Nationalism+and+Sectionalism

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3/29/11 __Missouri Compromise Essay__

The Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional. This compromise forced Maine to become a free state because Missouri wanted to become a slave state and there had to be an equal balance between free states and slave states. If there wasn’t, people would become upset. This compromise, also, banned slavery in northern parts of the United States. This compromise was unconstitutional because slaves were property and the fifth amendment prevented the government from taking property from anyone. The 3/5s compromise stated that slaves would be considered only 3/5s of the population making them property. Since slaves weren’t people the government had no right to take them away from the citizens of Maine. The only way to keep a balanced number of free and slaves states would be to buy the slaves and then ban slavery or simply ask Maine to give them up. That would make it constitutional. However, what the government did by just taking property is unconstitutional. The fifth amendment states that the government must buy property. At that time, slaves were considered property due to the 3/5s compromise. Missouri was a slave state and Maine was a free state. The Missouri Compromise forced the government to make Maine a free state, freeing any slaves who lived there. In freeing those slaves the government was taking away property of citizens who lived there. According to the 5th amendment that is unconstitutional because the 5th amendment forces the government to buy property and not just take it. The Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional. The 3/5s compromise and the 5th amendment prove it. The government isn’t allowed to take property without purchasing it and slaves were property. Though there had to be a balance of free states and slave states they government had to do it in a constitutional way and the Missouri Compromise wasn’t.