Changes

The '''Kansas-Nebraska Act''' was an 1854 law opening the [[US]] 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 '''Kansas-Nebraska Act''' was an 1854 law opening the [[US]] 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.

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 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.

 

==Bibliography==

==Bibliography==

* Etcheson, Nicole. ''Bleeding Kansas: Contested Liberty in the Civil War Era'' (2006) [http://www.amazon.com/Bleeding-Kansas-Contested-Liberty-Civil/dp/0700614923/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1222265257&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]

* Etcheson, Nicole. ''Bleeding Kansas: Contested Liberty in the Civil War Era'' (2006) [http://www.amazon.com/Bleeding-Kansas-Contested-Liberty-Civil/dp/0700614923/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1222265257&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]

<references/>

<references/>

[[Category:United States History]]

[[Category:American Civil War]]

[[Category:Kansas]]

[[Category:Kansas]]

[[Category:Slavery]]

[[Category:Slavery]]