Day 6: Kansas-Nebraska Act (90-120 minutes)
Materials to Distribute
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Kansas-Nebraska Act Text Sheet
America Label-me Map 1854
Futility versus Immortality Activity
Come to Bleeding Kansas Abolitonist billboard
Jawhawks and other mysterious southern college mascots.
Franklin Pierce biography (optional)
Background:
Introduce: By 1854, the United States was ready to divide parts of the “unorganized territories” left
over from the Louisiana Purchase into organized territories, and thus, the territories of Kansas and
Nebraska were organized.
Ask: What familiar conflict arose out of the formation of these two territories?
Say: Correct. The issue of slavery was at the forefront of the formation of the Kansas and Nebraska
Territories.
Ask: Do you think another compromise was brokered to appease both the Northern and Southern
constituencies?
Say: in 1854, Illinois Senator Stephen A. Douglas introduced the Kansas-Nebraska Act to Congress.
Actually, the Kansas-Nebraska Act was far from a compromise to those against the extension of
slavery. Not only did the Kansas-Nebraska Act ensure that both territories would fall under the
doctrine of popular sovereignty, but it repealed the 1820 Missouri Compromise, which ensured that
slavery was prohibited north of the 36 30’ parallel (except for Missouri). Both Kansas and Nebraska
were north of the 36 30’ parallel.
Ask: How do you think the anti-slavery movement in North reacted?
Say: Anti-slavery activists were horrified and saw the Kansas-Nebraska act as an affront to the ideals
and beliefs of the Northern people. The Kansas-Nebraska Act was a leading cause of the Civil War and
President Pierce’s signing of the bill ultimately undermined his credibility as president.
Say: Despite the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act, both abolitionists and pro-slavery movements
realized that the future of slavery in the territories rested upon the votes of its residents. Located in the
northern plains, residents of the Nebraska Territory had little need for slavery, but Kansas would
become a battleground. Pro-slavery individuals, known as border ruffians in the North, and anti-slavery
Easterners, called jawhawkers in the South, rushed into the state in an attempt to affect the vote.
Distribute: The America in 1854 label-me map. Here, students will see exactly where the Kansas and
Nebraska Territories were located.
Ask: So, what do you think happened after Kansas swelled with so many new anti-slavery and proslavery residents?
Say: Predictably, violence erupted. The territory of Kansas soon gained the nickname “Bleeding
Kansas.” During this time, the anti-slavery town of Lawrence, Kansas was sacked by pro-slavery
Missourians. Radical abolitionist John Brown killed five pro-slavery Missourians at Pottawatomie,
Kansas, to avenge the death of five abolitionists in Lawrence. Brown also commanded anti-slavery
guerillas in several small battles in Kansas and western Missouri.
Say: Good leadership at the president position was crucial during this sectional conflict. Unfortunately,
President Pierce’s policies clearly favored the South and failed miserably to unite the nation. In fact,
both Pierce and James Buchanan (the next president) are thought of as among America’s least
effective presidents. The 16th president, Abraham Lincoln, is generally thought of as America’s best
president.
Distribute: Futility versus Immortality Worksheet. Here, students must compare and contrast the
presidencies of Buchanan and Pierce with Lincoln’s and explain the qualities that can make good and
bad presidents.
Discuss: Student Responses.
Distribute: Bleeding Kansas Billboard. With this activity, students must illustrate (literally) the state of
Kansas bleeding, and then must make a fictional billboard attracting anti-slavery settlers to the Kansas
Territory.
Distribute (For Fun): Kansas Jayhawks and Other Strange College Mascots.
Stephen A. Douglas
In 1854, Congress passed the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which organized the remaining
territory acquired in the Louisiana Purchase so that such territories could be
admitted to the Union as states.
Probably the most important result of the Kansas-Nebraska Act was its language
concerning the contentious issue of slavery. Proposed by Stephen A. Douglas, and
signed by president Franklin Pierce, the bill divided the region into two territories.
Territory north of the 40th parallel was called Nebraska Territory, and territory south
of the 40th parallel was called Kansas Territory. The most controversial aspect of
the Kansas-Nebraska Act was that each territory would decide for itself whether or
not to permit slavery. This stipulation repealed the Missouri Compromise of 1820
which stated that slavery was prohibited north of 36° 30′.
As there was more support for slavery in Kansas, both pro-slavery and anti-slavery
advocates organized teams of people to settle in the state. Not surprisingly, the
area became a battleground for both sides, and the resulting violence caused the
territory to be referred to as “Bleeding Kansas,” and was one of the first major
causes of the Civil War. Eventually, on January 29, 1861, after much controversy,
Kansas was admitted to the Union as a free state – just months before the first
shots of the Civil War were fired.
United States in 1854 Label-me Map
Label the Map Above
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25.
28.
31.
34.
37.
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32.
35.
38.
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36.
