The role and function of Congress

Full Answer Section The impact of the Missouri Compromise can still be felt today. The compromise helped to solidify the sectional divide between the North and the South, which ultimately led to the Civil War. The compromise also created a precedent for the federal government to regulate slavery, which would be used again during the Civil War and Reconstruction. Here is one example or comment made by a historian or scholar that challenges my current understanding of how Congress operates: Quote by political scientist Sarah Binder: "Congress is not a unitary actor. It's a collection of 535 individuals who have their own priorities and interests. This makes it very difficult to get anything done, even when there is broad agreement on the need for action." This quote challenges my previous understanding of Congress as a monolithic institution that is able to act quickly and decisively. Instead, I now understand that Congress is a complex and often dysfunctional institution that is often unable to overcome its own internal divisions. This understanding of Congress is important because it helps to explain why the government is often unable to address important issues. It also helps to explain why the government sometimes makes decisions that are not in the best interests of the people.  

The Missouri Compromise of 1820 The Missouri Compromise was a deal between the North and the South that allowed Missouri to enter the Union as a slave state and Maine to enter as a free state. The compromise also prohibited slavery in the rest of the Louisiana Purchase north of the 36°30' parallel. The Missouri Compromise was a landmark event in American history because it was the first time that the federal government had intervened to regulate slavery. The compromise helped to avert a civil war, but it also created a new source of tension between the North and the South.