Ferguson
Niether
it was equal.
The North wanted it brought into the Union as a Free State or at the worst case as a popular sovereignty State or Territory. Southerners wanted it as Slave holding areas.
There was and even amount of slave and slave-free states
The political balance between slave and free states as of 1819 was disturbed by the territory of Missouri's petition for admission to the Union as a slave state.
Dred Scott
The Missouri River
dred scott
When the free population of a territory tops 60,000 settlers have the right to have a slave free state. This is a well known thing.
tyjfgc
He could apply for his freedom, and it would be granted automatically.
Nevada was a part of the Utah Territory until 1850 and became Nevada Territory in 1861. Nevada became a state in 1864. Nevada was neither a free state nor a slave state from 1820 - 1850.