Omar Bennett
The Wyandotte Constitution was the fourth and final proposed Kansas constitution, following the failed attempts of the Topeka, Lecompton, and Leavenworth conventions to create a state constitution that would pass Congress. The convention drafting the Wyandotte Constitution was held between July 5, 1859, and July 29, 1859, in the former community of Wyandotte, now part of Kansas City, Kansas. The Wyandotte Constitution prohibited slavery and granted a homestead exemption to protect settlers from bankruptcy. It also offered limited suffrage to women, assuring that the state would provide for women's equal rights in the possession of their children. The people of Kansas approved the Wyandotte Constitution in a referendum by a vote of 10,421 to 5,530 on October 4, 1859. On January 29, 1861, Kansas was admitted to the Union as the 34th state, marking the end of five years of conflict over slavery in the territory.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of convention | July 5, 1859 - July 29, 1859 |
| Location | Lipman Meyer's Hall, Wyandotte, Kansas |
| Delegates | 35 Republicans, 17 Democrats |
| Age of delegates | Mostly under 40, with three-quarters under 30 |
| Occupations | Lawyers, farmers, merchants, manufacturers, physicians, surveyor, printer, mechanic, land agent |
| Key issues | Slavery, state boundaries, women's rights, African-American rights |
| Outcome | Kansas admitted to the Union as a free state, prohibition of slavery, limited women's suffrage, affirmation of women's property rights |
| Date admitted to the Union | January 29, 1861 |
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What You'll Learn
Kansas' statehood and the end of the Free-State Party
Kansas's journey to statehood was a long and tumultuous one, marked by bitter conflict over the issue of slavery. The territory produced four constitutions in the 1850s, with the Wyandotte Constitution being the fourth and final proposal. The previous three constitutions—the Topeka, Lecompton, and Leavenworth conventions—failed to pass Congress and be signed into law by the president.
The Wyandotte Constitutional Convention, held in July 1859, differed from the preceding conventions in several ways. By mid-1859, most pro-slavery settlers had been driven out or outnumbered, and the success of the Free-State Party ensured that slavery would be prohibited in the territory. The convention abandoned the earlier Topeka Constitution and instead modelled the new constitution after the Ohio Constitution.
One of the most contentious issues debated during the convention was state boundaries. The original Kansas Territory, established in 1854, extended as far west as the Continental Divide and included the Pikes Peak gold fields. However, many delegates argued that this vast territory would be challenging to govern effectively. As a result, the western boundary was reduced to its current position at the 25th meridian, with the land beyond becoming part of the Colorado Territory.
Another critical issue addressed by the Wyandotte Constitution was women's rights. While the proposal to grant women equal voting rights did not pass, women gained the right to own property and participate in school district elections. The constitution also assured that the state would protect women's equal rights in the possession of their children.
The Wyandotte Constitution was approved in a referendum by a vote of approximately 10,400 to 5,500 on October 4, 1859. However, it faced resistance in the United States Senate, with strong opposition from Southern congressmen. The bill's passage was delayed until January 21, 1861, when 11 slave states seceded from the Union, causing their senators to leave their seats. On January 29, 1861, President James Buchanan, despite being an opponent of the Free-State settlers, signed the bill into law, admitting Kansas as the 34th state of the Union.
The adoption of the Wyandotte Constitution marked the end of the Free-State Party, as its members joined forces with the national Republicans. Kansas's statehood concluded the struggle known as "'Bleeding Kansas'," bringing an end to the years of conflict over slavery in the territory.
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The referendum and its outcome
The referendum on the Wyandotte Constitution was held on October 4, 1859, and it was approved by a vote of 10,421 to 5,530. The referendum took place in a climate of intimidation and open violence, with the previous voting attempts having failed due to rigged elections and illegal power grabs. The Wyandotte Constitution was the fourth and final proposed Kansas constitution, and it differed from the preceding conventions in that most pro-slavery settlers had been driven out or outnumbered, and the success of the Free-State Party made the prohibition of slavery explicit. The convention abandoned the old Topeka Constitution and instead chose the Ohio Constitution as its model.
The referendum settled several controversial issues. Firstly, it rejected slavery, making Kansas a free state. Secondly, it reduced the size of the state to its current boundaries, as many delegates saw the huge territory as a disadvantage. Thirdly, it granted women the right to own property and participate in school district elections, as well as affirming equal rights for women in the "possession of their children". However, it did not grant women the right to vote.
Following the referendum, official copies of the proposed constitution were sent to the President of the United States, the President pro tempore of the U.S. Senate, and the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. On February 12, 1860, a bill for Kansas's admission under the Wyandotte Constitution was introduced in the House, and on February 21, 1860, a separate bill was introduced in the Senate. However, the bill faced resistance and was carried over to the next session due to opposition from Southern senators.
As more Southern states seceded from the Union, opposition to Kansas's admission decreased, and on January 21, 1861, the Senate passed the Kansas bill. On January 29, 1861, President James Buchanan signed the bill, and Kansas officially became the 34th state of the Union. The admission of Kansas as a free state marked the end of five years of bitter conflict over slavery in the territory and concluded the struggle known as "'Bleeding Kansas'".
