massachusetts, as a free state. Additionally, the compromise drew a line across the Louisiana Territory at the 36°30' parallel, stating that any new states admitted above this line would be free states, while those below it could allow slavery.
