USA HISTORY

Detailed explanation-1: -In January 1854, Senator Stephen Douglas of Illinois introduced a bill that divided the land immediately west of Missouri into two territories, Kansas and Nebraska. He argued in favor of popular sovereignty, or the idea that the settlers of the new territories should decide if slavery would be legal there.

Detailed explanation-2: -Fearing that the issue might disrupt the Republic, he argued for the doctrine of popular sovereignty-the right of the people of a state or territory to decide the slavery question for themselves-as a Union-saving formula. He led the fight in Congress for the Compromise of 1850.

Detailed explanation-3: -Answer and Explanation: Stephen Douglas proposed the doctrine of popular sovereignty to help pass the Compromise of 1850. Under Douglas’s concept, the territories of Utah and New Mexico were given self-determination on the question of the issue of slavery.

Detailed explanation-4: -Kansas was admitted as a free state in January 1861 only weeks after eight Southern states seceded from the union. Douglas hoped this idea of “popular sovereignty” would resolve the mounting debate over the future of slavery in the United States and enable the country to expand westward with few obstacles.

Detailed explanation-5: -Douglas regarding the policy of local “popular sovereignty.” Popular sovereignty allowed the settlers of a federal territory to decide the slavery question without interference from Congress.