Name ____________________________
-
Congress
passed the
Kansas-Nebraska
Act on May 30, 1854. The
Act repealed the Missouri
Compromise (which prohibited slavery
north of latitude 36°30´) and allowed people
in the territories of Kansas and Nebraska to decide
for themselves whether or not to allow slavery within their borders. The Act angered
many in the North who considered the Missouri Compromise to be a binding agreement.
In the pro-slavery South, however, it was strongly supported. After the Act passed, both
pro and anti-slavery supporters rushed to Kansas to affect the outcome of the vote on
slavery. Violence erupted, earning Kansas the nickname “bleeding Kansas.”
Directions: Use your textbook to color and label the map, then answer the analysis questions.
1. How many slave states were there in 1854? _________ Free states? _________
2. Why did the Missouri Compromise need to be repealed for this new law?
3. Which group of Americans preferred the Missouri Compromise and why?
Free State or
Territory
Slave State or
Territory
Territory Open to
Slavery by Popular
Sovereignty under
the Compromise of
1850
Open to Slavery by
Popular Sovereignty
under the KansasNebraska Act
4. What is Popular Sovereignty?
5. Why did Northerners and Southerners go to Kansas after this Act was passed?
6. When Northern abolitionists looked at a map of America in 1854, what might have concerned them?
7. When Southern slaveholders looked at the map, what would have caused them concern?
8. Senator Stephen Douglas said the main idea behind the Kansas–Nebraska Act was popular
sovereignty, “the great principle of self-government.” Whose voices were absent in the decision over
whether or not to permit slavery in the territories and why were they ignored?
9. Stephen Douglas predicted that the Kansas–Nebraska Act would “impart peace to the country &
stability to the Union.” Was he correct? Explain why or why not.
10. Abraham Lincoln said, “I particularly object to … this Nebraska law because it assumes that there
CAN be MORAL RIGHT in the enslaving of one man by another.” Do you agree with him that even if
people vote in favor of an issue, it can be deemed immoral and illegal by the government? Can you
think of another issue where this might be the case? Explain.
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Name __Answer Key____
-
11. How many slave states were there in 1854? __15____ Free states? __16____
12. Why did the Missouri Compromise need to be repealed for this new law?
The Missouri Compromise was intended to keep the balance of free and slave states equal. With
the admission of California in 1850, there were now more free states. Both Kansas and Nebraska
were above the Missouri Compromise like (36’30”) meaning there would be a larger advantage
of Free states.
13. Which group of Americans preferred the Missouri Compromise and why?
Northern abolitionists and Free Soilers preferred the Missouri Compromise because it limited
the spread of slavery into the territories. The Kansas-Nebraska Act allowed slavery to spread
north into these large territories.
14. What is Popular Sovereignty?
Popular Sovereignty is rule by the people. In other words, that the authority of the government
is created and sustained by the consent of its people, who are the source of all political power.
15. Why did Northerners and Southerners go to Kansas after this Act was passed?
Both groups went to Kansas to try and influence the vote there on slavery. Northerners wished
to vote to ban slavery while Southerners wanted to ensure that the vote was in favor of slavery.
16. When Northern abolitionists looked at a map of America in 1854, what might have concerned them?
Northern abolitionists might have been concerned about vast territories now being opened up to
slavery and that the power of slaveholders in government could dramatically increase in these
territories became admitted as states into the Union.
17. When Southern slaveholders looked at the map, what would have caused them concern?
Southern slaveholders were concerned that there already was an imbalance in the number of
Free and Slaves states (in favor of the Free states). If Kansas and Nebraska voted in favor of
banning slavery, then this would create a large imbalance in the number of Free states to Slave
states.
18. Senator Stephen Douglas said the main idea behind the Kansas–Nebraska Act was popular
sovereignty, “the great principle of self-government.” Whose voices were absent in the decision over
whether or not to permit slavery in the territories and why were they ignored?
The voices of slaves and women were absent because they could not vote in elections. Slaves
voiced were ignored because the powerful Southern slaveholders of course did not want them to
vote. In some Southern states, slaves accounted for more than half the state’s population, which
means that in no way was “self-government” the law of the land there.
19. Stephen Douglas predicted that the Kansas–Nebraska Act would “impart peace to the country &
stability to the Union.” Was he correct? Explain why or why not.
Open to student opinion, but they should recognize that he was NOT correct because Kansas
erupted in bloodshed between pro and anti-slavery groups.
20. Abraham Lincoln said, “I particularly object to … this Nebraska law because it assumes that there
CAN be MORAL RIGHT in the enslaving of one man by another.” Do you agree with him that even if
people vote in favor of an issue, it can be deemed immoral and illegal by the government? Can you
think of another issue where this might be the case?
Open to student opinion. Examples students might refer to include anti-miscegenation laws that
criminalizing interracial marriage, laws regarding drug use, homosexual marriage rights, etc.
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Name ____________________________
-
Congress passed the Kansas-Nebraska Act on May 30, 1854. The Act repealed the Missouri Compromise
(which prohibited slavery north of latitude 36°30´) and allowed people in the territories of Kansas and Nebraska
to decide for themselves whether or not to allow slavery within their borders. The Act angered many in the North
who considered the Missouri Compromise to be a binding agreement. In the pro-slavery South, however, it was
strongly supported. After the Act passed, both pro and anti-slavery supporters rushed to Kansas to affect the
outcome of the vote on slavery. Violence erupted, earning Kansas the nickname “bleeding Kansas.”
Directions: Use your textbook to color and label the map, then answer the analysis questions.
1. How many slave states were there in 1854? _________ Free states? _________
2. Why did the Missouri Compromise need to be repealed for this new law?
3. Which group of Americans preferred the Missouri Compromise and why?
4. What is Popular Sovereignty?
5. Why did Northerners and Southerners go to Kansas after this Act was passed?
6. When Northern abolitionists looked at a map of America in 1854, what might have concerned them?
7. When Southern slaveholders looked at the map, what would have caused them concern?
8. Senator Stephen Douglas said the main idea behind the Kansas–Nebraska Act was popular
sovereignty, “the great principle of self-government.” Whose voices were absent in the decision over
whether or not to permit slavery in the territories and why were they ignored?
9. Stephen Douglas predicted that the Kansas–Nebraska Act would “impart peace to the country &
stability to the Union.” Was he correct? Explain why or why not.
10. Abraham Lincoln said, “I particularly object to … this Nebraska law because it assumes that there
CAN be MORAL RIGHT in the enslaving of one man by another.” Do you agree with him that even if
people vote in favor of an issue, it can be deemed immoral and illegal by the government? Can you
think of another issue where this might be the case? Explain.
© Students of History - http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Students-Of-History/