What were the main provisions of the Missouri Compromise?

The Missouri Compromise, enacted in 1820, sought to maintain the balance of power between slave and free states in the United States as it expanded westward. The critical provision of the Compromise was the admission of Missouri as a slave state while concurrently admitting Maine as a free state. This arrangement preserved the delicate balance in the Senate between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions, which was crucial for maintaining political stability at the time.

Additionally, the Missouri Compromise included a line drawn across the Louisiana Territory, establishing that territories north of this line, with the exception of Missouri, would be free states. This provision aimed to contain the spread of slavery and mitigate conflicts arising from westward expansion. By focusing on the states being admitted and preserving the balance of power in Congress, the Compromise addressed the immediate tensions surrounding the issue of slavery.