How one piece of legislation divided a nation - Ben Labaree, Jr.

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/the-legislation-that-birthed-the-republican-party-ben-labaree-jr You may think that things are heated in Washington today, but the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 had members of Congress so angry they pulled out their weapons -- and formed the Republican Party. The issues? Slavery and states rights, which led the divided nation straight into the Civil War. Ben Labaree, Jr. explains how Abraham Lincoln s party emerged amidst the madness. Lesson by Ben Labaree, Jr., animation by Qa ed Mai.