Bleeding Kansas

Paper Summary:

This paper examines the ideas of popular sovereignty, the Lecompton Constitution, and the New England Immigrant Aid Society, with respect to the 1854-1861 struggle in Kansas between those opposed to slavery, those in favor of slavery, and those in favor of leaving the issue up to the states to decide. In addition, the paper examines the Pottawatomie Massacre and Quantrill's Raid.

From the Paper:

"Popular sovereignty, otherwise known as squatter sovereignty, began in 1850. This political doctrine promoted controversy by stating that people n federal territories should have free will when it came to whether or not their territories would enter the Union as a slave state or a free state. First applied to Utah and New Mexico territories, the doctrine was used in the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska act in 1854. This act repealed the previously applied prohibition of slavery north of the 36 30 latitude line. Thus, the Kansas territory was given the right to choose for themselves how their territory would enter the Union (NPS, "Overview")."

More papers on Bleeding Kansas:

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• Essay # 68572 : "The Civil War"

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