"Bleeding Kansas"

I'm so glad that my son, James, got a fever, I know this sounds harsh so let me explain myself. As I mentioned before Zachary wanted our family to move to Kansas but due to James feverish behavior we were set back on time. By the time James was feeling better I had already read newspapers about Kansas and I found out about the violence that was occurring in Kansas. Zachary refuses to admit that his idea to move to Kansas wouldn't have worked out but it doesn't matter to me, as long as the family is safe then I shall be content. The newspaper portrayed images of great violence, apparently lots of farmers immediately went to settle in Kansas but many other citizens were attracted to Kansas as well. Citizens from the north and south headed to settle in Kansas but both sides seemed to have political motives. I have seen great pictures of violence as the north and south try to outnumber each other. The idea of popular sovereignty in this new land has created more chaos than the government planned. The north settlers want it to be a free state but of course the south must also try to fight for it to be a slave state. This competition will soon spiral out of control and I thank my son for his sickness which has prevented us from the destruction of the clashes of the north and south. Two governments have been set up within Kansas but this is not helping. In 1855, the pro slavery settlers created a government close to the boarder of the slave state Missouri. I have never heard of such outrageous people, according to my husband some of the slave owners from Missouri casted illegal votes in the debate for if Kansas should be a free or slave state. Pro slavery laws were being passed and a constitution was even developed two years later but northern abolitionists were also in Kansas. The north wouldn't let the south cheat their way to victory so money was raised by the New England Emigrant Aid Society. The money helped supporters establish Lawrence, a new town, close to the pro slavery capital. The antislavery advocates established a government in Topeka and by 1856 this government had petitioned to congress for statehood. This plan was a disaster and I read about the first act of violence in the newspaper. Of course the violence was started by the unruly south, they invaded the antislavery town of Lawrence. They burnt homes and demolished the presses of The Kansas Free State newspaper. I personally am very upset by this because Zachary has been getting the Kansas newspaper through work and now I worry how I will be able to constantly be updated on the well being of the new state and the people in it. The violence hasn't ended there, I have friends that moved to Kansas and they have bee updating me through letters. One of my friends, Lucia Landten, has settled in Kansas with her husband Richard in hopes of finding a simple place to settle down and raise kids but they have found that impossible. They have been telling me of the horrific acts occurring. She told me of a man named John Brown that she met; he is a New York abolitionist and is trying to find opportunities to confront slavery. He lives with his family near Lawrence and he gathered his sons and a few friends, including Richard, and executed five pro slavery settlers. Violent outbreaks have been constantly occurring now making the territory known as "Bleeding Kansas." In 1858, Franklin Pierce wanted to add Kansas as a slave state again but it doesn't look as though the problems with Kansas will be resolved anytime soon.
United States. National Park Service. "Bleeding Kansas Lesson Plan." National Parks Service. U.S. Department of the Interior, 19 Feb. 2016. Web. 22 Feb. 2016.
"Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales: Bleeding Kansas Part 2." Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales: Bleeding Kansas Part 2. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Feb. 2016.