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How one piece of legislation divided a nation - Ben Labaree, Jr.

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You may think that things are heated in Washington today, but the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 had members of Congress so angry they pulled out their weapons -- and formed the Republican Party. The issues? Slavery and states' rights, which led the divided nation straight into the Civil War. Ben Labaree, Jr. explains how Abraham Lincoln's party emerged amidst the madness.

In the 1850s, most white northerners were not abolitionists and yet there was widespread opposition in the North to the Kansas-Nebraska Act. Why?

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TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Ben Labaree, Jr.
  • Animator Qa'ed Mai
  • Narrator Addison Anderson

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