What was the goal of the Missouri Compromise regarding state admissions?

The goal of the Missouri Compromise was to maintain a balance between slave states and free states in the Union as new territories were being admitted to the United States. This 1820 agreement was critical in addressing the contentious issue of slavery's expansion into new states. By admitting Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state simultaneously, the compromise sought to preserve an equal representation of both types in the Senate. This balance was deemed necessary to prevent conflicts over the spread of slavery, which could lead to increased sectional tensions and potentially violence within the nation. The Missouri Compromise thus played an important role in the complex political landscape surrounding slavery during this period.