Bleeding+Kansas

** The struggle over slavery. ** In the 1850's, Kansas became the symbol of a nationwide struggle over slavery. During the first half of the 1800's, the slavery issue divided the people of the United States. In Congress, Northerners and Southerners clashed on whether new states and territories would permit slavery. In 1854, Congress found a way to create new territories and avoid the issue of slavery. The answer was // popular sovereignty, // also known as // squatter sovereignty. // The settlers, sometimes called squatters, in each territory would decide for themselves whether to allow slavery. Under this plan, Congress created the territories of Kansas and Nebraska (see [|Kansas-Nebraska Act] ; [|Popular sovereignty] ). Kansas became a territory on May 30, 1854. Andrew H. Reeder was appointed as territorial governor by President Franklin Pierce. [|Print "The struggle over slavery" subsection]



** "Bleeding Kansas." ** Soon settlers from both North and South were streaming into Kansas, aided by groups who wanted to influence the decision on slavery. Kansans who opposed slavery formed a political group called the Free State party. In the elections of 1855, many citizens of the slave state of Missouri crossed the border and voted in Kansas. Proslavery candidates won control of the territorial legislature and passed many proslavery laws.  Violence broke out, particularly in the area close to the Missouri border. In 1856, supporters of slavery burned part of the Free State town of Lawrence. John Brown, a man who hated slavery, led a raid on Pottawatomie Creek, and five proslavery men were killed (see [|Brown, John] ). More than 50 people died in many other small battles of this period. The violence in Kansas over the slavery issue attracted attention throughout the United States. Newspaper readers waited anxiously for the latest reports from "Bleeding Kansas."  The proslavery group wrote a constitution favoring slavery, but Kansas voters rejected it. Finally, the Free Staters gained control of the legislature and repealed the proslavery laws. A constitution forbidding slavery was written. The voters approved it and asked Congress for statehood. But many Free Staters had joined the Republican Party. Southern Democrats in Congress would not vote to admit a new Republican state. [|Print ""Bleeding Kansas."" subsection] Hansen, Ellen R., and Rita G. Napier. "Kansas." // World Book Student. // World Book, 2012. Web. 23 Apr. 2012.