Lesson 2: Growing Tensions

Key Idea

In 1854, Congress passed the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which let settlers in new western territories decide for themselves whether to allow slavery. This idea, known as popular sovereignty, overturned the Missouri Compromise and reopened the fierce debate over slavery's expansion.

The new law sparked a race to control Kansas. Pro-slavery and anti-slavery groups rushed into the territory, each hoping to win the vote. Instead of a peaceful decision, the rivalry turned violent.

Key Idea

The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 created a political firestorm over the issue of slavery in the territories. The established political parties fractured under the pressure. The Whig Party, unable to find common ground between its Northern and Southern members, completely collapsed.

From this chaos, a new political force emerged. Antislavery Whigs, Democrats, and Free-Soilers united to form the Republican Party. Their primary goal was to stop the expansion of slavery into any new western territories.

Key Idea

An enslaved man named Dred Scott sued for his freedom. He argued that he should be free because his owner had taken him to live in a free territory. His case eventually reached the nation's highest court, the Supreme Court.

In 1857, the court issued a landmark ruling. It declared that African Americans were not citizens and therefore had no right to sue in federal court. The court also stated that Congress had no power to ban slavery in any of the territories.

Key Idea

In 1858, Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas competed for an Illinois Senate seat. Their famous debates about slavery captured the nation's attention.

Lincoln argued that slavery was a moral wrong and should not expand. Although he lost the election, the debates made Abraham Lincoln a prominent national figure in the growing Republican Party.