Popular Sovereignty and the Pre-Civil War Era

Key Political Figure

• Stephen A. Douglas
  • Senator from Illinois
  • Prominent political figure of the 1850s
  • Did not become President

Popular Sovereignty Concept

• Developed by Stephen A. Douglas
• Idea that people of territories should decide on slavery
• Focused on western territories (e.g., Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico)

Political Positions

• Republican Party (Lincoln, etc.)
  • Believed Congress should prohibit slavery in territories
• Southern View
  • Believed Congress must protect slavery in territories
• Douglas' Middle Ground
  • Each territory decides for itself on slavery
  • Claimed to be a democratic approach

Practical Outcomes

• Implementation in Kansas
  • Led to "Bleeding Kansas"
  • Civil war between pro-slavery and anti-slavery forces
• Issues with Popular Sovereignty
  • Unclear who decides (first settlers or larger population?)
  • Uncertain status of slavery until a decision is made

General Reception

• Popular Sovereignty failed in practice
• Unacceptable to most southerners
• Unacceptable to most northerners, who wanted to keep slavery out
• Ultimately, it was seen as a national issue, not to be decided by early settlers