How did the nations expansion lead to civil war?

Answer 1

The expansion of the United States in the 19th century heightened tensions between the North and South, primarily over the issue of slavery. As new territories were acquired, debates arose about whether they would be admitted as free or slave states, which threatened to upset the delicate balance of power in Congress. The introduction of policies like the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which allowed settlers to determine the status of slavery through popular sovereignty, led to violent conflicts, known as "Bleeding Kansas." Ultimately, these escalating tensions contributed to the breakdown of national unity and the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861.