Bleeding Kansas

DeAne brought up the history of Bleeding Kansas today in class because of its strong connection with the Civil War. Although our class will not be reading a book about Bleeding Kansas, I thought that I would take some time in my blog to discuss the importance of Bleeding Kansas in American history. Growing up in northeast Kansas, Bleeding Kansas is particularly significant to the morals of the people that live in that area today. Bleeding Kansas divided the state during the civil war era between pro and anti-slavery (eventually becoming a "free state" in 1861). Although today Kansas remains to be mostly conservative, "the state embodies a curious blend of the Religious Right’s “culture wars” with Koch Brothers free-market fundamentalism," as stated in the Lawrence-Journal World. Kansas was John Brown's propaganda territory (Thoreau was a supporter of John Brown). Today, the history of Bleeding Kansas has created some moral issues via abortion laws. Two years ago, infamous late-abortion Dr. George Tiller was killed at a Lutheran church in Wichita, KS. Abortion laws have become hot-bedded issues in Kansas today. Other remnants of Brown's influence remain in the rivalry between University of Kansas (KU) and University of Missouri-Columbia (MU). Lawrence, KS (home of KU), was the place of the pro-slavery raid in an anti-slavery town. Western Missouri was stereotypically pro-slavery during this time while eastern Kansans were strong abolitionists.

So there is a bit of the history behind pro/anti-slavery in Kansas and its effect on today's society! And here is a mural of the controversial John Brown, which can be found inside of the Kansas state capital building: