The idea of popular sovereignty temporarily relieved tensions over slavery in the western territories but led to which event in Kansas?

• A. Relieved tensions temporarily
• B. Led to Civil War immediately
• C. Had no effect
• D. Ended slavery in territories

Answer: (A)

Popular sovereignty lets people in a territory vote to decide if slavery will be legal there, instead of having Congress decide for them. That approach aimed to ease the debate by handing the decision to local settlers, hoping to keep the peace while the issue was resolved. In Kansas, many people rushed in from both pro-slavery and anti-slavery camps to sway the outcome, which led to intense fighting and violence known as Bleeding Kansas. Because the policy gave a temporary lull by deferring a national decision, the best fit among the choices is that tensions were relieved temporarily. The other options don’t fit because this didn’t spark an immediate nationwide Civil War, it didn’t have no effect, and it didn’t end slavery in the territories.