quo. In January 1854, Stephen Douglas created a political earthquake when he introduced the Kansas–Nebraska bill in the US Senate. After some modifications, the bill allowed settlers in the newly formed Kansas and Nebraska Territories to exercise “popular sovereignty” over slavery—that is, they could decide for themselves whether to legalize it. The provision nullified the Missouri Compromise of 1820, which provided that in Louisiana Purchase territories, slavery would exist only south of the 36°30´ parallel. Both Kansas and Nebraska were part of the Louisiana Purchase and lay north of that
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