What was a significant aspect of the Missouri Compromise?

The Missouri Compromise, enacted in 1820, is significant primarily for its resolution regarding the status of Missouri as a slave state. Missouri's admission to the Union as a slave state was a pivotal moment in the ongoing national debate over the expansion of slavery into new territories and states. The Compromise also established a balance between slave and free states by admitting Maine as a free state simultaneously, thus maintaining the equilibrium between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions in Congress.

This measure was crucial in temporarily easing tensions between the North and South, as it created a clear line (the 36°30' parallel) which delineated where slavery was allowed and where it was prohibited in the Louisiana Territory. The importance of Missouri's status as a slave state is further underscored by the fact that it highlighted the sectional divisions that were beginning to crystallize in American society and politics, setting the stage for future conflicts over slavery.

In contrast, Maine was admitted as a free state, new states were indeed created from the Louisiana Territory following this compromise, and significant divisions were made within the territory to address the contentious issue of slavery. Therefore, the admission of Missouri as a slave state stands out as a particularly critical aspect of the Missouri Compromise.