Question

During the 1840s abolitionists opposed annexation of a new western territory because

Answer 1

They opposed annexation of new western territory because the abolitionists feared the admission of new slave states.

Answer 2

The Abolitionists opposed the annexation of the new western territory because they feared that these new territories would be pro-slavery which would mean that the balance between slave-free and pro-slavery states in the Union would be broken and pro-slavery would be more influential than the abolitionist's states.