Events Leading Up to the Civil War

 There were many events which brought about the Civil War; among them were state’s rights, economics, social influence, and of course slavery. However, slavery was not the most important issue; the biggest issue was the state’s rights to make their own decisions, something we still see today. With the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, states became afraid that the balance of power would shift in one direction or another. Secession was talked about from 1803 on.

With the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, the Missouri Compromise of 1820 was repealed. The Kansas-Nebraska Act allowed settlers in the region to decide whether to allow slavery to expand to the new states. What this did to Kansas is now known as the days of “Bloody Kansas,” a term coined by writer, Horace Greely.

In July of 1854, the town of Lawrence was settled. Soon after, the border wars began over the issue of allowing slavery in the Kansas Territory. At one time, Kansas had two constitutions, with two separate governments, at two different locations; only one was federally recognized. Claim for the first territorial capital of Kansas lies south of Ogden at Fort Riley.

Border ruffians from Missouri came to Kansas to stir up trouble for the abolitionist. In turn, the Jayhawkers raided into Missouri. Radical abolitionists, associated with John Brown added more fuel to the fire, and contributed to the Wakarusa “War” in November and December of 1855.

Trouble in Kansas continued even after the state was admitted into the Union on January 29, 1861, as a free state. Then, on April 12, 1861, secessionists fired shots at Fort Sumter beginning the War Between the States.