Omar Bennett
The Topeka Constitution was a resolution drafted by Free-Soil settlers in Kansas in 1855 to establish an antislavery territorial government in opposition to the existing proslavery territorial government in Kansas. The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 had allowed settlers to decide the slavery question within their borders without congressional intervention, leading to a dispute between proslavery and antislavery factions. The Topeka Constitution banned slavery but also controversially prevented free blacks from living in Kansas. It was put to a territory-wide popular vote in January 1856 and adopted by voters, marking a significant step towards Kansas's admission as a free state in 1861.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 1855 |
| Location | Topeka, Kansas |
| Purpose | To write a constitution and form a government for the future state of Kansas |
| Outcome | The constitution was rejected by Congress and never took effect |
| Significance | It was the first constitutional convention in Kansas and helped to set the stage for the state's eventual admission to the Union in 1861 |
| Key Figures | Charles Robinson, James Henry Lane, Andrew Reeder |
| Issues Addressed | Slavery, land ownership, and political rights |
| Impact | The Topeka Constitution helped to galvanize anti-slavery forces in Kansas and across the nation, and it contributed to the growing tensions that led to the Civil War |
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What You'll Learn
The Topeka Constitution banned slavery
The Topeka Constitution was a resolution drafted by Free-Soil settlers in Kansas in 1855. It banned slavery in Kansas, marking the first effort to form a Kansas government structure and define its basis in law. The constitution was a response to the pro-slavery Territorial Legislature elected on March 5, 1855, which was marred by significant electoral fraud and intimidation of Free-State voters.
The Free-State convention, led by Jim Lane, met from October 23 to November 11, 1855, in Topeka, Kansas. The Topeka Constitution prohibited slavery and granted citizens the rights to "life, liberty, and property and the free pursuit of happiness". It also extended suffrage to white men and "every civilized male Indian who has adopted the ways of the white man". However, it notably prevented free blacks from living in Kansas, reflecting the racist attitudes and economic concerns of some Free-Staters.
The Topeka Constitution was submitted to a territory-wide popular vote on January 15, 1856, and was adopted in a landslide election boycotted by pro-slavery settlers. This led to the election of Charles L. Robinson as governor. The constitution was forwarded to Washington, with a plea to admit Kansas as a free state under this constitution. However, President Pierce, seeking to appease Southerners, condemned the document. Despite this, the House passed a bill for the admission of Kansas under the Topeka Constitution, but the Senate rejected it.
The Topeka Constitution was followed by the pro-slavery Lecompton Constitution of 1857 and the Free-State Leavenworth Constitution of 1858. Ultimately, Kansas was admitted into the Union as a free state in 1861, thanks to the Wyandotte Constitution of 1859. This admission occurred five years after Kansas's initial application, as Southern legislators blocking it had departed. The conflict between the Free-State and Territorial legislatures, which played out through violence and political means, inspired the term ""Bleeding Kansas".
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It was established by Free-Soil settlers
The Topeka Constitution, also known as the Topeka Movement, was a significant event in the history of Kansas and the United States, and it was indeed established by Free-Soil settlers. The movement was a direct response to the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, which effectively repealed the Missouri Compromise and allowed the people of these territories to decide on the legality of slavery within their borders. This decision was to be made through popular sovereignty, which meant that the settlers of Kansas would determine whether the state would be a free state or a slave state.
The Free-Soil settlers, who were opposed to the expansion of slavery, quickly organized themselves into a political force. They established the Free-State Party, also known as the Free-Soil Party, in Kansas in 1855. The party's primary goal was to ensure that Kansas entered the Union as a free state, and they worked to organize and mobilize supporters of the anti-slavery cause. The Free-Soil settlers who established the Topeka Constitution were driven by their opposition to slavery and their desire to shape Kansas as a free state.
The Topeka Constitution was crafted and adopted by the Free-Soilers as their own proposed governing document for Kansas. It was written and signed by a group of 26 delegates, including prominent figures such as James H. Lane and Andrew H. Reeder. These delegates convened in the city of Topeka, which at the time was a burgeoning outpost in the Kansas Territory, and their work laid the foundation for what they hoped would become the state's legitimate governing framework.
The document itself, the Topeka Constitution, was a detailed and comprehensive text, outlining the envisioned governmental structure for Kansas. It included provisions for a bicameral legislature, with both a Senate and a House of Representatives, and it established the office of the
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It was a response to the pro-slavery Territorial Legislature
The Topeka Constitution was a direct response to the pro-slavery Territorial Legislature in Kansas. The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 allowed settlers to decide on the status of slavery within their borders without intervention from Congress. This led to a struggle for control of the territorial government, with pro-slavery elements, including "border ruffians" from Missouri, succeeding in establishing a pro-slavery legislature in Kansas.
