may 30, 1854 - Kansas-Nebraska Act is signed May 30, 1854

Description:

-proposed by Stephen Douglass
-organized the area west of Missouri and Iowa
aimed to facilitate the building of a transcontinental railroad that ran west from Chicago
-called for two territories to be created (Kansas and Nebraska) and the issue of slavery to be decided by popular sovereignty
-revoked a prevision of the Missouri Compromise allowing everything above the 36 parallel to be free states
-Kansas' status was impacted by fighting between pro and anti-slavery groups that moved to the area
-conflict was termed "Bleeding Kansas"
-drove the final stake in the heart of the Whig party, Anti-slavery whigs joined northern democrats and former free-soilers to from the Republican party
-The Know-Nothing party was also formed (met privately and were secretive about their political agenda who rallied around their hatred of foreigners, nativism) but the party was self-destructed primarily b/c of its northern and southern wings disagreement of slavery
-Two rival constitutions were sent to create the state of Kansas, the pro-slavery one was accepted
-Proslavery forces demolished the free-soil city of Lawrence
-John Brown, a radical abolitionist, in return attacked a proslavery camp, murdering 5
-Both sides attacked each other resulting in over 200 dead
-Passions raised were reflected in Congress when Preston Brooks beat Senator Charles Sumner on the head with a cane when Sumner spoke a speech which attacked both the South and Butler; destroyed President Pierce's political career

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