SOCIAL CONDITIONS IN THE TERRITORIAL PERIOD OF KANSAS HISTORY.

The article looks into the social history of Kansas during the territorial period. According to the author, the first event of importance in the political development of the Kansas Territory was the election of the territorial legislature in 1855. The whole affair was considered so fraudulent that the free state people demanded the nullification of the election. The year 1855 was also a period of trouble for the Territory. The Indians suffered from famine and pestilence, while the white people suffered from pestilence and civil strife. In 1856, hostilities between the pro-slavery people and the free-state people were renewed and several minor conflicts followed. The free-state people finally succeeded in electing the Legislature in 1857 and Kansas became a state on January 29, 1861.