Kansas Nebraska act (jan 1, 1854 – jan 1, 1854)
Description:
The Kansas-Nebraska Act in 1854 was caused by the need to organize the Nebraska Territory for settlement and the construction of a transcontinental railroad. The immediate effect was violent conflict in Kansas between pro-slavery and anti-slavery forces, known as “Bleeding Kansas.” This connects to Politics & Power, as it exacerbated the sectional divide over slavery and tested the effectiveness of popular sovereignty. It represents change, as it effectively repealed the Missouri Compromise and reignited debates over the expansion of slavery.
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