”BLEEDING KANSAS”: SLAVE OR FREE?

In preparations for elections that would be held in 1855, states and interests supporting and opposing slavery all were active in sending settlers into Kansas that would support their cause. Abolitionists financed the journey to Kansas of many settlers opposed to slavery; at the same time, many Southern states “encouraged” settlers to travel there. Conflicts, often involving bloodshed, erupted between the two sides. Many proslavery settlers flooded into Kansas from Missouri, thus ensuring the election of a pro-slavery legislature in 1855 by casting illegal ballots. The legislature enacted measures designed to protect slavery in the territory (the “Lecompton Constitution” made slavery legal in a constitutional sense), Free-Soilers proceeded to elect their own legislature and adopted equally harsh antislavery legislation. Violence continued in “ Bleeding Kansas” in 1856: The free-soil settlement at Lawrence was attacked, and in response, abolitionist John Brown and his followers killed five proslavery settlers. Fighting between supporters and opponents of slavery continued throughout the year.

Democrat James Buchanan won the presidential election of 1856. The opposition to him was split, with John C. Fremont running as a Republican and ex-president Millard Fillmore running as the Know- Nothing candidate. It should he noted that Fremont and Fillmore together gained nearly 55 percent of the popular vote.