The fundamental question addressed in each of these congressional acts primarily revolves around the issue of whether slave labor should be allowed in new states and territories. Here’s a brief breakdown of each:
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Missouri Compromise (1820): This act aimed to maintain the balance between free and slave states as Missouri requested admission as a slave state. The fundamental question it addressed was whether new states admitted to the Union (in this case, Missouri) would allow slavery or not.
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Compromise of 1850: This series of legislative measures was designed to address the status of territories acquired after the Mexican-American War. The fundamental issues included whether California would be admitted as a free state and the role of popular sovereignty in determining the status of slavery in the remaining territories.
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Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854): This act allowed the territories of Kansas and Nebraska to decide for themselves whether to allow slavery through popular sovereignty. It fundamentally questioned whether slave labor would be permitted in those new territories.
In summary, the primary focus of these acts was on whether slave labor should be allowed in new states.
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