Why did Kansas’ entry into the United States cause protests and violence between the northern and southern states? Why were southern leaders afraid of the resistance from the north?

Answer 1

Kansas' entry into the United States as a free state caused protests and violence between the northern and southern states because it upset the delicate balance between free and slave states in the country. The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 had allowed the residents of the territories to vote on whether to allow slavery within their borders, leading to a violent and contentious struggle between pro-slavery and anti-slavery forces. The violence that erupted in Kansas, known as "Bleeding Kansas," highlighted the deep divisions between the northern and southern states over the issue of slavery.

Southern leaders were afraid of the resistance from the north because they feared that the anti-slavery sentiments in the northern states would eventually lead to the outlawing of slavery in all states. They believed that the admission of free states like Kansas into the union would tip the balance of power in favor of the abolitionists, threatening the institution of slavery in the southern states. This fear of losing their way of life and economic system based on slavery led southern leaders to take a hardline stance against any efforts to restrict or abolish slavery, even if it meant resorting to violence and secession.