Advanced Placement US History (AP US History) Practice Exam

The Missouri Compromise of 1820 was a significant legislative agreement aimed at resolving the tensions between slave and free states in the United States as new territories were being added. This compromise specifically allowed Missouri to enter the Union as a slave state while admitting Maine as a free state. This was crucial in maintaining a balance of power between slave and free states in the Senate, which was a contentious issue at the time. The 36°30′ latitude line was established as well, which dictated future admissions of states in the Louisiana Territory, hence delineating areas where slavery would be permitted and where it would be prohibited.

The other options presented do not accurately reflect the provisions or impact of the Missouri Compromise. For instance, the establishment of tariffs on southern goods pertains to economic policies and regional tensions that were separate from the issues addressed by the Missouri Compromise. The abolition of the international slave trade occurred later with the Act Prohibiting Importation of Slaves in 1808, and it also does not directly relate to the Missouri Compromise. Additionally, granting voting rights to all men was a broader societal issue not encapsulated by the specific agreement of the Missouri Compromise, focusing instead on statehood and the balance of power in Congress.