Stephen Douglas

And The Kansas-Nebraska Act

Democracy is often something Americans take for granted. Living in a free, democratic society is something that is often not thought about until something happens to rock our pillar of security. The definition of democracy as a practical form of government was questioned when Congress passed the Kansas-Nebraska Act in 1854. Stephen Douglas introduced this Act.

Douglas included in his bill a provision for "popular sovereignty" in Kansas and Nebraska. This provision stated that all questions of slavery in the new territories were to be decided by the settlers rather than by Congress. This idea that the settlers - the people - would decide rather than Congress brought about much debate. Democracy is defined first and foremost as "government by the people, rule of the majority." Douglas took the position that democracy was a process bit an outcome and he argued for this process....
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