Americans demanded that the territory be opened for settlement. Stephen Douglas wanted the territory organized for railroad construction. The Kansas-Nebraska Act was passed. Kansas became a territory and allowed slavery. Battles occurred between free soilers and border ruffians. “Bleeding Kansas” followed a fraudulent election.
Bleeding Kansas<span>, Bloody </span>Kansas<span> or the Border War was a series of violent political confrontations in the United States involving anti-slavery "Free-Staters" and pro-slavery "Border Ruffian", or "southern yankees" elements in </span>Kansas<span> between 1854 and 1861, including "</span>Bleeding<span> Congress".</span>
On January 10, 1861, Florida seceded from the Union to protect the foundation of its wealth and power—slavery. In doing so, it helped propel the United States into four long years of civil war.
