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33-514: Kansas Conference may refer to: History Lecompton Constitution , second of four proposed constitutions for the state of Kansas Sports Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference , an intercollegiate athletic conference affiliated with the NAIA Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference , a college athletic conference that is a member of

66-418: A single issue, expressed on the ballot as "Constitution with Slavery" v. "Constitution with no Slavery". But the "Constitution with no Slavery" clause would not have made Kansas a free state; it merely would have banned the future importation of enslaved people into Kansas (something deemed by many as unenforceable). Boycotted by free-soilers , the referendum suffered serious voting irregularities, with over half

99-564: A slave state if it should require half the citizens of Missouri, musket in hand, to emigrate there. According to these emigrants, abolitionists would do well not to stop in Kansas Territory, but keep on up the Missouri River until they reach Nebraska Territory , which was anticipated to be a free state. Before the first arrival of Free-State emigrants from the northern and eastern States, nearly every desirable location along

132-756: A state constitution in Kansas that allowed slavery. The Lecompton Constitution was preceded by the Topeka Constitution and was followed by the Leavenworth and Wyandotte Constitutions, with the Wyandotte becoming the Kansas state constitution. The document was written in response to the anti-slavery position of the 1855 Topeka Constitution of James H. Lane and other free-state advocates. The territorial legislature—which, because of widespread electoral fraud, mainly consisted of enslavers—met at

165-419: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Lecompton Constitution The Lecompton Constitution was drafted by pro-slavery advocates and included provisions to protect slavery in the state and to exclude free people of color from its bill of rights . Slavery was the subject of Article 7, which protected the right to enslaved "property". It prevented

198-716: The Shawnee Methodist Mission . In the election of 1857, free-staters out-voted the pro-slavery settlers in the Territory, which meant that the Territorial Legislature fell into free-state hands. Then, on October 4, 1859, the Wyandotte Constitution was approved in a referendum by a vote of 10,421 to 5,530, and after its approval by the U.S. Congress, Kansas was admitted as a free state on January 29, 1861, shortly after

231-628: The Union as the free state of Kansas . The territory extended from the Missouri border west to the summit of the Rocky Mountains and from the 37th parallel north to the 40th parallel north . Originally part of Missouri Territory , it was unorganized from 1821 to 1854. Much of the eastern region of what is now the State of Colorado was part of Kansas Territory. The Territory of Colorado

264-509: The United States Senate , and who entered upon the duties of their officer. The first governor was Andrew Horatio Reeder (of Easton, Pennsylvania ) was appointed June 29, 1854 and removed July 28, 1858. On March 30, 1855, " Border Ruffians " from Missouri entered Kansas during the territory's first legislative election and voted in a pro-slavery Territorial Legislature. Antislavery candidates prevailed in one election district,

297-595: The 1850s. The land that would become Kansas Territory was considered to be infertile by 19th century American pioneers. It was called the Great American Desert , for it lacked trees and was drier than land eastward. Technically, it was part of the vast grasslands that make up the North American Great Plains and supported giant herds of American bison . After the invention of the steel plow and more sophisticated irrigation methods

330-664: The 6,000 votes deemed fraudulent. Nevertheless, both it and the Topeka Constitution were sent to Washington for approval by Congress. A vocal supporter of enslaver rights, which he believed necessary to prevent Southern secession and preserve the Union, President James Buchanan endorsed the Lecompton Constitution before Congress. While the president received the support of Southern Democrats, many Northern Democrats, led by Stephen A. Douglas , sided with

363-412: The Lecompton Constitution was proposed, even though this would delay Kansas's admission to the Union. Furthermore, a new constitution—the anti-slavery Leavenworth Constitution—was already being drafted. On January 4, 1858, Kansas voters, having the opportunity to reject the constitution altogether in a referendum, overwhelmingly rejected the Lecompton Constitution by a vote of 10,226 to 138. In Washington,

