History of the United States I / Unit 11 USH1 1561 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Popular Sovereignty
Captions available
The idea
Popular sovereignty held that residents of a territory should have the right to decide for themselves whether slavery would be allowed in it.
In practice
The eighteen forty-eight Democratic convention selecting Lewis Cass, an advocate of the doctrine.
Where people slip
It would allow slavery in any territory, including those from which earlier laws had banned it.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
Builds on
Unlocks
Something wrong in this lesson? Flag it · Sources for History of the United States I