Question

How did passing law banning slavery in the northern states lead to a more divided nation?

Answer 1

The passing of laws banning slavery in the northern states led to a more divided nation by intensifying sectional tensions and fueling disagreement over the expansion of slavery.

Step-by-step explanation:

The passing of laws banning slavery in the northern states contributed to a more divided nation by intensifying the sectional tensions between the North and the South. The disagreement over the expansion of slavery into the newly acquired western territories fueled these tensions. While the North believed in confining slavery to where it already existed, the South wanted to extend it to those territories. The inability to reach a compromise on this issue eventually led to the secession of southern states and the Civil War.

Answer 2

I think this is because the Southern states were heavily reliant on slave labor because of the agricultural economy flourishing there and the South supported slavery while the North did not. The slaves provided cheap labor for the plantations in the South and they believed that their region's economy would be destroyed without slaves. The North had more urban cities which did not require much slave labor and had an overall moral opposition to slavery. With their opposing views and constant tension, the South eventually started to secede from the Union. Hope this helped!