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396-535: The Missouri River had been claimed by men from western Missouri, by virtue of the preemption laws . During the long debate that preceded the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act, it had become the settled opinion at the North that the only remaining means whereby the territory might yet be rescued from the grasp of the slave power, was in its immediate occupancy and settlement by anti-slavery emigrants from

429-775: The National Junior College Athletic Association Big Seven Conference (Kansas) , a high school athletics league in Kansas Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Kansas Conference . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kansas_Conference&oldid=459424928 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description

462-519: The Republicans in opposition to the constitution. Despite Douglas's objections, the Kansas statehood bill passed the Senate on March 23, 1858, by a vote of 33 to 25. Douglas was helped considerably by the work of Thomas Ewing Jr. , a noted Kansas Free State politician and lawyer, who led a legislative investigation in Kansas to uncover the fraudulent voting ballots. A new referendum over the fate of

495-662: The Southern legislators, who would never have permitted a new free state, had walked out. The last legislative act of the Territorial Legislature was the approval of the charter for the College of the Sisters of Bethany . This was February 2, 1861—four days after James Buchanan signed the act of Congress that officially brought Kansas into the Union. James H. Lane joined the Free-State movement in 1855 and became president of

528-559: The Topeka Constitutional Convention, which met from October 23 to November 11, 1855. He was later a leader of " Jayhawkers ." The first Free-state mass-meeting was in Lawrence on the evening of June 8, 1855; it was stated that persons from Missouri had invaded and had stolen elections to the legislature of the territory. It was claimed that some Missourians had used violence toward the persons and property of

561-499: The adjacent territory, selected a section of land, and then united with fellow-adventurers in a meeting or meetings, intending to establish a pro-slavery preemption upon all this region. As early as June 10, 1854, the Missourians held a meeting at Salt Creek Valley, a trading post 3 miles (5 km) west from Fort Leavenworth , at which a "Squatter's Claim Association" was organized. They said they were in favor of making Kansas

594-567: The admission of the state of Kansas with the Lecompton Constitution was rejected by the U.S. House of Representatives in 1858. Though soundly defeated, the debate over the proposed constitution had ripped apart the Democratic Party. Anson Burlingame delivered a fiery speech in the House of Representatives on March 31, 1858, condemning those in favor of the Lecompton Constitution as "An Appeal to Patriots Against Fraud and Disunion". Kansas

627-522: The area that would become Kansas Territory 33 years later was part of the Missouri Territory . When Missouri was granted statehood in 1821 the area became unorganized territory and contained little to no permanent white settlement with the exception of Fort Leavenworth . The Fort was established in 1827 by Henry Leavenworth with the 3rd U.S. Infantry from St. Louis, Missouri ; it is the first permanent European settlement in Kansas. The fort

660-485: The designated capital of Lecompton in September 1857 to produce a rival document. Free-state supporters, who comprised most actual settlers, boycotted the vote. President James Buchanan's appointee as territorial governor of Kansas, Robert J. Walker , although a strong defender of slavery, opposed the blatant injustice of the constitution and resigned rather than implement it. This new constitution enshrined slavery in

693-641: The free states in sufficient numbers to establish free institutions within its borders. The desire to facilitate the colonization of the Territory took practical shape while the bill was still under debate in the United States Congress . The largest organization created for this purpose was the New England Emigrant Aid Company , organized by Eli Thayer . Emigration from the free states (including Iowa , Ohio , and other Midwestern and New England states), flowed into

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726-544: The future Riley County . The first session of the legislature was held in Pawnee, Kansas (within the boundary of modern-day Fort Riley ), at the request of Governor Reeder . The two-story stone building still stands and is open to the public, as the First Territorial Capitol of Kansas . The building remained as the seat of the legislature for five days from July 2–6, 1855, then moved nearer Missouri to

