Kansas and Nebraska

Question 6 • LPS US History I (CR) - MP2

In the 1800s, the US government wanted to keep the number of free states and slave states equal in order to

Answer

prevent one region from becoming more economically unstable than another.

maintain a balance in Congress between representatives who supported slavery and those who opposed it.

make it less likely that enslaved people would attempt to escape from a slave state.

provide settlers in territories such as Kansas and Nebraska the right to vote on slavery for themselves.

Explanation

Each state had two seats in the Senate, so keeping the number of free and slave states equal helped preserve a balance between senators who supported slavery and those who opposed it. This was a political effort to prevent either side from gaining an advantage in Congress. The correct choice is B, maintaining that congressional balance.

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