Popular sovereignty facts for kids

Popular sovereignty is a big idea in how governments work. It means that the government's power comes from the people it governs. Think of it like this: the people are in charge, and they give the government permission to rule.

People show their permission through their elected representatives. These are the people they choose to speak for them in government. So, all political power starts with the people themselves. This idea is a lot like a social contract, which is a way of thinking about how people and their government agree to live together. Famous thinkers like Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau wrote about these ideas.

Popular Sovereignty in History

The American Revolution

The idea of popular sovereignty was very important when Americans created their country. The American Revolution was fought because people believed they should have a say in their government. They wanted the power to come from them, not from a king far away. This idea helped them build a new government where the people had the power.

Slavery and Popular Sovereignty

In the 1850s, popular sovereignty was used in a very debated way in the United States. Senator Stephen A. Douglas suggested it as a way to deal with slavery in new territories. This meant that the people living in a territory would vote to decide if slavery would be allowed there.

This idea caused a lot of trouble, especially in a place called Kansas. People who wanted to end slavery, called abolitionists, moved to Kansas. People who supported slavery also moved there. They all wanted to vote and decide the future of slavery in the territory. This led to a lot of fighting and violence, which became known as Bleeding Kansas.

What Does "Voice of the People" Mean?

Popular sovereignty can also be described simply as the "voice of the people." It means that the government should listen to what the people want. It's about ensuring that the people's wishes and decisions guide how their country is run.

See also

• In Spanish: Soberanía popular para niños