Kansas Nebraska Act of 1854

Divided the remainder of the Louisiana Purchase into 2 territories – Kansas / NebraskaNew Territories would decide issue of Slavery by Popular Sovereignty

Kansas Nebraska Act of 1854 K/N Act nullified the line of the Missouri Compromise 1820Reopened the Debate of Slavery in the United States

Dred Scott Decision

U.S. Supreme Court

1857

•Slave from Missouri who moved with his owner to Illinois & Wisconsin, both free.•They moved back to Missouri, which still recognized him as a slave, & his master died.•He sued his master’s widow for his freedom, claiming he should be free since he had lived on free land for four years.•Case went to the Supreme Court for a decision-----National issue

•Can a slave sue for his freedom?•Is a slave property?•Is slavery legal?

•Supreme Court hands down the Dred Scott

decision

•North refused to enforce Fugitive Slave Law

•Free states pass personal liberty laws.

•Republicans claim the decision is not binding

•Southerners call on the North to accept the decision if the South is to remain in

the Union.

•Slaves cannot sue the U.S. for their freedom

because they are property.

•They are not citizens and have

no legal right under the

Constitution.•Supreme Court legalized slavery by saying that :Congress could not stop a slave

owner from moving his slaves to a new territory

•Missouri Compromise and

all other compromises

were unconstitutional

A: NO

SUPREME COURT DECISIONS:

Q: Was Scott a U.S. citizen with the right to sue?A: NO

Q: Did living in a free territory make Scott a free man?A: NO

Q: Did Congress have the right to outlaw slavery in any territory?

• The Missouri Compromise was found to be unconstitutional.

RESULTS:• Dred Scott was not given his freedom.

Open to slavery through popular sovereignty (Compromise of 1850)

Open to slavery through popular sovereignty (KS-NE Act)

Missouri Compromise line is declared unconstitutional (Dred Scott Decision)

Abraham Lincoln Stephen Douglas

In 1858, Abraham Lincoln challenged incumbent Stephen Douglas for US Senate seat

• Believed each territory should decide on its’ own whether or not to allow slavery by using popular sovereignty.

Lincoln – Douglas Debates

• Lincoln wrong for wanting to end slavery.

• If Lincoln tried to end slavery, the U.S. could face civil war.

• Lincoln believed African Americans were guaranteed “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness”, as stated in the Declaration of Independence.

• Lincoln believed slavery was evil and should be kept out of the territories.

Lincoln – Douglas Debates

• Did NOT, however, call for the abolition of slavery… only that it not spread beyond it’s current borders.

•Lincoln and Douglas both ran for the U.S. Senate in Illinois in 1858.

•Debates followed by entire country -both candidates planning to run for President in 1860: Slavery was the big issue

•Lincoln stated: “A House Divided against itself cannot stand. Either we become all one or all the other.” He was against the EXPANSION of slavery

•Douglas believed that slavery should be decided by the people: He was for popular sovereignty

• The Freeport Doctrine: “Honest Abe” tricked Douglas into admitting that Popular Sovereignty could work against expansion of slavery (what if S.C. says slavery can’t be touched?)… Southerners won’t support Douglas for presidency in 1860

Illinois in 1858, showing state senate districts (left) and house districts (right)

Results:• Douglas won the election by a slim margin.• However, Lincoln became well known throughout the nation.

Lincoln-Douglas Debates:Video (11:13)