Constitution Hall (Lecompton, Kansas) facts for kids
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Lecompton Constitution Hall
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Constitution Hall in Lecompton, Kansas
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 Location in Kansas
Location in the United States
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| Location | Elmore St. between Woodson and 3rd Sts., Lecompton, Kansas |
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| Built | 1857 |
| NRHP reference No. | 71000312 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | May 14, 1971 |
| Designated NHL | May 30, 1974 |
Lecompton Constitution Hall, also called Constitution Hall, is a historic building in Lecompton, Kansas. It was very important during a tough time in Kansas history known as Bleeding Kansas. This was when people fought over whether Kansas would allow slavery or be a free state.
Today, the Kansas Historical Society takes care of the building. It is known as the Constitution Hall State Historic Site.
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What is Constitution Hall?
Constitution Hall was built in 1857 by Samuel J. Jones. He was a sheriff who supported slavery. He rented the building to the government of the Kansas Territory.
A Busy Place in Kansas History
In 1857, this building was one of the busiest places in Kansas. Many settlers came to claim land on the first floor. They sometimes even fought over the best lands. The government was moving Native Americans from their lands to make room for new settlers.
Upstairs, the district court met regularly. They tried to enforce the laws of the territory. However, many people who were against slavery refused to follow these laws. They called the pro-slavery government "bogus" or fake. This made it very hard for officials to keep order. Often, federal soldiers had to be called in to help.
The Fight Over Slavery
In January 1857, the second group of lawmakers met upstairs. Even though most of them supported slavery, they changed some laws. These changes were meant to calm down the people who were against slavery.
Later that year, a very important meeting happened here. It was called the Lecompton Constitutional Convention. Their goal was to write a constitution for Kansas to become a state. News reporters from all over the country came to cover the event.
Most of the people at this meeting supported slavery. They wrote a constitution that would protect slavery in Kansas. This meant slavery would be allowed no matter what the people voted. People who were against slavery were very angry. They refused to be part of what they saw as an illegal government.
Congress later looked into the election of the pro-slavery lawmakers. They found that there was a lot of cheating. People from Missouri, called "border ruffians," came to Kansas just to vote. They did not live there. Because of this cheating, Congress did not allow Kansas to become a slave state under the Lecompton Constitution. So, it never became law.
A New Direction for Kansas
After this, people who were against slavery gained more power. They won control of the territorial government in October 1857. A few months later, these new lawmakers met in the same hall. This was the same room where their political rivals had met just weeks before.
Here, they started to change the laws of Kansas Territory. They wanted the laws to match their own beliefs. This work continued in later meetings. In 1858, the government moved from Lecompton to Lawrence, a town that supported free states. The capitol building that was being built in Lecompton was left unfinished. Its foundation was later used by Lane University.
Constitution Hall is now a special historic site. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971. It was named a National Historic Landmark in 1974. This means it is a very important place in American history.
Lecompton: A Slavery Capital
A marker from the Kansas Historical Commission describes Lecompton:
LECOMPTON Lecompton was known in the 1850s as the main place for those who supported slavery in Kansas. The "bogus" (fake) government of 1855 made it the capital. Congress even set aside money for a capitol building, but it was never finished. Lecompton was a busy town with stagecoaches, steamboats, and ferries. It grew until the power of those who supported slavery ended in Kansas. Many leaders who were against slavery were held prisoner here from 1856 to 1857. You can still see the hall where the Lecompton Constitution was written in 1857.
SLAVERY CAPITAL
See also
