The concept that a State's people should vote whether to be a Slave state or Free state

Though slavery is now a widely unaccepted concept, the concept that a State's people should vote whether to be a Slave state or a Free state is still a vivid topic in most history classes.

The concept that a State's people should vote during the time of slavery meant that white men were only allowed to vote. Blacks nor women were allowed to. Along with that, state's believed that by giving men the right to vote whether state should be a Slave or a Free state would fall on the choices of those within the state and what they believed in. It fell under the concept or popular sovereignty, in which people of each state/territory would decided the fate of the State.

the completion of the erie canal spurred the first great westward movement of american settlers, gave access to the rich land and resources west of the appalachians and made new york the preeminent commercial city in the united states.