which situation was affected depending on weather a state was admitted as a free state of a slave state?
The situation that was most affected depending on whether a state was admitted as a free state or a slave state was the balance of power between the North and the South in the United States.
During the 19th century, there was a constant struggle between Northern states, where the institution of slavery was gradually abolished, and Southern states, where slavery was deeply entrenched. The admission of new states as either free or slave states had a direct impact on the composition of the US Senate and, to some extent, the House of Representatives.
The balance of power in the Senate was particularly crucial for both sides. Each state was represented by two senators regardless of its population, which meant that the conflict between free and slave states became a factor in ensuring an equal balance between the North and the South. This balance was important because it affected the ability of both sides to push forward their political agendas, including issues related to slavery and its expansion into new territories.
For example, when the Missouri Compromise of 1820 allowed Missouri to enter the Union as a slave state but prohibited slavery in the rest of the Louisiana Purchase territory north of the 36°30' parallel, it temporarily maintained the balance of power between free and slave states.
Ultimately, this delicate balance was upset with the admission of new territories and states, leading to increasing tensions that eventually culminated in the American Civil War in 1861. Numerous compromises and legislative acts attempted to address this issue, such as the Compromise of 1850 and the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, which effectively repealed the Missouri Compromise and allowed for popular sovereignty in deciding the status of slavery in specific territories.
Overall, the admission of a state as either free or slave had significant implications for the power struggle between the North and the South, shaping the political landscape and contributing to the tensions that led to the Civil War.