The Anti-Nebraska Men was a name given to the American Northern Whigs to distinguish them from the Southern Whigs in respect of the Kansas-Nebraska bill. The Anti-Nebraska Men were joined by Anti-Slavery Democrats and gained control of the House in the Thirty-Fourth Congress before becoming the Republican Party. Research Anti-Nebraska Men
The Blue Lodges were an American secret pro-slavery order of Western Missouri formed about 1854 to aid the Southern mission work of establishing slavery in Kansas. In March 1855 they crossed the Missouri and forcibly deposited their ballots for the pro-slavery candidates. Research Blue Lodges
The Emigrant Aid Company, Massachusetts, was the first organization formed for the purpose of settling Kansas with free-State emigrants. It was planned by Eli Thayer, and chartered by the Legislature of Massachusetts in April, 1854. But before the actual work of settlement began, the 'New England Immigrant Aid Society'' took its place, with a less ambitious design. Research Emigrant Aid Company
The Free Soil Party was an American political party which came into existence in 1848 and advocated non-extension of slavery in the newly acquired territory of the United States. It was composed of Abolitionists - formerly Democrats and Whigs, who had left their party conventions upon their failure to support that issue. Their first convention was held in 1848 when they polled a large popular vote, but secured no electoral count. Their second convention in 1852 was held at Pittsburgh and secured them less votes than before. In 1854 they opposed the Kansas-Nebraska bill, and in 1856 became absorbed in the newly-formed Republican party. Research Free Soil Party
In July, 1859, John Brown settled near Harper's Ferry, Virginia and began, with the aid of some Kansas associates, the forcible liberation of slaves. On October the 17th he seized, with seventeen whites and five negroes, the United States arsenal at Harper's Ferry, and spent the next eighteen hours in freeing slaves, cutting telegraph wires, preparing defences and making prisoners of fifty white men. On October the 18th, 1500 militia and marines arrived. They surrounded the armoury engine house, burst open the door and captured John Brown, three other whites and half a dozen negroes. Eight of the insurgents were killed. John Brown was taken to Charlestown, Virginia., and there hanged, on December the 2nd, 1859. Research Harper's Ferry Insurgency
The Herald Of Freedom was the first newspaper of Kansas, USA. The Herald Of Freedom was first issued on October 21st 1854 at Wakarusa, Kansas, but was printed in Pennsylvania. In 1855 the Herald Of Freedom was established at Lawrence but was suspended for a while following destruction of the newspaper's office by a fire and in 1859 was finally suspended. Research Herald Of Freedom
The Kansas-Nebraska Bill was an American Act of Congress. Under the provisions of the Kansas-Nebraska Bill, which was passed by Congress on May the 22nd, 1854, Kansas and Nebraska were separated And organized into Territories. The importance of this bill lay in the fact that it practically repealed the Missouri Compromise. In the bill as reported by Stephen A Douglas, the question of slavery in the two Territories was to be settled within the Territories, and if adopted the fugitive slave law was to apply. The status of Nebraska was easily settled as a free Territory, but the question caused much trouble in Kansas. The passage of the act had much to do with bringing on the American Civil War. Research Kansas-Nebraska Bill
The Kansas Aid Society was a Congressional association formed in 1854 for the purpose of aiding free immigration into Kansas to prevent the establishment of slavery, which had been made possible by the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act then recently adopted. Slavery advocates from Missouri were at that time active in endeavouring to bring about the establishment of slavery. Research Kansas Aid Society
The Lecompton Constitution was a Constitution adopted by the pro-slavery party of Kansas, United States, in a convention held at Lecompton on September the 5th, 1857. The Constitution sanctioned slavery, and prohibited the passage of emancipation laws by the Legislature. It was provided that the Constitution should not, as a whole, be submitted to the people of the territory; they were only to vote for 'the Constitution with slavery' or 'the Constitution without slavery'. Free-State settlers abstaining, the former alternative prevailed by a large majority. Later, without authorization from the convention, the Territorial Legislature ordered a vote on the Constitution as a whole. It was voted down by a large majority, slave-State settlers now abstaining. Research Lecompton Constitution
The New England Emigrant Company was a corporation formed at Boston in 1855 to control emigration to the newly formed Territory of Kansas in the interest of the anti-slavery party. Slavery in Kansas had been made possible by the adoption of the Kansas-Nebraska bill, and slavery advocates in Missouri were actively at work for its establishment. The Emigrant Company aided immeasurably in making Kansas a free State. Research New England Emigrant Company
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Anti-Nebraska Men
