Henry Clay and the
Missouri Compromise
Pages 490-492
Who Was Henry Clay?
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Born in Virginia
Father was a Baptist minister
No formal schooling – self taught
Studied law
Congressman from Kentucky for 42 years
Ran for President five times
Nickname - “Great Compromiser”
Free or Slave State?
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Each time a group of settlers asked to join
the Union as a new state, a decision had to
be made:
 Free State – No Slavery Allowed
 Slave State – Slavery Permitted
*For a time there were as many free
states as slave states. This kept a
balance between the North and South.
A Problem Develops . . . .
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In 1819, settlers in the Missouri Territory
asked to join the Union as a slave state.
If this happened, slave states would
outnumber free states.
The Missouri question became a heated
debate that dragged on for months.
Henry Clay to the Rescue
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Henry Clay worked on this problem for
months.
Henry Clay owned slaves but did not want
to see the question of slavery tear the
nation apart.
He persuaded Congress to agree to a
compromise.
Missouri Compromise of 1820
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Under Clay’s plan Missouri would be
allowed to join the Union as a slave state.
Maine would join as a free state.
This would keep the balance between free
and slave states.
An imaginary line would divide the lands of
the Louisiana Purchase.
North of the line would be free states and
south of the line would be slave states.
Results of the Compromise
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The Missouri Compromise kept peace for
nearly 30 years.
During this time six new states joined the
Union, but the number of free and slave
states remained equal.
Henry Clay’s plan helped to avoid conflict in
the Union until 1848.
California – Free State
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After the War with Mexico, settlers in
California asked to join the Union as a free
state in 1848.
Henry Clay once again found himself in the
middle of an argument in Congress over
slavery.
His new plan was called the Great
Compromise.
Great Compromise of 1850
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California joined the Union as a free state.
The remaining land of the southwest was
divided into two territories – New Mexico
and Utah.
The people of the territories would decide
the issue of slavery.
The Compromise also included the Fugitive
Slave Law of 1850.
The Henry Clay Legacy
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Henry Clay is remembered as the Great
Compromiser.
He died in 1852.
He never gave up hope that the country
would find a peaceful way to settle their
differences.
“I know no North – no South – no East – no
West.”