Chapter 13: Douglas Launches His 1854 Kansas-Nebraska Act

The “Little Giant” is intent on opening up the Mississippi Valley and making his property in Chicago the hub for the intercontinental railroad. To do so he offers his Kansas-Nebraska Act which the Senate approves by a 37-14 margin.

But a furor follows when the details call for reneging on the 36’30” boundary line on slavery in the 1820 Missouri Compromise and replacing this with Douglas’ wish for PopSov elections.

Various grass roots protests break out from Ripon, Wisconsin to Bangor, Maine and on to New York and Washington. All fly under the banner of a new Republican Party.