Missouri's request for statehood sparked controversy due to the delicate balance between slave and free states, leading to the Missouri Compromise of 1820 to resolve the issue.
The controversy surrounding Missouri's request for statehood stemmed from the issue of maintaining a balance between slave and free states in the United States. In 1819, Missouri petitioned for statehood as a slave state, which caused concerns about upsetting the equilibrium in the Senate.
The Missouri Compromise of 1820 was a resolution that allowed Missouri to enter as a slave state, Maine as a free state, and established a demarcation line at 36° 30' for future slavery expansion in the Louisiana Purchase lands.
James Tallmadge's proposal of prohibiting slavery in Missouri and gradually emancipating existing slaves further intensified the debate, with Northern and Southern states clashing over the issue.
https://brainly.com/question/1170272