The Missouri Compromise vs. the Nullification Crisis

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The Missouri Compromise and the Nullification Crisis were both very noteworthy events in American history. The significance of the two not only laid in the events themselves, but also the time period in which they occurred and what they foreshadowed. In short, the Missouri Compromise was an act of Congress passed in 1820 between the two faction of United States Congress, that is, the pro-slavery faction and the anti-slavery factions. The compromise primarily involved the regulation of slavery in the western territories of the United States. Although it prohibited slavery in the Louisiana Purchase Territory north of the 36 30 degree latitude, it carved out an exception for Missouri. The Nullification Crisis arose during the presidency of Andrew Jackson and was precipitated by South Carolina’s 1832 Ordinance of Nullification. In short, South Carolina in that ordinance challenged the power of the federal government to impose the federal Tariffs. It declared the federal Tariffs of 1828 and 1832 illegal and in South Carolina. Thus, the Nullification Crisis focused on the States’ rights, while the Missouri Compromise’ main focus was on slavery. Although the reasons for the Nullification Crisis and Louisiana Compromise differed, they both resulted from the growing tension in America during the early 1800s. At that time, the country was having trouble agreeing on very important issues and it showed in the occurrence of these events, as well as others. The Missouri Compromise was more significant than that of the Nullification Crisis because the issue of slavery was one that had presented itself many times and had led to many conflicts in the history of the United States. It also challenged the right of the Federal government to... ... middle of paper ... ...ri Compromise allowed different states to be a part of the Union while preserving their socio-economic base. These two divergent views were not sustainable within a union. Jefferson’s statement “[t]his momentous question, like a fire-bell in the night, awakened and filled me with terror” was accurate, in that it foreshadowed the disunion of the states. Allowing Missouri to enter the Union as a slave state, and others to enter as free states were in fact catalysts for major conflict between Americans who believed in the abolition of slavery. The Missouri Compromise also signaled the occurrence of the nullification doctrine due to conflicts arising from various factions within the Union. The nullification doctrine which allowed states to determine which federal law to abide by defeated the purpose of having a union. Works Cited Henretta, History.com, yahoo answers

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