Kansas Nebraska Act 1854

The Railroad The adventures of Lewis and Clark did not find a passage through the mountains. Agriculture needed to supply railroad with reasons to move west. If Nebraska and Kansas become territories then people settling those territories were entitled to government protection. Farmers are safe to move west.

Why Kansas and Nebraska? Missouri Compromise is made void and unconstitutional. Two territories established with the hopes that popular sovereignty would make it so one would be slave and one free.

The Great Race Northerners and Southerners raced to populate the territories Popular Sovereignty provides extra incentive to emigrate. The giant population of the North and greater opportunity entices more northerners than southerners. Soon both sides started arming themselves in anticipation for war.

Bleeding Kansas Charles Sumner gives an anti-slavery speech on the congressional floor and in return Preston Brooks attacked him Fighting escalates far beyond Kansas

John Brown John Brown led a group of men in Kansas Territory on to attack at a proslavery settlement at Osawatomie Creek. During the night of May 24, the group, which included four of Brown's sons, led five pro-slavery men from their homes and hacked them to death with broadswords He was hanged in 1859 after a raid on the south.

Battle of Osawatomie John Brown and his followers fought a group of 400 proslavery men Hostilities continued for 2 months In all 56 people were killed

Results of the Kansas Nebraska Act Turned the country to almost certain war Nullified both the Missouri Compromise and Compromise of 1850 Deeply divided the Whig and Democratic parties Gave rise to the Republican Party Kansas admitted to the Union as a free state in 1861 prior to the start of the civil war