What was the main feature of the Kansas-Nebraska Act?

The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 is primarily characterized by its establishment of the territories of Kansas and Nebraska and its introduction of the concept of popular sovereignty. This allowed the settlers in those territories to decide for themselves whether to allow slavery when they applied for statehood. This was a significant shift in the federal government's approach to the issue of slavery, as it effectively repealed the Missouri Compromise, which had set specific geographic boundaries for slavery in the western territories. By letting the residents of Kansas and Nebraska make this crucial decision, the act ignited tensions between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions, leading to violent confrontations known as "Bleeding Kansas." This context emphasizes the importance of state and territorial rights in the debate over slavery, reflecting broader national conflicts that were emerging during this period.