759-399: The inhabitants of the Kansas Territory. It was agreed that Kansas should be a free State and that the stolen election was a gross outrage on the elective franchise and rights of freemen and a violation of the principles of popular sovereignty. Those attending did not feel bound to obey any law of illegitimate legislature enacted and opposed the establishment of slavery. The convention reserved

792-633: The legislature from emancipating enslaved people without their enslavers' consent and full compensation. A rigged election approved it in December 1857 but overwhelmingly defeated in a second vote in January 1858 by a majority of voters in the Kansas Territory. The rejection of the Lecompton Constitution, and the subsequent admittance of Kansas to the Union as a free state, highlighted the irregular and fraudulent voting practices that had marked earlier efforts by bushwhackers and border ruffians to create

825-477: The proposed state and protected the rights of enslavers. In addition, the constitution provided for a referendum on whether to allow more enslaved people to enter the territory. The Topeka and Lecompton constitutions were placed before the people of the Kansas Territory for a vote, and supporters of the opposing faction boycotted both votes. In the case of Lecompton, however, the vote was boiled down to

858-464: The settlers of Kansas Territory to determine by popular sovereignty whether Kansas would be a free state or a slave state . The Act contained thirty-seven sections. The provisions relating to Kansas Territory were embodied in the last eighteen sections. Some of the more notable sections were: Within a few days after the passage of the Kansas–Nebraska Act, hundreds of Missourians crossed into

891-475: The territory beginning in 1854. These emigrants were known as Free-Staters . Because Missourians had claimed much of the land closest to the border, the Free-Staters were forced to establish settlements further into Kansas Territory. Among these were Lawrence , Topeka , and Manhattan . To protect themselves against the encroachments of non-residents, the "Actual Settlers' Association of Kansas Territory"

924-660: The thick prairie soil would be broken for agriculture. By the 1850s immigration pressure was increasing and organization into a Territory was desired. Kansas Territory was established on May 30, 1854, by the Kansas–Nebraska Act . This act established both the Nebraska Territory and Kansas Territory. The most momentous provision of the Act in effect repealed the Missouri Compromise of 1820 and allowed

957-445: The vote. During part of the territorial period there were two territorial legislatures, with two constitutions, meeting in two cities (one capital was burned by partisans of the other capital). Two applications for statehood, one free and one slave, were sent to the U.S. Congress. The departure of Southern legislators in January 1861 facilitated Kansas' entry as a free state, later the same month. From June 4, 1812, until August 10, 1821,

990-467: Was admitted to the Union as a free state in 1861, just as soon as the pro-slavery senators who had blocked it withdrew from the Senate because their states had seceded. Kansas Territory The Territory of Kansas was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 30, 1854, until January 29, 1861, when the eastern portion of the territory was admitted to

1023-661: Was created to govern this western region of the former Kansas Territory on February 28, 1861. The question of whether Kansas was to be a free or a slave state was, according to the Compromise of 1850 and the Kansas–Nebraska Act , to be decided by popular sovereignty , that is, by vote of the Kansans. The question of which Kansans were eligible to vote led to an armed-conflict period called Bleeding Kansas . Both pro-slavery and free-state partisans encouraged and sometimes financially supported emigration to Kansas, so as to influence

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1056-867: Was established as the westernmost outpost of the American military to protect trade along the Santa Fe Trail from Native Americans . The trade came from the East, by land using the Boone's Lick Road , or by water via the Missouri River . This area, called the Boonslick , was located due east in west-central Missouri and was settled by Upland Southerners from Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee as early as 1812. Its slave-holding population would contrast with settlers from New England who would eventually arrive in

1089-562: Was formed. This association held a meeting on August 12, 1854, the object being the adoption of some regulations that should afford protection to the Free-State settlers, under laws not unlike those adopted by the pro-slavery squatters in the border region east. The first territorial appointments, looking to the inauguration of a local government, under the provisions of the organic law, were made in June and July 1854. The officers appointed by President Pierce , whose appointments were confirmed by

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