Kansas-Nebraska Act Essay

In 1954, the Kansas- Nebraska Act was passed. Northern Democrat Steven Douglass in an attempt to build a transcontinental railroad petitioned the Kansas-Nebraska act on the bases that the Compromise of 1850 validated popular sovereignty. In Douglass’s opinion the Compromise of 1850 made the Missouri Compromise of 1820 void. There was opposition from Northern politicians who believed that the Missouri Compromise of 1820 was a sacred pact made by previous lawmakers during the union’s long history of compromises. For Southern politicians the Kansas- Nebraska Act would help the extension of slavery which most of the Northerners were against. Ignoring the wishes of the Northerners and pushing the Democratic agenda which wanted not only the

The Kansas and Nebraska Act was also a major cause of political conflicts. It pressured popular sovereignty over those new territories. Kansas, according to the Northerners, was being pressured into becoming a slave state by having acts of violence be done against them. As well, people from Missouri were going into Kansas and using their power to vote for it as a slave state, and the North

He therefore bowed to Southern wishes and proposed a bill for organizing Nebraska-Kansas which stated that the slavery question would be decided by popular sovereignty. He assumed that settlers there would never choose slavery, but did not anticipate the vehemence of the Northern response. This bill, if made into law, would repeal the Missouri Compromise of 1820, which said that slavery could not extend above the 36' 30" line. It would open the North to slavery. Northerners were outraged; Southerners were overjoyed.

Some southerners saw a possibility to use the act to get slavery legalized in some territories, like Kansas. The Kansas territory that bordered on Missouri was a slave state. As a territory, law enforcement was inconsistent in Kansas. Missourians interested in spreading slavery traveled just across the border, set up their own territorial government with a constitution that permitted slavery, and then demanded that Washington instantly recognize it. President Bucnanan, a Pennsylvanian, wanted to admit Kansas as a slave state. Congress refused, and most observers agree that the Kansas election results were the result of Missourians who voted early and often. As usual, most northerners were against any slave act. The Missouri Compromise of 1820

That is until the troubles of the Kansas-Nebraska Act occurred. Stephen Douglas was a Chicago native, and he believed that a transcontinental railroad that travelled through Chicago would be extremely to the Market Revolution in the city. This was a great idea, but it presented problems about whether the new territory established by the railroad would be a

In 1854 another problem arose which resulted in Congress passing the Kansas-Nebraska Act which repealed the Missouri Compromise, this act was introduced by Stephen A. Douglas a chairman of Committee on Territories, this act allowed the people of Kansas and Nebraska to choose rather they wanted slavery in their boundary or not through the power of popular sovereignty, the Pro-slavery settlers won the election but were charged with accusations that they cheated, in order to make sure that the vote was right they ordered a re-election but the Pro-slavery refused and the refusal resulted into a battle. John Brown an Anti-slavery leader who believed that he was sent here by god to kill anyone who was pro-slavery. He led the anti-slavery force which gained the nickname “Bleeding Kansas”. The fight was soon stopped, and a final election was held, this time the anti-slavery settlers won the vote and was announced that Kansas would become a free state in 1861. In conclusion the Compromises and Acts may have had their flaws but it they some how manage to solve the slavery issues.

“If slavery must not expand in your mind, it’s settled, we as a state secede from the governing of the Union and join a greater power, the Confederacy. We will no longer be hampered in your hatred towards our way of living. ”…“Then be on your way, I shall not dabble in your cruel pro-slavery reasoning. Just bear the knowledge in mind, we are stronger as a whole.” The Missouri Compromise kept inevitable split of the Nation at bay when it prohibited slavery north of the parallel 3630’ north line. This was later repealed by the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which implemented idea of popular sovereignty. This led to “Bleeding Kansas.” “Border Ruffians,” who were pro-slavery and the

At this time it seemed that the issue of slavery was the only problem in the United States, almost as if a slave was being forced down the throats of the freesoilers (Document F). Stephen Douglas drafted the Kansas-Nebraska Acts in hopes of adding two new states: Kansas and Nebraska. Although it seemed that one would be a slave state, and the other a free state, the slavery issue would be decided by popular sovereignty. Many opposed this decision but did not know how to deal with it. The reason they did not know was because the Constitution did not mention it. William Lloyd Garrison said “the Constitution which subjects them to hopeless bondage is one that we cannot swear to support” (Document E). He was trying to say that the constitution can’t answer the question of slavery because the words “slave” and “slavery” are not in the constitution.