Answers
United States in 1854 Label-me Map
1. Maine
4. Massachusetts
7. New York
10. Delaware
13. North Carolina
16. Florida
19. Kentucky
22. Indiana
25. Louisiana
28. Iowa
31. Nebraska Territory
34. Texas
37. Oregon Territory
Label the Map Above
2. New Hampshire
5. Rhode Island
8. Pennsylvania
11. Maryland
14. South Carolina
17. Alabama
20. Ohio
23. Illinois
26. Arkansas
29. Wisconsin
32. Kansas Territory
35. New Mexico Territory
38. California
3. Vermont
6. Connecticut
9. New Jersey
12. Virginia
15. Georgia
18. Tennessee
21. Michigan
24. Mississippi
27. Missouri
30. Minnesota Territory
33. Indian Territory
36. Utah Territory
Futility at the Top
In the years leading up to the American Civil War, Presidents Franklin Pierce and
James Buchanan failed to stem the rising tide of secession. Both Pierce and
Buchanan were Northerners who were known to be sympathetic to the “plight”
of the South. The greatest conflict in the history of the United States was thus
left in the lap of Abraham Lincoln.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Historical_rankings_of_Presidents_of_the_United_States
Presidential Rankings
Pierce – 14th President
Ranking: 41/43
Buchanan – 15th President
Ranking: 43/43
Lincoln – 16th President
Ranking: 1/43
In the 1800’s, two of the lowest ranked presidents (based on performance) were
followed by the highest ranked president. What do you think were the main differences
between the way Lincoln led the nation and his two predecessors? What is the
difference between a great leader and a poor leader? Write your response on the lines
provided. Use another page if necessary.
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Bleeding Kansas Billboard
Following the controversial Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, antislavery northern settlers rushed into Kansas in an attempt
to sway the popular vote against slavery. These settlers were buoyed by political cartoons such as the example above,
which shows President Franklin Pierce, among others, “forcing slavery down the throat” of Americans.
Pretend you are an antislavery activist during this time period. Design a fictional “billboard” that literally represents
Bleeding Kansas and that urges likeminded citizens to move to Kansas to prevent the spread of slavery.
Jawhawks and Mysterious Southern University Mascots
“Jawhawkers,” was the term used to describe anti-slavery settlers who poured into Kansas in 1854 in an
attempt to sway the popular vote in that territory against slavery. The town of Lawrence, Kansas, a Free State
stronghold, would be sacked as a result of violence between Jawhawkers and proslavery Missourians known
as Border Ruffians. To honor the Jawhawkers, the University of Kansas made its mascot a “jawhawk,” a sort of
hybrid between a blue jay and hawk, meant to represent the antislavery settlers. Other universities in the
southern United States have mysterious mascots as well. In the spaces provided below, hypothesize about the
meaning of the various mascots, and render drawings that reflect how you think each mascot should appear.
University and mascot
University of North Carolina
TARHEELS
University of Oklahoma
SOONERS
University of Arkansas
RAZORBACKS
What does it mean?
Picture
University and mascot
University of North Carolina
TARHEELS
University of Oklahoma
SOONERS
University of Arkansas
RAZORBACKS
What does it mean?
The exact meaning is unknown, but
one legend claims the name
originates from the idea that North
Carolina Confederate soldiers stuck
to their ranks as if they had tar on
their heels.
This name refers to settlers who
rushed to Oklahoma before the
official land Rush of 1889. These
settlers entered Oklahoma illegally
and when the Land Rush was
officially announced, they were
already there to stake their claims.
A razorback is a type of wild boar
introduced into the Americas during
the Age of Exploration. These
animals have a reputation of being
violent and wild.
Picture
Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pierce, the 14th President of the United States, was born on November 23, 1804, in
Hillsborough, New Hampshire. Pierce was more than just a career politician he was both a
successful lawyer and brigadier general in the United States Army, during the Mexican
American war.
Following in his father’s footsteps, Pierce entered politics at an early age. By the age of 24,
Franklin Pierce was elected to the New Hampshire legislature. When he was only 26 years
old, he was appointed Speaker of the New Hampshire legislature. Next, his political career
led him to Washington, DC, as an elected representative and eventually a Senator for the
state of New Hampshire.
In 1853, Franklin Pierce became the 14th President of the United States. Tragedy stuck the
Pierce family just two months prior to Pierce taking the office of president. Both his wife
and eleven year old son were killed in a train wreck. Despite the horrendous tragedy, Pierce
endured and took the office while still grieving for his wife and child.
During his presidency, Franklin Pierce embraced westward expansion and supported
popular sovereignty in Kansas, which allowed the citizens of Kansas to decide whether or
not to allow slavery there. Pierce’s stance angered many abolitionists, who referred to him
as a “doughface,” a northern politician who sympathized with the South. During his
presidency, Pierce also approved the Gadsden Purchase, which added parts of modern-day
Arizona and New Mexico to the United States. Pierce’s presidency, however, is remembered
for its inability to stem the rising tide of secession, and its failure to solve sectional
conflict. Some historians rank his presidency as among the worst of all presidents. His
support in the North was further compromised as he became a vocal critic of Abraham
Lincoln.
President Pierce struggled his entire life with alcoholism and died at age 64, from cirrhosis
of the liver.