Stephen Douglas's proposed Kansas-Nebraska Act

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The Kansas-Nebraska Act proposed by Stephen Douglas would have allowed the territories of Kansas and Nebraska to decide the issue of slavery through popular sovereignty, which means that the people in those territories would vote on whether or not to allow slavery. This had the potential to overturn the Missouri Compromise of 1820, which had prohibited slavery in territories north of the 36°30' parallel. The act did not strengthen the Missouri Compromise and did not show enthusiastic support of slavery, but it did contribute to the sectional tensions that led to the Civil War. While Douglas hoped the act would strengthen his presidential prospects, it actually damaged his reputation in the North. The act did include a provision promoting the construction of a transcontinental rail line along a southern route, but this was not the primary focus of the legislation.

Stephen Douglas's Proposed Kansas-Nebraska Act