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The Kansas-Nebraska Act repealed the Missouri Compromise, allowing slavery in the territory north of the 36Â° 30Â´ latitude. Introduced by Senator Stephen Douglas of Illinois, the Kansas-Nebraska Act stipulated that the issue of slavery would be decided by the residents of each territory, a concept known as popular sovereignty.
With the exception of the famed Lincoln-Douglas debates, Douglas is best known for his work on the Kansas-Nebraska Act. Douglas thought the legislation might lessen tensions over slavery. In fact, it had the opposite effect. The Kansas-Nebraska Act spurred Abraham Lincoln, who had put aside political ambitions, to oppose Douglas. In 1858 Lincoln ran for the US Senate seat held by Douglas, and they faced off in a series of seven debates. The debates were actually quite nasty at times. At one point, Douglas made up a story designed to inflame the crowd, claiming that the famed abolitionist and former slave Frederick Douglas had been seen in Illinois, traveling the state in a carriage in the company of two white women.