Kansas: A Historical Rundown
Timeline of Events
- 1803: Kansas Territory acquired by the Louisiana Purchase
- 1854: Kansas-Nebraska Act allows for Popular Sovereignty in the territories over the issue of slavery
- 1855-1861: “Bleeding Kansas” era marked by violence and turmoil over slavery
- 1861: Kansas becomes a free state
- 1863: Quantrill’s Raid on Lawrence, Kansas
- 1864: Bloody Harvest massacre of Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes
- 1873: Panic of 1873 leads to widespread economic hardship
- 1880s: Populist movement gains traction in Kansas
- 1892: Populist candidate James B. Weaver wins the state’s electoral votes
- 1930s: Dust Bowl devastates Kansas agriculture
- 1954: Brown v. Board of Education, a landmark Supreme Court case that ends segregation in schools
- 1994: Kansas becomes a right-to-work state
Important Legislation
- Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854)
- Kansas Constitution (1859)
- Populist Party Platform (1892)
- Brown v. Board of Education (1954)
Important Court Cases
- Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857)
- United States v. Cruikshank (1876)
- Plessy v. Ferguson (1896)
- Brown v. Board of Education (1954)
Major Industry
- Agriculture (wheat, corn, cattle)
- Manufacturing (aerospace, automotive)
- Energy (oil, gas)
Impact on the Rest of the Country
- Kansas played a significant role in the debate over slavery and the Civil War.
- The Populist movement originated in Kansas and had a national impact.
- Brown v. Board of Education, which was decided in Kansas, desegregated schools throughout the United States.
- Kansas’s agricultural industry has played a vital role in feeding the nation.
- The state’s aerospace industry has contributed to the nation’s defense and space exploration efforts.