What did the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 accomplish?

• A. Established a southern border for slave states
• B. Allowed territories to decide on slavery through popular sovereignty
• C. Ended the Missouri Compromise
• D. Mandated that all states be free states

Answer: (B)

The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 introduced the concept of popular sovereignty, which allowed the settlers in those territories to determine whether they would permit slavery. This legislative measure provided a significant shift in how the issue of slavery was addressed in the territories, as it repealed the previously established Missouri Compromise, which had prohibited slavery in that part of the country. By allowing the residents of Kansas and Nebraska the right to vote on the legality of slavery, the Act intensified the national debate over slavery, leading to violent confrontations known as "Bleeding Kansas." This context makes it clear that the correct answer reflects the core aspect of the Act: empowering local populations to decide their own fate regarding slavery, rather than relying on federal mandates.