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What Happened:
To ease tensions after the Mexican War, Congress passed laws admitting California as a free state, letting Utah and New Mexico choose on slavery, and adding the Fugitive Slave Act, which forced people to return escaped slaves. How It Led to War:
The North hated helping slavery; the South demanded enforcement. The mistrust between both sides deepened. -
What Happened:
Senator Stephen Douglas pushed the Kansas-Nebraska Act, letting territories vote on slavery and overturning the Missouri Compromise. How It Led to War: People rushed to Kansas to influence the vote, sparking violence and anger in the North, highlighting the nation’s deep divisions.