Final answer:
The 36° 30' parallel became the northern boundary for future slave states under the Missouri Compromise of 1820, aimed at balancing the interests of free and slave states.
Step-by-step explanation:
Under the Missouri Compromise of 1820, the 36° 30' parallel became the northern boundary for future slave states. This compromise was orchestrated by Henry Clay and allowed Missouri to join the Union as a slave state, while Maine joined as a free state.
The compromise aimed to maintain a balance between free and slave states and to reduce sectional conflicts by drawing a line across the Louisiana Purchase territory, with slavery prohibited north of this latitude, except for Missouri.