A leading example of the struggles of slavery in the western states was the struggle over slavery in Kansas. Document F depicts a political cartoon basically stating that Stephen Douglas, Franklin Pierce, and James Buchanan all attempted intentionally or unintentionally to spread slavery to the West. Stephen Douglas proposed the Kansas-Nebraska Act in which the Midwest Nebraska territory would be divided into two states Kansas and Nebraska and the issue of slavery would be determined by in state vote known as "popular sovereignty". Franklin Pierce aided with the signing of the bill. The results upon this bill was harsh fighting between pro-slavery supporters and non-slavery supporters in Kansas over this issue. It also led to the non-reelection of Pierce and the end to the Whig party, along with the introduction of the sectional Republican party, who opposed the Kansas-Nebraska Act. An attempt at forcing slavery into

battled in the “Bleeding Kansas” conflict over whether the territory would be a free state or slave state. After the debate

At the insistence of Southern leaders, he made clear that his bill would render the Missouri compromise inoperative and void. Furthermore, the bill, as amended divided the region into two distinct territories. Douglas miscalculated grievously. He thought that reopening the slavery question would be a minor matter, even though he opposed slavery."(Morrison pg. 586) Morrison shows in this statement that raising the issue of slavery once again was no big thing for Douglas. He disregarded his beliefs over issues of slavery to get his billed passed. Theirs evidence of Douglas interest to obtain southern support even on Basset's Short History of The United States. "[Douglas] favored a new territory in the region through which the proposed Pacific road would run, and he may have adopted Atchison's idea because he saw it was the only way to get the support of the southerners."(Basset pg.487)

The controversial issue raised at the Congress was whether these new states would be free from slavery or not. Under the Missouri compromise, states above 36 ° 30 latitudes would be free, but the Southerners would not accept this. Thinking strategically and do not want to lose the support of the Southerners in future elections, the Democrats decided to apply the principle of popular sovereignty repealing the Missouri Compromise. This act was known as the Kansas-Nebraska Act 1854. Northerners considered Douglas's decision as a "gross violation of a sacred pledge," and made many pros and cons slavery migrated to the added territory to vote for the establishment or not of slavery.

The creator of the act was Senator Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois, who wanted to see citizens be able to settle in these territories. Underlying it all, Douglas’s real desire was to build a transcontinental railroad to go through Chicago. Although opposition was intense, The Kansas-Nebraska Act was finally passed by congress on May 30, 1854. It allowed settlers in the territories of Kansas and Nebraska to decide whether slavery would be legal or not within their borders based on popular sovereignty. Territory north of the 36°30' parallel was now open to popular sovereignty as Northern leaders’ moods grew darker than the midnight sky. This sudden change in affairs largely contributed to the humongous political change that was about to happen next.

The event that started the chain reaction of the American Civil War was the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854. This bill was created and implemented by Stephen Douglas, a Democratic Senator out of Illinois, shortly after he steps in after Henry Clay. With the intention of becoming president, Stephen Douglass wanted to organize territory from the Louisiana Purchase, with also building a railroad that would stretch across the Midwest, however, an important question

However, blundering politicians contributed significantly to its failure. Stephen Douglas created a number of problems when he tried pass the Kansas - Nebraska Bill, although Northerners were keen to see Nebraska developed, Southerners were less enthusiastic, due to the fact that it lay north of latitude 36 30. and by the terms of the Missouri compromise all new states would eventually enter the Union as Free states. Douglas knew he needed Southern support to enable the bill to be passed in congress; this meant he would have to change the bill so that the South had a chance of expanding slavery in this area. Although in theory slavery could move Northwards, Douglas felt that due to the climate problems this was highly unlikely. Douglas, a great believer in popular sovereignty saw no problem in letting the people of Kansas - Nebraska decide their own fate. Douglas believed that in doing this he had succeeded in winning over the South without conceding much in return. However, Douglas had miscalculated the feeling in the country. Between 1854 and 1856 there were a number of issues that arose, primarily due to both sides trying to influence popular sovereignty. A significant individual error was made by President Pierce who appointed Andrew Reeder, a pro-slaver, as governor of the territory. It was obvious from that start that he was incapable of handling that situation. In the first elections pro-slavers from Missouri crossed