What did the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 establish?

The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 established the principle of popular sovereignty, which allowed the settlers of a territory to determine whether they would allow slavery within their borders. This act was significant because it effectively repealed the Missouri Compromise of 1820, which had prohibited slavery in certain northern territories. By allowing the local populations to make decisions regarding slavery, the act aimed to reduce tensions between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions.

The context of the act is crucial in understanding its implications. The idea of popular sovereignty was seen as a compromise to appease both pro- and anti-slavery advocates, but it ultimately led to increased conflict in territories like Kansas, where violent confrontations between opposing groups occurred—a struggle that became known as "Bleeding Kansas." This act is pivotal in American history as it contributed to the deepening sectional divides that eventually led to the Civil War.

The other options do not accurately reflect the purpose or outcome of the Kansas-Nebraska Act. The act did not abolish slavery in all territories, nor did it create the Transcontinental Railroad or set specific boundaries for free and slave states. Instead, it reshaped the legislative landscape by introducing popular sovereignty as a method for settling the contentious issue of slavery in