In 1819, Missouri asked to become a state. Northerners were against this because 10,000 slaves lived there. Because the Constitution allowed each new state to elect two senators, new states could change the political balance between “free” and “slave” states.
In the following years, each side held its beliefs more strongly. Many Northerners thought slavery was wrong.
In 1860, however, one-third of
the total population of slave states was not free.
A young politician from Illinois believed that this
was not a local issue, but a national one. His name
was Abraham Lincoln. He agreed that the South
could keep its slaves, but he fought to keep slavery
out of the territories
“This government cannot
endure permanently half-slave and half-free.” ( Abraham Lincoln.)
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