The legislation alarmed many Northerners, who sought to prevent the spread of slavery that could result, but Douglas's Kansas–Nebraska Act narrowly passed Congress in May 1854.
ðə lˌɛdʒɪslˈeɪʃən ɐlˈɑːɹmd mˈɛni nˈɔːɹðɚnɚz, hˌuː sˈɔːt tə pɹɪvˈɛnt ðə spɹˈɛd ʌv slˈeɪvɚɹi ðæt kʊd ɹɪzˈʌlt, bˌʌt dˈʌɡləzᵻz kˈænzəs nəbɹˈæskə ˈækt nˈæɹoʊli pˈæst kˈɑːŋɡɹəs ɪn mˈeɪ wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti fˈoːɹ.