ID: Kansas-Nebraska Act
When: May 30, 1854
Who: Stephen Douglas (Senator from Illinois)
What:
The Kansas-Nebraska Act was a controversial piece of legislation that allowed for the potential creation of two new states, Kansas and Nebraska, with the question of slavery to be determined by Popular Sovereignty (allowing the residents of each territory to vote on whether or not to allow slavery).
Impact: Why Significant?:
This act effectively repealed the Missouri Compromise of 1820 which prohibited slavery north of the 36°30′ parallel. This angered many in the North, leading to increased tensions between the North and South. It also sparked a violent struggle in Kansas, known as “Bleeding Kansas,” as pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions clashed. The Kansas-Nebraska Act is seen as a major factor in the escalation of sectional tensions that ultimately led to the Civil War.