Kansas-Nebraska Act: Resources

Articles, pictures, and even real-life scanned copies of uber-old letters and diaries related to Kansas Territory can all be found on the creatively-named Territorial Kansas Online website. This site has it all, but don't take our word for it. Click on over and indulge yourself in this sweet treat of a site.

It's said that it takes 10,000 hours of practice to become an expert at something. Well, we could easily become an expert on the conflict between Kansas and Missouri from 1854 to 1865, thanks to the awe-inspiring completeness of the "Civil War on the Western Border" website. Lose yourself in rich history and add fun phrases like "border ruffians" to your lexicon today!

We love this website. First of all, it contains a plethora of information about the history, culture, and people of Kansas. Second, it's called "Kansapedia," and there's nothing we love more than a catchy, punny website name. Spend some time getting to know all about the Sunflower State here.

Normally the whole online dating thing makes us a little nervous, but not when we're talking about a super-cool historical website where the content is divided by date. This website breaks down the tumultuous history of Nebraska – Territory and State – into easily-manageable chunks of time. It's like the fun-sized Snickers version of Nebraska history, and we're big fans of anything fun-sized.

Those with perfect pitch might not be able to focus on the words of this song because they'll likely be covering their ears in horror, but if you're okay with slightly off-pitch singing (and vertical filming), we strongly recommend checking out this synopsis of the Kansas-Nebraska Act, performed to the tune of Leona Lewis' "Bleeding Love". The props make it even more amazing.

Watch the drama unfold as Kansas takes its bloody, chaotic steps from baby Territory to all-growns-up State in this 2005 made-for-TV movie.

Docu-legend Ken Burns directed and produced this nine-part docu-masterpiece all the way back in 1990 and it's still one of the highest-rated and most-acclaimed Civil War productions ever made. Wars are complex, and this ridiculously awesome series covers those complexities better than Johnny Cash covered Nine Inch Nails. Added bonus: Abraham Lincoln is played by the Law and Order guy.

What if the Confederacy had won the Civil War? And what if the British decided to make a mockumentary about it? Answer those questions – and more – by checking out this sometimes-funny, sometimes-cringe-y film.

We know that Honest Abe wasn't a big slavery fan, and we know that he didn't make a secret out of it. But there was one speech he made back in 1856 that apparently is a big secret, because it wasn't recorded at all, in any way, shape, or form. Too bad for us, because it dealt specifically with his opposition to the Kansas-Nebraska Act. An article from The Daily Beast can help us get the skinny on this mystery.

Ever wonder what Big 12 football and the Kansas-Nebraska Act have in common? Wonder no more. Columnist Dick Harmon breaks it all down for us right here.

Wax nostalgic about Philadelphia in 1856, home of the first-ever Republican National Convention. Two years after the Kansas-Nebraska Act had sent the political world up in flames, the GOP, united in its hatred of the act, nominated John Fremont for POTUS and William Dayton for Veep. Know who lost out to Dayton for that coveted right-hand-man spot? None other than Mr. Abraham Lincoln.

Spend fifteen minutes of your day with the team from Kansas' Johnson County Library, and they will explain, with the help of pretty scenery shots and extreme facial close-ups, exactly how the Kansas-Nebraska Act led to Bleeding Kansas.

If we've got two minutes to spare, we've got time for this succinct synopsis of Bleeding Kansas. Be on the lookout for fun animated graphics, mind-blowing beards, and plenty of historical name drops.

The Kansas-Nebraska Act is Boston College Professor of History Heather Cox Richardson's favorite American historical event, and she tells us all about it in this snippet from C-Span's Book TV. She also tells us how that piece of legislation influenced the baby steps of the Republican Party, which was born that same year.

The sampling of some early-2000s Jay-Z isn't even the best part of this uber-catchy tune by educational rap phenom MC LaLa.

Written from the perspective of a border ruffian, this bluegrass-esque ditty gives us a peep into the life of an 1850s pro-slavery Missourian anxious for a sympathetic neighbor. The accompanying slide show has some old-school ruffian pics that are definitely worth a look-see as well.

Dying to know what former Kansas Territory Governor Andrew Reeder looked like disguised as a wood chopper as he fled back to Pennsylvania? So were we, and we were most excited when we learned that the scene had been captured (well, more like recreated) on canvas.

Nothing says "official" like an official territorial seal, especially if it has Latin words and a Roman goddess on it. Take a peek at Kansas Territory's first real-deal seal right here.

Nebraska Territory was originally seriously huge, as we can see by this map. Kansas was a little bigger too, but Nebraska was enormous. The land of Nebraska Territory has since been divided and is now part of six different states: Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana.

If it looks like this building doesn't have a roof in this picture, that's because it doesn't. Apparently there wasn't a floor, either. But this is where Kansas' first Legislative Assembly had to meet, after Governor Reeder thought it would be a good idea to hold their meetings far away from the politicized towns near the Missouri border. After having to sleep in tents and eat outdoors for four days, the so-called Bogus Legislature picked up stakes and moved operations back to civilization.