Eleanor Finch
The Wyandotte Constitution, drafted in 1859, was the fourth and final proposed Kansas constitution. It was approved in a referendum in October 1859 and by the US House of Representatives in April 1860. The constitution prohibited slavery, granted a homestead exemption to protect settlers from bankruptcy, and offered limited suffrage to women. It also dramatically reduced the size of the state. The passage of the Wyandotte Constitution marked the end of the Free-State Party and the conflict over slavery in Kansas Territory. While the document fell short of universal suffrage, it expressed progressive ideas for its time. Kansans were overjoyed when Kansas became a state on January 29, 1861, and the North likely shared this sentiment, as the admission of Kansas as a free state aligned with their opposition to slavery.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of Wyandotte Constitution | July 5, 1859–July 29, 1859 |
| Location of convention | Lipman Meyer's Hall, former community of Wyandotte, now part of Kansas City, Kansas, in Wyandotte County, Kansas |
| Number of delegates | 52 |
| Number of Republican delegates | 35 |
| Number of Democratic delegates | 17 |
| Number of previous constitutions | 3 |
| Names of previous constitutions | Topeka Constitution, Leavenworth Constitution, Lecompton Constitution |
| Date of referendum approving Wyandotte Constitution | October 4, 1859 |
| Result of referendum | Approved by a vote of 10,421 to 5,530 |
| Date of House vote to admit Kansas under Wyandotte Constitution | April 11, 1860 |
| Result of House vote | Approved by a vote of 134 to 73 |
| Date of Senate vote to admit Kansas | January 21, 1861 |
| Date Kansas admitted to the Union as a free state | January 29, 1861 |
| Number of Kansas statehood constitution attempts | 4 |
| Status of Wyandotte Constitution | Still the constitution of Kansas, amended many times |
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What You'll Learn
The Wyandotte Constitution prohibited slavery
The Wyandotte Constitution, drafted in 1859, was the fourth and final proposed Kansas constitution. It was approved in a referendum by a vote of 10,421 to 5,530 on October 4, 1859, and was signed by President James Buchanan on January 29, 1861. Kansas was then admitted to the Union as a free state, marking the end of five years of bitter conflict over slavery in the Kansas Territory.
The delegates at the convention, which began on July 5, 1859, in Wyandotte, Kansas, also debated issues such as exempting homesteads from foreclosure, temperance, and universal suffrage. The temperance issue did not gain much support, but the delegates grappled with the question of universal suffrage. While some male delegates supported granting equal voting rights to women, the majority considered it too "radical" and ultimately rejected it.
The Wyandotte Constitution was a pragmatic compromise that settled the terms of Kansas' admission to the United States, explicitly prohibiting slavery and affirming the rights of women in a time when such progressive ideas of liberty were not common. It is worth noting that the constitution also marked the end of the Free-State Party, as its members joined the national Republicans, adopting the position that Congress had the power to ban slavery in the territories.
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It granted women property rights and the right to vote in school board elections
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 and be signed as a bill by the president. The Wyandotte Constitution is still the constitution of Kansas today, although it has been amended many times, including a universal suffrage amendment in 1912.
The convention drafting the Wyandotte Constitution was held between July 5, 1859, and July 29, 1859, at Lipman Meyer's Hall just north of Kaw Point in the former community of Wyandotte, now part of Kansas City, Kansas, in Wyandotte County, Kansas. The convention had to resolve some controversial issues, including the state's boundaries, which were dramatically reduced in size so that its western border did not extend as far as the Rocky Mountains.
The constitution expressed progressive ideas of liberty for its time, explicitly prohibiting slavery, granting a homestead exemption to protect settlers from bankruptcy, and offering limited suffrage to women. Women were granted property rights, equal custody of their children, and the right to vote in school board elections. This was largely due to the efforts of Clarina Nichols, a social activist and associated editor of Quindaro Chindowan, an abolitionist newspaper.
The Wyandotte Constitution was approved in a referendum by a vote of 10,421 to 5,530 on October 4, 1859. Official copies of the proposed constitution were then 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 was introduced, and within two months, the congressmen voted 134 to 73 to admit Kansas under the Wyandotte Constitution. However, there was resistance in the United States Senate, and it was not until January 21, 1861, after 11 slave states seceded from the Union, that the Senate passed the Kansas bill. On January 29, 1861, President James Buchanan signed the bill, making Kansas the 34th state and marking the end of five years of bitter conflict over slavery in Kansas Territory.
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It was approved by referendum in October 1859
The Wyandotte Constitution was approved by referendum on October 4, 1859, by a vote of 10,421 to 5,530. This marked a significant step towards Kansas's admission to the Union as a free state, explicitly prohibiting slavery and granting certain rights to women. The constitution was the fourth and final proposed constitution for Kansas, following the failed attempts of the Topeka, Lecompton, and Leavenworth conventions to create a constitution that would pass Congress and be signed as a bill by the president.
