Before It Became History | The Kansas-Nebraska Act: How Organizing the West Divided the Nation

Stephen Douglas wanted a railroad west. To get it, he let Kansas and Nebraska settlers vote on slavery, and the country cracked open: ballot fraud, a sacked town, a caned senator, the new Republican Party, and Lincoln's return to the fight.

Before It Became History, a podcast series from the Sandra Day O’Connor Institute, explores the people and moments that shaped the American story. Each episode looks beyond the legend to examine the decisions, conflicts, and ideas that tested the promise of liberty and helped define our democracy.

This is history before it hardened into memory — and a conversation about what it means for us now.

You can find us at: https://oconnorinstitute.org/

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