The prospect of an expansion of slavery in the American West certainly shaped sectoral politics by stoking grievances and tensions, and by protests were passionate and sometimes violent, but compromises were sometimes found – sometimes among strange political partners – in the interest of fending off the specter of civil war. This article will focus on issues surrounding the possible expansion of slavery into the following areas: the Missouri Territory and the Louisiana Purchase in general, Texas (annexation), the Oregon Territory, California (annexation), Nebraska (unorganized), and Kansas. Territory. The initial conflict over the westward expansion of slavery focused on the territory acquired in the Louisiana Purchase in general and, in particular, the Louisiana Territory's bid for statehood. Missouri. In 1819, there were 11 slave states and 11 free states. In the interest of maintaining the balance between slave state and free state, a compromise decision was reached: Missouri would be admitted into the union as a slave state, Maine (formerly part of Massachusetts) would be admitted into union as a free state. , and slavery would not be permitted elsewhere in the Louisiana Territory north of 36°30'. The next sectional debate focused on the possible annexation of Texas and the resulting imbalance if Texas were admitted as a slave state – including fears that such a large territory could be divided into multiple states. Mexico had gained its independence from Spain, but its success depended on its independent economic prosperity, and Texas seemed to be the key to that success. The underdeveloped areas of East Texas seemed ideally suited to plantation agriculture, and Britain - in the midst of the Industrial Revolution...... middle of paper ......ka Act had Having already repealed this principle of Compromise, this The court's decision further called into question the idea of ​​popular sovereignty with respect to any electoral outcome that might impose restrictions on slavery. Regarding the pro-slavery Lecompton Constitution: The (pro-slavery) constitutional convention met, but the vote was boycotted by free-staters, who claimed it was rigged. The (anti-slavery) legislature called and called a second election, but it was boycotted by pro-slavery supporters. President Buchanan supported the Lecompton Constitution and it was adopted in 1858, but anti-Lecompton Democrats in the House of Representatives introduced an amendment for a new supervised popular vote. Ultimately, although he delayed the creation of Kansas until required population levels were met, voters overwhelmingly rejected the Lecompton Constitution..