Kansas-Nebraska Act and Dred Scott Case

When Kansas and Nebraska wanted to come in as states, there was a big problem. Each side wanted them to be on their side, and even though some people in the territory wanted slavery, they were above the 34 30 line. All of a sudden, an idea was formed. Why not let the states vote? This seemed like a good idea at the time, but it angered other northern states because it repealed the Missouri Compromise. The states ended up voting anyways, and the balance of slave and free states was uneven. The Dred Scott case involved an escaped slave, Dred Scott (Duh), suing for his freedom against the supreme court. The supreme court ruled against him, stating that since he was not a citizen, he could not sue. This upset northerners even more because it emphasized that the slaves were property, not people.