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The '''Kansas-Nebraska Act''' was an 1854 law opening the American territories of [[Kansas]] and [[Nebraska]] to settlement, with the extremely controversial provision that the residents would decide whether or not to have slavery. It was the test of the "[[popular sovereignty]]" idea that democracy would trump ethics--that is, [[slavery]] was neither right nor wrong, but a policy people should decide for themselves. Illinois Senator [[Stephen Douglas]], leader of the Democrats in the Senate, devised and pushed the bill through to passage with a herculean effort. The Act led to civil war in Kansas--"[[Bleeding Kansas]]"--and escalated the tensions over slavery that led to secession and the [[American Civil War]] in 1861.  Passed by the House of Representatives by a vote of only 113 to 100 on May 25, 1854,<ref>http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/ourdocs/kansas.html</ref> this divisive law is considered by historians to have been the single biggest step towards the break-up of the [[United States]] six and a half years later.

The '''Kansas-Nebraska Act''' was an 1854 law opening the American territories of [[Kansas]] and [[Nebraska]] to settlement, with the extremely controversial provision that the residents would decide whether or not to have slavery. It was the test of the "[[popular sovereignty]]" idea that democracy would trump ethics—that is, [[slavery]] was neither right nor wrong, but a policy people should decide for themselves. Illinois Senator [[Stephen Douglas]], leader of the Democrats in the Senate, devised and pushed the bill through to passage with a herculean effort. The Act led to civil war in Kansas--"[[Bleeding Kansas]]"—and escalated the tensions over slavery that led to secession and the [[American Civil War]] in 1861.  Passed by the House of Representatives by a vote of only 113 to 100 on May 25, 1854,<ref>http://www.loc.gov/rr/program/bib/ourdocs/kansas.html</ref> this divisive law is considered by historians to have been the single biggest step towards the break-up of the [[United States]] six and a half years later.

The Act effectively nullified the earlier [[Missouri Compromise]], as Kansas and Nebraska were both north of the compromise line where slavery was not to be allowed. Anti-slavery activists were outraged. The act let settlers decide for themselves whether to allow slavery, in the name of "popular sovereignty" or rule of the people. Opponents, led by [[Free Soil]] Democrats such as [[Salmon P. Chase]] denounced the law as a concession to the [[Slave Power]] --that is the political machine of slaveowners that controlled the South and much of the national government. The act and the subsequent civil war in [[Bleeding Kansas]] was a major step on the way to the [[American Civil War]].

The Act effectively nullified the earlier [[Missouri Compromise]], as Kansas and Nebraska were both north of the compromise line where slavery was not to be allowed. Anti-slavery activists were outraged. The act let settlers decide for themselves whether to allow slavery, in the name of "popular sovereignty" or rule of the people. Opponents, led by [[Free Soil]] Democrats such as [[Salmon P. Chase]] denounced the law as a concession to the [[Slave Power]]—that is the political machine of slaveowners that controlled the South and much of the national government. The act and the subsequent civil war in [[Bleeding Kansas]] was a major step on the way to the [[American Civil War]].

The problem was that thousands of people poured into Kansas in order to shape the electoral outcome.  Pro-slavery ruffians from Missouri fought with anti-slavery settlers funded by New England abolitionists and Protestant churches.  Long crates shipped from New Haven were marked "Bibles"; inside were rifles. People called them "Beecher Bibles" after the abolitionist preacher.

The problem was that thousands of people poured into Kansas in order to shape the electoral outcome.  Pro-slavery ruffians from Missouri fought with anti-slavery settlers funded by New England abolitionists and Protestant churches.  Long crates shipped from New Haven were marked "Bibles"; inside were rifles. People called them "Beecher Bibles" after the abolitionist preacher.

Pro-slavery settlers rushed to Kansas mainly from [[Missouri]]. Their influence in territorial elections was often bolstered by resident Missourians who crossed the border into Kansas purely for the purpose of voting in such ballots. They were called ''border ruffians'' by their opponents, a term coined by [[Horace Greeley]].  

Pro-slavery settlers rushed to Kansas mainly from [[Missouri]]. Their influence in territorial elections was often bolstered by resident Missourians who crossed the border into Kansas purely for the purpose of voting in such ballots. They were called ''border ruffians'' by their opponents, a term coined by [[Horace Greeley]].  

The free-state movement was a coalition of settlers who favored black rights and others who wanted the territory only for whites, but all were united by the conviction that their political rights were violated by nonresident voting and by Democratic presidents' heavy-handed administration of the territories. Etcheson (2006) argues that participants on both sides of the Kansas conflict believed they fought to preserve the liberties secured by the [[Republicanism, America| values of the American Revolution]] and that violence erupted because each side feared the loss of meaningful self-governance.

The free-state movement was a coalition of settlers who favored black rights and others who wanted the territory only for whites, but all were united by the conviction that their political rights were violated by nonresident voting and by Democratic presidents' heavy-handed administration of the territories. Etcheson (2006) argues that participants on both sides of the Kansas conflict believed they fought to preserve the liberties secured by the [[Republicanism, America|values of the American Revolution]] and that violence erupted because each side feared the loss of meaningful self-governance.

Abolitionist [[John Brown]] and his sons helped in the fight against them and executed five pro-slavery farmers at Pottawatomie, then fled to Iowa. Successive territorial governors, usually sympathetic to slavery,  attempted unsuccessfully to maintain the peace. The territorial capital of Lecompton, the target of much agitation, consequently became such a hostile environment for free-soilers that they set up their own unofficial legislature at Topeka.

Abolitionist [[John Brown]] and his sons helped in the fight against them and executed five pro-slavery farmers at Pottawatomie, then fled to Iowa. Successive territorial governors, usually sympathetic to slavery,  attempted unsuccessfully to maintain the peace. The territorial capital of Lecompton, the target of much agitation, consequently became such a hostile environment for free-soilers that they set up their own unofficial legislature at Topeka.

The pro-slavery forces won, and slavery was legal in 1860, when the census counted three slaves in the territory. With Republican success in 1860, a new anti-slavery constitution was drawn up. On January 29, 1861, Kansas was admitted to the Union as a free state. Nebraska, which was settled a little later and did not have a dispute over slavery, was admitted to the Union as a state after the Civil War in 1867.

The pro-slavery forces won, and slavery was legal in 1860, when the census counted three slaves in the territory. With Republican success in 1860, a new anti-slavery constitution was drawn up. On January 29, 1861, Kansas was admitted to the Union as a free state. Nebraska, which was settled a little later and did not have a dispute over slavery, was admitted to the Union as a state after the Civil War in 1867.

==see also==

==See also==

* [[Bleeding Kansas]]

* [[Bleeding Kansas]]

* [[Second party System]]

* [[Second party System]]