In the early half of the 19th century, the differences between the North and South resulted in the Civil War. The major difference between the two was that the North was anti-slavery, and the South was pro-slavery. Since the difference between the two territories was so drastic, it is safe to say that slavery was the overarching cause of the Civil War. The outburst of the Civil War was built on the frustration of the poor treatment of slaves, and the Kansas-Nebraska Act. In the South, a central reason for slaves was so that they would help maintain a landowner’s planation. This was great for the landowners because they were able to get mass production of goods while not paying for the labor that goes into it. The problem in this was that …show more content…
The Kansas-Nebraska Act states that people in Kansas and Nebraska can decide for themselves whether or not to allow slavery in that specific state. This act repealed the Missouri Compromise, which prohibits slavery north of latitude 36 ° 30’. The Kansas-Nebraska Act infuriated many people in the North who considered the Missouri Compromise to be a long-standing binding settlement. On the other hand, in the South, this Act was strongly supported. After this act was put into affect, both pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers immediately rushed into Kansas to vote in the first election. Pro-slavery supporters had been carrying the election, but soon were charged with fraud by the anti-slavery supporters. Soon after, the anti-slavery supporters held another election, but the pro-slavery supporters refused to participate. The conflict between the two created a division within Kansas, therefore creating two legislatures in the territory. Soon after, violence struck Kansas. The Kansas territory had earned the nickname "bleeding Kansas" as the death toll rose. Finally, another election was called. Pro-slavery supporters won, and were once again charged with election fraud. As a result, Congress did not recognize the constitution adopted by the pro-slavery settlers and Kansas was not allowed to become a state. Eventually, however, anti-slavery settlers outnumbered pro-slavery settlers and a new constitution was drawn up. Just before the Civil War, Kansas was admitted as a Union state. This infuriated the Confederate states, which soon resulted in the declaration of