Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854)

I feel like this is a very important act and is one of the major events leading up to the Civil War.

The Kansas-Nebraska act was originally proposed to try to solve the issue about the terminus of a railroad.  Since the early 1840s, there was discussion about building a transcontinental railroad with possible terminuses at Chicago, St. Louis, and New Orleans.  Chicago was a viable spot because it was conveniently located right next to the great lakes.  However it would have to cut through the unorganized Nebraskan Territory.  Additionally the South would not like it since it would be in a northern city.  The second viable location was St. Louis.  St. Louis was situated right next to the Mississippi River, which would allow for convenient transportation and commerce.  However, it was a southern city and the North would not be content.  The other viable spot was New Orleans.  New Orleans was located near the mouth of the Mississippi, which would allow for greater commerce than St. Louis.  However, New Orleans was as South a city as a city can get.  Thus, as you can clearly see, problem was the debate of whether the terminus should end in a southern city or northern city.  The northern route was at disadvantage because it ran through unorganized territory.  Meanwhile the possible southern routes were more attractive due to the Gadsden Purchase.  In 1854, the US purchased the region of present-day southern Arizona and southwestern New Mexico from Mexico in a treaty.  This treaty was signed by James Gadsden, the US ambassador to Mexico at the time, hence the name.

The South seemed to be the best choice for the terminus of the railroad until Stephen Douglas, the democratic senator from Illinois, entered the debate.  Douglas wanted to organize the Nebraska Territory so that Chicago looks more attractive as the terminus and so that the railroad can actually be safely built and maintained.  However, the South has been constantly blocking the organization of the Nebraskan Territory because they feared it would be free due to the Missouri Compromise.  Douglas, aware of this, knew it was imperative to get the South's support.  And because the main reason the South opposed the organization of the Nebraskan Territory was the Missouri Compromise, Douglas would have to get rid of it somehow.  His solution?  He agreed to open the territory to popular sovereignty, thus repealing the Missouri Compromise.  It was this final form that became known as the Kansas-Nebraska Act.

This had some big political impacts.  The Southern members of Congress, which included Whigs and Democrats, supported it.  However the Northern Whigs opposed it.  This split led to its downfall.  Eventually the pro-slavery southern whigs moved to the Democratic Party, increasing the Southern influence in the party.  And eventually a new party was formed: the Republican Party which consisted of the Northern and free whigs, free-soilers, alienated Democrats, pro-business people, and nativists.

A few questions arise.  I was wondering what if there was a compromise saying the terminus was to be located in the South and in return the Nebraskan Territory would be free?  Why wasn't it proposed instead? And what would its outcomes be?