The fundamental questions addressed in each of the Congressional acts are as follows:
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Should the U.S. expand westward? - This question relates to debates and policies such as the Homestead Act and the Louisiana Purchase, which focused on territorial expansion and the implications of westward movement.
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Should states be allowed to nullify federal laws? - This question was central to the debates around states' rights, particularly in the context of the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions and the Nullification Crisis, which challenged the authority of federal laws.
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Should slave labor be allowed in new states? - This question was addressed in acts like the Missouri Compromise and the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which dealt with whether new territories and states admitted to the Union would permit slavery.
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Should states be able to secede from the Union? - This question became increasingly relevant leading up to the Civil War, especially with the emergence of the Confederacy and legal discussions surrounding secession's legitimacy.
If you need more specific details on any particular act or issue, please let me know!