Few people would have expected bloodshed in Kansas Territory. After all; it had few slaves and showed few signs that slavery would even flourish. But civil war tore this territory apart in the 1850s and 60s; and "Bleeding Kansas" became a forbidding symbol for the nationwide clash over slavery that followed.Many free-state Kansans seemed to care little about slaves; and many proslavery Kansans owned not a single slave. But the failed promise of the Kansas-Nebraska Act-when fraud in local elections subverted the settlers' right to choose whether Kansas would be a slave or free state-fanned the flames of war. While other writers have cited slavery or economics as the cause of unrest; Nicole Etcheson seeks to revise our understanding of this era by focusing on whites' concerns over their political liberties. The first comprehensive account of "Bleeding Kansas" in more than thirty years; her study re-examines the debate over slavery expansion to emphasize issues of popular sovereignty rather than slavery's moral or economic dimensions.The free-state movement was a coalition of settlers who favored black rights and others who wanted the territory only for whites; but all were united by the conviction that their political rights were violated by nonresident voting and by Democratic presidents' heavy-handed administration of the territories. Etcheson argues that participants on both sides of the Kansas conflict believed they fought to preserve the liberties secured by the American Revolution and that violence erupted because each side feared the loss of meaningful self-governance.Bleeding Kansas is a gripping account of events and people-rabble-rousing Jim Lane; zealot John Brown; Sheriff Sam Jones; and others-that examines the social milieu of the settlers along with the political ideas they developed. Covering the period from the 1854 Kansas-Nebraska Act to the 1879 Exoduster Migration; it traces the complex interactions among groups inside and outside the territory; creating a comprehensive political; social; and intellectual history of this tumultuous period in the state's history.As Etcheson demonstrates; the struggle over the political liberties of whites may have heightened the turmoil but led eventually to a broadening of the definition of freedom to include blacks. Her insightful re-examination sheds new light on this era and is essential reading for anyone interested in the ideological origins of the Civil War.
#1046546 in Books University Press of Kansas 1998-04-22Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.24 x 1.03 x 6.15l; 1.53 #File Name: 0700608850478 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. EXCELLENT BOOK FROM A WELL INFORMED WRITER WITH CLOSE FAMILY ...By Felix FlyEXCELLENT BOOK FROM A WELL INFORMED WRITER WITH CLOSE FAMILY TIES4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. Best Biography of Forrest.By henryclayThis is the definative biography of Nathan Bedford Forrest. Although it is clear that the author admires his subject; he provides a fair and balanced account of Forrest's life. The book is well written and thoroughly researched. If you are going to read one book on Forrest; this should be it.23 of 26 people found the following review helpful. I got in the firstest; and for now; the mostestBy Paul MeinsenI have read several biographies on Lee; Jackson; and Grant; but this is the first that I have read on N.B. Forrest. I thought the battle details were about right so as to instruct on what went on and to give insight to Forrest's great ability; but not so much as to bog down a reader who has not read much about warfare. I thought Wills was fair concerning the incident at Ft Pillow--he did not place the blame at Forrest's feet; but was sure that Forrest was not in total control of his men. I; personally; would liked to have had more detail about Forrest's deeds after the War Between the States. Some of Wills' comments seem to be a little vague; and at times he seemed to be jumping sides as to Forrest's involvement with the KKK. Overall; I did learn about this interesting man and am glad that I read this book. It was a good starting place for continued reading on General N.B. Forrest.
