Bleeding Kansas

1854 to 1861

Period of violent political conflict in Kansas Territory over whether Kansas would enter the Union as a free or slave state.

Places

Lawrence. Lawrence was a free-state settlement focus during Bleeding Kansas; the May 21, 1856 sack of Lawrence is a documented territorial conflict event.
Osawatomie. The Battle of Osawatomie (1856-08-30) occurred at Osawatomie during the Bleeding Kansas era (Wikidata location P276=Osawatomie).
Topeka. The Topeka Constitution (1855) was a free-state constitutional effort associated with Topeka in Kansas Territory during Bleeding Kansas.
Lecompton. Constitution Hall in Lecompton (built 1856 per Wikidata) is tied to the Lecompton Constitution struggle in Bleeding Kansas-era territorial politics.
Fort Scott. NPS states that after fort buildings were sold into town use, Fort Scott became a Bleeding Kansas flashpoint, with free-state and proslavery hotels facing each other across the square.
Lane. The Pottawatomie Massacre (1856-05-24/25) occurred along Pottawatomie Creek near present-day Lane in Franklin County during Bleeding Kansas.
Franklin County. Wikidata locates the Pottawatomie Massacre (Q3489516) in Franklin County (P276) as part of Bleeding Kansas (P361=Q331377).
Linn County. The Marais des Cygnes Massacre (1858-05-19) occurred in Linn County near Trading Post; the massacre site is NRHP 71000317 / NHL.
Atchison. Atchison was founded in 1854 as a proslavery Kansas Territory stronghold named for Missouri senator David Rice Atchison; Kansapedia records Atchison County/town as a proslavery base during the territorial conflict.
Leavenworth. Kansapedia states strong proslavery supporters controlled much of Leavenworth during Bleeding Kansas, while Free-Staters still met there to frame the Leavenworth Constitution (1858).

Bleeding Kansas

Places

Sources