Worksheet4: Evaluating historical policies

Date: _September 30, 2001 Group Members: ____John Doe_____________________

Your problem (phrase): An increase in sectional conflicts resulting from Missouri's admission to the Union.

1. State one of the major historical policies that attempted to deal with the social problem:

The Missouri Compromise of 1820 allowed the entry of Maine into the union as a free state along with the entry of Missouri as a slave state. Slavery was to be excluded in any other territories north of the 36 30’ parallel.

2. What were the advantages of this policy (consider effectiveness, intended and unintended consequences, costs, enforcement, public acceptance):

The Missouri Compromise temporarily kept the number of slave and free states equal, which meant there would be equal representation in the U.S. Senate.

3. What were the disadvantages of this policy? (consider effectiveness, intended and unintended consequences costs, enforcement, public acceptance):

The Missouri Compromise was viewed, even at the time, as a temporary compromise, and the question of slavery would remain at the forefront of American politics in the coming decades.

4. Based on your evaluation of the advantages and disadvantages, should a different policy have been implemented? Explain.

At the time of the Missouri Compromise, the southern states still had concomitant power (both politically and economically) with the northern states. The preservation of the union was the preeminent concern among politicians at this time.