Kansas-Nebraska Act - 1854
* This act wanted to organize the Kansas and Nebraska Territory so the trans-continental railroad could be built here in the North, not in the South
Problems:
* Missouri Compromise needs to be repealed
* Pretty old but North strongly supports it. As a result, it is hard to abolish
* Pretty old but North strongly supports it. As a result, it is hard to abolish
Results:
* Douglass pushes this Act to pass Congress and gets it amended
*Angers North
* Sparked the rise of the Republican Party
* Set stage of civil war
* Territories get to decide if there will be slavery within its borders-Popular Sovereignty
* Lots of tension in Kansas and its election
*Fighting in Kansas - Pro-slavery factions (Missouri), vs Anti-Slavery Factions from NorthEast
*John Brown Raid
* Results in Bleeding Kansas and Pottawatomie Massacre
* Destroys and divides Whig Party
* Divides Northern Democrats - don't want to expand slavery
*Angers North
* Sparked the rise of the Republican Party
* Set stage of civil war
* Territories get to decide if there will be slavery within its borders-Popular Sovereignty
* Lots of tension in Kansas and its election
*Fighting in Kansas - Pro-slavery factions (Missouri), vs Anti-Slavery Factions from NorthEast
*John Brown Raid
* Results in Bleeding Kansas and Pottawatomie Massacre
* Destroys and divides Whig Party
* Divides Northern Democrats - don't want to expand slavery
Leading People:
Stephen A. Douglass: (Democratic Senator) He proposed this act when the question as to whether the trans-continental railroad should be made in the North or the South. He was the one who proposed popular sovereignty in these territories and drove the act through Congress to get it passed. Really brought act for personal reasons. He had invested in Illinios railroads and wanted money from the new railroad. He was the one who brought on the Civil War by bringing up the issue of slavery again. (Compromise of 1850 temporarily quiets the issue of slavery)
* He helped lead to the incident in Kansas
Abraham Lincoln: Main opponent to the Kansas-Nebraska Act. He despised secession and did not like that slavery could spread in the Kansas and Nebraska Territories. He would later become the 16th president after getting recognition from Douglas Debates
* Go to Lincoln-Douglas Debate
* Go to Election of Abraham Lincoln
* He helped lead to the incident in Kansas
Abraham Lincoln: Main opponent to the Kansas-Nebraska Act. He despised secession and did not like that slavery could spread in the Kansas and Nebraska Territories. He would later become the 16th president after getting recognition from Douglas Debates
* Go to Lincoln-Douglas Debate
* Go to Election of Abraham Lincoln
Place in History:
* Came right after Compromise of 1850
*Kansas and Nebraska applying for statehood
*Kansas and Nebraska applying for statehood
Clarity of Emphasis:
* Tensions between North and South started up again
* Compromise of 1850 had silenced voices for some time
* Compromise of 1850 had silenced voices for some time
Impact to Civil War:
This was the final Act that would be passed before the Civil War. It was the touching point that initiated the tensions between the North and South once again. (Compromise of 1850 temporarily quiets the issue of slavery)
Elections of Kansas
* Many Northern people were coming to Kansas, some of which were finanaced by groups to forestall the South
* Most popular was New England Emigrant Aid Compnay
*Angered South sent southern people tKansas also
* However, very little blacks because of gunfires and investment in them
* When election came, many proslavery people come to election
* Slavery won
* BUT created two governments in Kansas
* Proslavery - Shawnee Mission
* Anti-slavery - Topeka
* Most popular was New England Emigrant Aid Compnay
*Angered South sent southern people tKansas also
* However, very little blacks because of gunfires and investment in them
* When election came, many proslavery people come to election
* Slavery won
* BUT created two governments in Kansas
* Proslavery - Shawnee Mission
* Anti-slavery - Topeka
Place in History:
* It is right after the Kansas - Nebraska Act and right before Bleeding Kansas
Clarity of Emphasis:
* Showed seperation between North and South
Impact to Civil War:
* Led to Bleeding Kansas
* Showed separation between North and South
* Increased anger in the South that North was trying to stop slavery in Kansas
* Showed separation between North and South
* Increased anger in the South that North was trying to stop slavery in Kansas
Links for More Information
http://www.history.com/topics/kansas-nebraska-act
http://www.teachingamericanhistory.org/neh/interactives/sectionalism/lesson3/
http://www.ushistory.org/us/31a.asp
http://www.teachingamericanhistory.org/neh/interactives/sectionalism/lesson3/
http://www.ushistory.org/us/31a.asp
Dhruv