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The bill's passage in Congress
The bill for Kansas's admission was introduced on February 12, 1860, and the congressmen voted 134-73 in favour of admitting Kansas under the Wyandotte Constitution. However, there was resistance in the Senate, with strong opposition from Southern congressmen.
The bill was delayed for almost a year due to this resistance, but the election of Abraham Lincoln as president and the secession of several Southern states from the Union weakened the opposition. The last six Southern senators left their seats on January 21, 1861, and the Senate passed the Kansas bill later that day. The House of Representatives passed the bill a week later, sending it to President James Buchanan for his signature.
Buchanan, an opponent of the Free-Staters in Kansas, signed the bill on January 29, 1861, admitting Kansas as the 34th state of the Union. The bill's passage marked the end of five years of bitter conflict over slavery in the Kansas Territory. The Wyandotte Constitution explicitly prohibited slavery, granted a homestead exemption to protect settlers from bankruptcy, and offered limited suffrage to women.
The Wyandotte Constitution has been amended numerous times since its adoption, but it remains the constitution of Kansas today. The admission of Kansas as a free state concluded the struggle known as )"Bleeding Kansas," which saw the state produce four constitutions during its journey to statehood in the 1850s.
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The impact of Southern senators' secession
The Wyandotte Constitution was the fourth and final proposed Kansas constitution following the failed attempts of the Topeka, Lecompton, and Leavenworth conventions to create a state constitution that would pass Congress. The bill for the Wyandotte Constitution faced strong resistance from Southern congressmen and senators for nearly a year. The Southern senators opposed the bill because it prohibited slavery, which was a significant economic interest for the South. The Southern senators also believed that the federal government had encroached upon the rights of the states, and that the federal constitution had been violated.
However, the election of Abraham Lincoln as president in 1860 led to the secession of several Southern states, reducing the number of opposing senators. Lincoln was a long-time supporter of the free-state cause in Kansas. With the secession of 11 slave states, their senators left their seats, and the bill finally passed both houses of Congress on January 21, 1861. This was a significant turning point, as it allowed Kansas to be admitted to the Union as a free state, ending the bitter conflict over slavery in the territory.
The Wyandotte Constitution expressed progressive ideas of liberty by explicitly prohibiting slavery, granting a homestead exemption to protect settlers from bankruptcy, and offering limited suffrage to women. It also affirmed separate property rights for women and ensured that the state would provide for women's equal rights in the possession of their children. The constitution also dramatically reduced the size of the state, as the previous western border extended as far west as the Continental Divide and included the Pikes Peak gold fields.
The impact of the Southern senators' secession was thus significant in shaping the future of Kansas and the Union. It allowed for the passage of the Wyandotte Constitution, ending the conflict over slavery in the territory and securing Kansas's admission as a free state. The secession of the Southern senators also contributed to the growing divide between the North and the South, as the South felt increasingly isolated and believed their interests were not being protected. This divide ultimately led to the outbreak of the Civil War, as Southern states continued to secede following Lincoln's inauguration.
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Kansas' admission to the Union
Kansas's journey to becoming a state was a long and tumultuous one, marked by bitter conflict over the issue of slavery. The Kansas Territory was established in 1854 and, for several years, it had two governments, two constitutions, and two competing claims of legitimacy—one pro-slavery and one anti-slavery. This period, known as "Bleeding Kansas", saw rigged elections, illegal power grabs, and bloodshed.
The Wyandotte Constitution, drafted in July 1859, was the fourth and final proposed constitution for Kansas. It was created by a convention of 52 delegates, 35 Republicans, and 17 Democrats, most of whom were young men from Northern states under 30 years old. The convention abandoned the previous Topeka Constitution and instead modelled the new constitution on that of Ohio.
One of the most contentious issues debated by the convention was the size of the state. The western boundary of the Kansas Territory extended as far as the Continental Divide and included the Pikes Peak gold fields. Many delegates saw this huge territory as a disadvantage and sought to reduce the size of the state. Ultimately, the western boundary was fixed at the 25th meridian, reducing the size of the state to its current dimensions.
Another issue considered by the convention was women's rights. While a proposal to grant women equal voting rights was defeated, women gained the rights to own property and participate in school district elections. The constitution also affirmed that the state would provide for women's equal rights "in the possession of their children".
The Wyandotte Constitution was approved in a referendum by a vote of 10,421 to 5,530 on October 4, 1859. However, it faced resistance in the United States Senate, with strong opposition from Southern senators. It was only after the election of Abraham Lincoln and the secession of several Southern states that opposition decreased. On January 21, 1861, the Senate passed the Kansas bill, and on January 29, 1861, it was signed into law by President James Buchanan, marking Kansas's admission to the Union as the 34th state.
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Frequently asked questions
The Wyandotte Constitution was the fourth and final proposed constitution for Kansas, which was approved in a referendum in October 1859. It prohibited slavery, granted women the right to own property, and offered limited suffrage to women.
The people of Kansas were overjoyed with the news of the Wyandotte Constitution. The document was approved in a referendum by a vote of 10,421 to 5,530.
The Wyandotte Constitution settled the terms of Kansas' admission to the United States as a free state, marking the end of five years of bitter conflict over slavery in the territory. It also reduced the size of the state to its current borders.