The Free-Soil settlers in Kansas, comprising Whigs, Democrats, Republicans, and Free-Soilers, responded by creating the Topeka Constitution and electing their own legislature. They sought to uphold the democratic ideals of popular sovereignty and oppose the pro-slavery forces in the territory. The 1855 constitutional convention in Topeka resulted in a constitution that banned slavery but also, controversially, prevented free blacks from living in Kansas.
The Free-State movement faced opposition from the federal government, which considered it treasonous. President Franklin Pierce condemned the Topeka Constitution and proclaimed the Topeka government illegitimate in 1856, ordering the arrest of its leaders. Despite this, the Free-State Legislature continued to meet and sought to gain recognition for Kansas as a free state.
The conflict between the Free-State and Territorial legislatures in Kansas was intense and violent, with both sides resorting to armed conflict when the ballot box failed to resolve their disputes. This tumultuous period in Kansas's history became known as "Bleeding Kansas", highlighting the deep divisions and passions surrounding the issue of slavery in the territory.
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It was drafted by 47 delegates
The Topeka Constitution was drafted by 47 delegates, including 18 Democrats, six Whigs, four Republicans, two Free-Soilers, one Free-State man, and one Independent. The convention elected James H. Lane as president and Samuel C. Smith as secretary.
The Topeka Constitutional Convention met from October 23 to November 11, 1855, in Topeka, Kansas Territory, in a building later called Constitution Hall. The convention was organized by Free-Staters to counter the pro-slavery Territorial Legislature elected on March 5, 1855, in a poll tainted by electoral fraud and the intimidation of Free State voters.
The drafted constitution prohibited slavery, granted citizens the rights to "life, liberty, and property and the free pursuit of happiness," and extended suffrage to white men and "every civilized male Indian who has adopted the ways of the white man." However, it also included an exclusion clause banning free blacks from entering Kansas Territory. This clause was included due to racist attitudes and a desire to avoid economic competition.
The Topeka Constitution marked the first effort to form a Kansas governmental structure and define its basis in law. It was passed by the Free-State delegates on December 15, 1855, and approved by a landslide in the territorial election on January 15, 1856. The ballot was boycotted by most pro-slavery settlers. The Topeka Constitution ultimately led to Kansas being admitted into the Union as a free state in 1861.
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It was the first effort to form a Kansas governmental structure
The Topeka Constitutional Convention, which took place from October 23 to November 11, 1855, in Topeka, Kansas, was the first attempt to establish a governmental structure for the state of Kansas. The convention was attended by 47 delegates, including Democrats, Whigs, Republicans, Free-Soilers, and an Independent. These delegates elected James H. Lane as president and Samuel C. Smith as secretary.
The convention resulted in the creation of the Topeka Constitution, which prohibited slavery in Kansas. The constitution also granted citizens the rights to "life, liberty, and property and the free pursuit of happiness," and extended suffrage to white men and "every civilized male Indian who has adopted the ways of the white man." However, it also included an exclusion clause banning free blacks from entering Kansas Territory.
The Topeka Constitution was a response to the pro-slavery Territorial Legislature elected on March 5, 1855, which was tainted by electoral fraud and the intimidation of Free-State voters. The Free-Soil settlers in Kansas wanted to manifest the democratic ideals of popular sovereignty, which allowed settlers and their legislatures to decide on the status of slavery in their states, rather than the federal government.
The Topeka Constitution was put to a territory-wide popular vote on January 15, 1856, and was adopted by the voters, despite being boycotted by pro-slavery settlers. This led to the election of Charles L. Robinson as governor, and the first Free-State Legislature met at Topeka on March 4, 1856. However, the Topeka government was considered illegitimate by President Franklin Pierce, who condemned the document and ordered the arrest of its leaders.
The Topeka Constitution was followed by other constitutions, including the pro-slavery Lecompton Constitution of 1857 and the Free-State Leavenworth Constitution of 1858. Ultimately, the Wyandotte Constitution of 1859 led to Kansas being admitted into the Union as a free state in 1861, marking the resolution of the conflict between the Free-State and Territorial legislatures over the future of Kansas.
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Frequently asked questions
The Topeka Constitution was a resolution that established an antislavery territorial government in opposition to the existing proslavery territorial government in Kansas.
The Topeka Constitution banned slavery in Kansas. However, it also prevented free blacks from living in the state. The constitution was forwarded to Washington with a plea to admit Kansas as a free state, but this was condemned by President Pierce.
The Topeka Constitution was significant as it marked the first effort to form a Kansas governmental structure and define its basis in law. It brought the struggle against proslavery forces in Kansas Territory to a national audience, inspiring the term "'Bleeding Kansas'".
