Events Of Bleeding Kansas

Emerging in 1855 was a series of violent events that broke out in present day Kansas. These events came to be known as Bleeding Kansas. In the years of 1854 to 1857 Kansas was being disputed over in regards to it being a free soil or slave state through popular sovereignty. In order for Kansas to be a slave state pro- slavery people from Missouri came to vote in its favor. As a result of this, the New England Emigrant Aid Company was organized and sent thousands of people out to Kansas to vote free soil. Violence and chaos broke out between the peoples opposing beliefs and this came to be known as Bleeding Kansas. At this time, Americans were in the period known as the Antebellum era, between the Mexican war and Civil war. Americans were currently …show more content…
Ultimately at this time America was undergoing a period of violence and controversy. Bleeding Kansas greatly impacted the tension between the North and South. As a result of North and South people coming to Kansas to vote on its status, violence broke out. The North felt that they were right as did the South, which led to opposing views and chaos. This event ranks number one for increasing tensions due to it dividing the country. Bleeding Kansas originated with violence that broke out between Free Staters and Border Ruffians which started over the concept of popular sovereignty. The tensions it created resulted in the development of the Civil War and caused the regions to be split. As a whole, this event caused the most tension because it was the violence that occurred before the war officially begun. The people could not reach an agreement and resorted to violence, just as they did with the Civil …show more content…
John Brown, an abolitionist, lead a group of men into Harper’s Ferry in Virginia to raid the artillery and steal the weapons. Brown planned on giving these to slaves. Brown’s men gathered hostages and slaves. When news of the raid spread, U.S. marines arrived on October 17, led by Colonel Robert E. Lee to end the raid. On October 19, the soldiers overthrew Brown and his men. Ten of Brown’s men died, including his sons. At this time, it became evident that the North could not live with slavery in the South and would do what is necessary to stop it. This historical event became a part of Bleeding Kansas, which was ongoing throughout the pre civil war period. This event increased the violence that Brown had previously started in Kansas and escalated tensions through “Bleeding Kansas” which caused Southerners to feel that the North’s way of abolishing Southern slavery is with acts of violence. Harper’s Ferry increased sectional tensions caused the election of 1860 to be crucial for the nation’s survival. Brown’s raid helped tensions between the North and South so strong that an upcoming Civil War would be