A Growing Sectional Struggle CICERO © “Bleeding Kansas”

The Compromise of 1850 CICERO © 2013 After the land acquisitions of the Mexican-American War, Congress sought to maintain the balance between the Northern free states and Southern slave states. Ideas for compromise proposed by Senator Henry Clay of Kentucky. United States Senate

Terms of the Compromise of 1850: CICERO © 2013 California admitted to the Union as a free state Border of Texas settled New territories in the Mexican Cession lands open to slavery based on “popular sovereignty” Slave trade abolished in Washington, D.C. Stricter Fugitive Slave Act put in place.

Senator Stephen A. Douglas CICERO © 2013 Democrat Senator from Illinois. Wanted a transcontinental railroad to go through Chicago. For this to happen, the neighboring territories of Kansas and Nebraska needed to be organized and settled. Proposed the Kansas-Nebraska Act in 1854 to achieve this goal. Library of Congress

Kansas-Nebraska Act, May 30, 1854 CICERO © 2013 Created the Kansas and Nebraska Territories. Repealed the Missouri Compromise and the prohibition of slavery above the 36°30’ line. Slavery open to these territories based on “popular sovereignty.” The residents would decide whether to allow slavery or not. The National Archives

Northern and Southern Reaction CICERO © 2013 The Kansas-Nebraska Act was disputed from the start, but was approved by Congress. Southern politicians supported the possibility of spreading slavery to the new territories. In the Senate, only two Southerners voted against the bill: Sam Houston (Texas) and John Bell (Tennessee) Northerners were outraged at the expansion of slavery. Senator Charles Sumner (Massachusetts) quickly became an outspoken opponent of the act.

CICERO © 2013 Sen. Charles SumnerSen. Sam HoustonSen. John Bell Library of Congress

Border Ruffians vs. Jayhawkers CICERO © 2013 Nebraska became a free territory with little issue, but Kansas quickly became a hotbed for trouble between supporters and opponents of slavery. Both sides sought to rush settlers into Kansas to influence the establishment of a territorial government and vote on slavery. Proslavery border ruffians established settlements in places including Leavenworth and Atchison. Antislavery Jayhawkers set up in Manhattan, Lawrence, and Topeka.

Trouble in Kansas CICERO © 2013 Leaders in the North and South recruited and sometimes paid settlers to go to Kansas to influence the vote. Some settlers brought their families, but many others were well-armed single men. The popular abolitionist Rev. Henry Ward Beecher sent men to Kansas with “Beecher’s Bibles” (rifles). Library of Congress

March 30, 1855: Fraudulent Election CICERO © 2013 In March 1855, Kansas held an election to decide members of the territorial legislature. Border ruffians from Missouri flooded into Kansas to vote illegally. Although there were only 2,900 registered voters, more than 6,000 votes were cast. Governor Andrew H. Reeder threw out many of the election results, but the proslavery majority still prevailed. Antislavery legislators resigned, condemning the election as fraudulent.

Two Governments CICERO © 2013 Antislavery settlers continued to pour into Kansas. In the fall of 1855, antislavery leaders met in Topeka to form their own constitution and government. There were now two governments in Kansas, both seeking recognition while outlawing the other. Library of Congress

Who does President Pierce Support? CICERO © 2013 “In every case it is the people of the Territory, not a party among them, who have the power to form a constitution and ask for admission as a State. No principle of public law, no practice or precedent under the Constitution of the United States, no rule of reason, right, or common sense, confers any such power as that now claimed by a mere party in the Territory. In fact what has been done is of revolutionary character.” - Message to Congress, January 24, 1856 Franklin Pierce supported the proslavery government, despite an increasing antislavery majority in Kansas. He even sent federal troops into Kansas to try to break up the antislavery government. Library of Congress

“Sack of Lawrence” CICERO © 2013 Up to this point, violence between the two groups had been minimal. May 21, 1856 – a proslavery posse of about 800 men attacked the free-state settlement at Lawrence. The attackers ransacked, looted, and burned buildings, including the Free State Hotel and printing presses. No free-staters were killed in the attack, but one proslavery attacker was killed by a collapsing building. The Northern press instantly made a rallying cry of the “sack of Lawrence” and “Lawrence in ruins.”

Violence in Kansas Moves to Congress CICERO © 2013 Violence continued between proslavery and free-state forces in Kansas. The situation became a divisive issue in Congress. May 19-20, 1856 – Senator Charles Sumner delivered his speech “The Crime Against Kansas.” In the speech, Sumner criticized the Kansas-Nebraska Act, as well as Democratic Senators Stephen Douglas (Illinois) and Andrew Butler (South Carolina). On May 22, Representative Preston Brooks, a relative of Butler, severely beat Sumner with a cane on the Senate floor. The caning of Senator Sumner further divided northerners and southerners.

“Arguments of the Chivalry” CICERO © 2013 Library of Congress

John Brown’s Response CICERO © 2013 The fanatical abolitionist responded to proslavery attacks with violence of his own. May 24-25: Pottawatomie Massacre In the middle of the night, Brown, leading a group of men, dragged 5 proslavery settlers out of their homes and killed them with swords. The National Archives

Attempts to Restore Order CICERO © 2013 For the next few months, small armies clashed throughout Kansas. September 1856 – John W. Geary appointed territorial governor. Geary used federal troops and promises of a fair government to ease tensions in Kansas. Still intermittent violence into the Civil War. Geary was later a general in the Civil War Library of Congress

The Lecompton Constitution CICERO © – Kansas was ready to apply for statehood. In the fall, a proslavery dominated constitutional convention met in Lecompton to draft a constitution. The convention issued two constitutions for the people to vote on: one allowing slavery, and one allowing current slaves to remain but banning the importation of new slaves. Free-staters, a majority in Kansas, refused to vote, and the constitution passed with slavery.

Fight over the Lecompton Constitution CICERO © 2013 Two weeks later, the free-staters in the territorial legislature called for a vote of approval over the new constitution. Proslavery forces refused to vote, and the antislavery majority rejected the Lecompton Constitution. February 1858 – President James Buchanan supported the admission of Kansas under the Lecompton Constitution. The Senate voted to recognize the proslavery constitution. Opposition in the House, led by Senator Douglas, defeated the constitution. A final vote in Kansas overwhelmingly rejected the Lecompton Constitution.

Douglas Split with the Democrats CICERO © 2013 Senator Douglas did not believe the Lecompton Constitution reflected the will of the Kansans. He encouraged opposition in the House of Representatives to reject the proslavery Kansas government. Library of Congress

The Wyandotte Constitution CICERO © 2013 July 5-29, 1859 – Another constitutional convention met in Wyandotte. Both Republicans and Democrats participated in the convention. The Wyandotte Constitution made Kansas a free state. October 4, 1859 – Kansans voted 2:1 to approve the constitution. They then established their state government, with Republicans taking most of the offices.

Kansas Joins the Union CICERO © 2013 The admission of Kansas passed in the House, but Southern Senators delayed voting. When the southern states seceded, opposition to the admission of Kansas diminished. January 29, 1861 – Both houses approved the admission, and Kansas entered the Union as a free state. Library of Congress

Legacy of Bleeding Kansas CICERO © 2013 John Brown moved his antislavery crusade to Harper’s Ferry, Virginia. The violence in Kansas was a reflection of the growing sectional crisis dividing the nation and putting the states on the path to violence. Library of Congress The National Archives