1. Stephen Douglas, the Kansas- Nebraska Act, and Bleeding Kansas By Hannah Lotz, Abby Davison, and Kelly Stecher

2. Stephen Douglas Leading politician Leader of Democratic party Illinois senator Nicknamed the “Little Giant” Helped to engineer the Compromise of 1850

3. Douglas believed popular sovereignty would solve slavery debate Residents of an area vote to decide an issue “ If the people want a slaveholding state, let them have it, and if they ant a free state, they have a right to it…” Stephen Douglas

4. Popular sovereignty to solve slavery debate: Continued expansion would strengthen his party Unify the nation Assumed Nebraska territory would be 2 states Douglas believed South was still larger, would vote to keepslavery Didn’t count on North strongly opposing slavery

5. The Kansas- Nebraska Act Introduced idea to split Kansas territory into two states Would repeal Missouri Compromise Bill allowed states to choose to be slaveholding or free “…And it is not for the people of IL, or Missouri, or New York, or Kentucky, to complain, whatever the decision of Kansas may be” – Stephen Douglas

6. North opposed the Act South encouraged the Act The Kansas- Nebraska Act passed

7. Bleeding Kansas 1854- 1858 in Kansas Territory Battle of Civil War Pottawatomie Massacre “Come on, then, gentlemen of the Slave States…We will engage in Competition fro the virgin soil of Kansas and God give the victory to the side that is stronger in numbers as it is in right.” -New York Senator William Seward

8. Causes: Kansas- Nebraska Act Controversy over free/ slave states Pottawatomie Massacre 200 people died John Brown

9. Effects: Kansas Unknown 100 or fewer (30- 40 killed) Missouri Unknown 80 or fewer (20-30 killed )