As new states entered the Union, compromises were reached to maintain the balance of power in Congress between free and slave states. What was the purpose of these compromises?

• A. To regulate tariffs
• B. To balance power between free and slave states in Congress
• C. To organize new territories
• D. To create a national bank

Answer: (B)

The idea behind these compromises is to keep political power in Congress evenly split between free and slave states as the nation expanded. Since each state gets two senators, admitting new states could tilt the balance toward one side. By arranging admissions and rules for new territories so that free and slave states remained roughly equal in influence, lawmakers aimed to prevent either side from dominating federal decisions, especially on the issue of slavery. For example, arrangements often paired the admission of free and slave states or set guidelines for how new territories would determine slavery, all to preserve that balance and calm sectional tensions.