Slavery Extension

Definition

Slavery extension refers to the expansion of slavery into new territories or states. It was a major point of contention between the North and South in the United States, as it determined whether slavery would be allowed in newly acquired lands.

Related terms

Missouri Compromise: This compromise aimed to maintain a balance between free and slave states by allowing Missouri to enter as a slave state while Maine entered as a free state.

Kansas-Nebraska Act: This act repealed the Missouri Compromise and allowed popular sovereignty (the decision-making power given to residents) on the issue of slavery in Kansas and Nebraska.

Dred Scott Decision: This Supreme Court ruling declared that enslaved individuals were property, not citizens, and therefore could not sue for their freedom. It further intensified tensions between North and South over slavery.