Kansas nebraska act
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The Kansas Nebraska Act was passed on May 30, 1854 by US Senator, Stephen Douglas. This legislation established both Kansas and Nebraska and essentially overrode the Missouri Compromise. The act allowed for people in both Kansas and Nebraska to decide whether or not to allow slavery within their borders, by a matter of popular sovereignty. This act was very controversial and further worsened North/South relations.
The kansas nebraska act of 1854
The Kansas Nebraska Act was passed in 1854, allowing for the citizens of Kansas and Nebraska to vote for whether or not to allow slavery within their borders. Originally, Senator Stephen Douglas planned to pass a bill that would formulate Nebraskan territory, in hopes to bring it under civil control. He tried to do this in order to ensure a beneficial transcontinental railroad route to his state of Illinois. However, southern Senators opposed the bill, due to the fact that this region lies north of land under the Missouri Compromise. So, instead, Douglas proposed a new plan in hopes of gaining the south's support. He recommended invalidating the Missouri Compromise line and establish two territories in the Kansas/Nebraska area. Whether or not slavery were to be allowed would be determined by the popular sovereignty (Douglas' principle). Although he wasn't immediately, President Franklin Pierce was in favor of the plan and supported Douglas. Ultimately, the act was passed on May 30, 1854 after much debate, by a narrow margin of 113 votes in favor to 100 votes against.
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After the act was passed, Kansas territory became embroiled with numbers of pro and anti slavery voters hoping to affect the election. People flooded in from both the North and the South. Because the Missouri Compromise had been invalidated here, there was a chance that this region could become pro-slavery and the southerners would do anything they could to get a northern slavery state. This led to a lot of violence and bloodshed, becoming known as "Bleeding Kansas." This episode was one of the many causes to the civil war.
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Stephen A. Douglas
Stephen Douglas, born in Vermont in 1813, was a US politician of the Democratic Party. After studying law in Canandaigua, New York, he moved to Illinois, becoming involved in politics. Douglas played a major role in the formation/creation of the democratic party in Illinois, introducing new factors, such as nominal conventions and democratic committees. He gained a large amount of popularity from the small farmers of Illinois, using it to form a strong democratic organization. After holding a couple state office positions, Douglas ran for a Congress position. Although he lost by a fairly narrow margin, he was elected as a member of the House of Representatives six years later in 1843. He was significantly involved in a majority of the issues in America during his time as a Senator. Douglas' most significant legislation was the Kansas Nebraska Act, which he spearheaded, in attempt of making a transcontinental railroad that would benefit Illinois. He allied with the pro-slavery southern members of Congress so they would support/approve his act. His controversial Kansas Nebraska Act was passed in 1854.
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Though this act was very significant, he is mainly remembered for his debates against Abraham Lincoln. Ironically enough, he briefly dated Mary Todd, who later became Lincoln's wife.
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How was the Kansas Nebraska Act significant to US History? What happened as a result of the Kansas Nebraska Act?
Incivility
How is the Kansas Nebraska Act related to other significant events of US History? Click to learn more about the relations between the Kansas Nebraska Act, Missouri Compromise, Bleeding Kansas and more.
Significance in american history
Full text of the act
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