The approval of the Wyandotte Constitution by referendum in October 1859 was a result of the efforts of the Free-State Party, which had gained control of the territorial legislature in 1859. The Free-State Party members joined with the national Republicans and adopted the position that Congress had the power to ban slavery in the territories. This shift in power led to the calling of a constitutional convention in Wyandotte, Kansas, beginning on July 5, 1859. The convention lasted for three weeks, and the resulting constitution reflected the progressive ideals of the time, including the prohibition of slavery and the granting of limited rights to women.
The referendum approval of the Wyandotte Constitution in October 1859 was met with mixed reactions across the country, particularly regarding the issue of slavery. While it is unclear how the North specifically felt about the passing of the Wyandotte Constitution, it is safe to assume that there was support for the constitution's prohibition of slavery among those opposed to slavery. The North had been a stronghold of anti-slavery sentiment, and the approval of the Wyandotte Constitution aligned with their beliefs.
However, it is important to note that the road to Kansas's admission as a state was not without resistance. The Wyandotte Constitution faced opposition in the United States Senate, and it was only with the election of Abraham Lincoln and the secession of southern states that opposition decreased. Additionally, the constitution did not go far enough for some, as it denied universal suffrage for women, blacks, and Indians. Despite these shortcomings, the approval of the Wyandotte Constitution in October 1859 set in motion the process that led to Kansas becoming a state on January 29, 1861, marking the end of a bitter conflict over slavery in the territory.
Overall, the approval of the Wyandotte Constitution by referendum in October 1859 was a pivotal moment in the history of Kansas and the United States. It represented a victory for those seeking to ban slavery in the territories and a step towards the eventual admission of Kansas as a free state, ending a period of conflict and setting the foundation for the future governance of the state.
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Kansas was admitted to the Union as a free state in January 1861
Kansas was admitted to the Union as a free state on 29 January 1861, marking the end of five years of conflict over slavery in the Kansas Territory. The struggle between pro- and anti-slavery forces in Kansas was a significant factor in the eruption of the Civil War.
The Wyandotte Constitution, which explicitly prohibited slavery, was the fourth and final proposed Kansas constitution. It was drafted in 1859 and approved in a referendum on 4 October 1859. The convention delegates met for three weeks in Wyandotte, Kansas, beginning on 5 July 1859. The constitution also granted a homestead exemption to protect settlers from bankruptcy and offered limited suffrage to women, marking a progressive step forward for the time.
The approval of the Wyandotte Constitution and the admission of Kansas as a free state was made possible by the departure of senators from seceding states in January 1861. The House of Representatives had previously approved Kansas's entry as a free state, but it had been blocked by Southern senators. With the withdrawal of these senators, Kansas was immediately admitted to the Union under the Wyandotte Constitution.
The admission of Kansas as a free state was a significant moment in American history, bringing to a close a chapter marked by intense debate and violence over the issue of slavery. The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, which allowed for the extension of slavery to the West, had polarised the country and intensified pro- and anti-slavery sentiments. The violence in Kansas, known as "Bleeding Kansas", included the Wakarusa War in 1855 and the sacking of Lawrence in 1863 by pro-slavery forces, which resulted in the murder of nearly 200 men.
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The constitution was drafted in July 1859
The Wyandotte Constitution was drafted between July 5, 1859, and July 29, 1859, in Lipman Meyer's Hall, just north of Kaw Point in the former community of Wyandotte, now part of Kansas City, Kansas. The convention met for three weeks, with tedious meetings that resulted in a constitution that reflected the progressiveness of Kansas citizens.
The 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 Wyandotte Constitution differed from the preceding conventions in that, by mid-1859, most pro-slavery settlers had been driven out or outnumbered, and the success of the Free-State Party made the prohibition of slavery inevitable.
The delegates at the convention, which included 35 Republicans and 17 Democrats, abandoned the old Topeka Constitution and chose the Ohio Constitution as the model for Kansas. They also considered several other controversial issues, including state boundaries, women's rights, and temperance. The final document prohibited slavery, granted property rights to women, and allowed women to participate in school district elections. It also reduced the size of the state, fixing the western border at the 25th meridian of longitude west from Washington.
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, as 11 slave states seceded from the Union. On January 21, 1861, the Senate passed the Kansas bill, and Kansas became a free state on January 29, 1861, marking the end of five years of bitter conflict over slavery in the Kansas Territory.
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Frequently asked questions
The Wyandotte Constitution was the fourth and final proposed Kansas constitution, which prohibited slavery and granted women property rights.
The Wyandotte Constitution marked the end of the Free-State Party and the conflict over slavery in Kansas Territory. It also reduced the size of the state of Kansas.
The North was happy about the Wyandotte Constitution as it aligned with their views on slavery and women's rights. The majority of the convention delegates were young men from Northern states.
Yes, the Wyandotte Constitution was approved by the people of Kansas in October 1859 and Kansas became a free state on January 29, 1861.
