In the 1850's, slavery was no longer practiced in the North, which included Kansas. Human slavery in Kansas became an issue of much importance. People from the North and South fought for the control of Kansas with voting and violence. This was known as "Bleeding Kansas". The violence really started to break out in 1855. The Kansas-Nebraska Act left it up to voters to decide whether Kansas should be a free or slave state. Many Missourians came across the border to Kansas and voted for slavery, so it would appear Kansas wanted to be a slave state. These people were known as Border Ruffians. Kansas who opposed slavery kept on growing and growing. In 1857, free-soilers were able to vote against the proslavery legislature. On January 29th, 1861, Kansas became the 34th state with a constitution that was against slavery. The Civil War gave Kansans little rest from when they were Kansas Territiory and the 1850s. In 1865, the Civil War was finally over, and Kansans had another enemy to defeat, the Native Americans. Back to Timeline Home
