Kansas and Missouri facts for kids
Kansas and Missouri are two neighboring states in the United States. They share a long and sometimes difficult history. Their relationship was greatly shaped by a period called Bleeding Kansas. Even today, some of this rivalry can be seen, like in sports.
A Tough Start: Slavery and Statehood
Missouri became a state in the early 1800s. At that time, it was a slave state, meaning slavery was allowed there. States in the North wanted to stop slavery from spreading. States in the South wanted to keep it legal. They made a deal called the Missouri Compromise. This deal said that any new state directly west of Missouri would be a "free state." In a free state, slavery would not be allowed.
Later, Kansas became a territory. A new law called the Kansas–Nebraska Act was passed. This law allowed the people living in Kansas to vote on whether they wanted slavery or not. People who supported slavery and people who were against it rushed into Kansas. Because Kansas was right next to Missouri, many pro-slavery people came from Missouri. They unfairly voted to create a temporary government that supported slavery.
Bleeding Kansas and Its Impact
The tensions from these events led to a violent period known as Bleeding Kansas. This was like a small civil war that happened before the much larger American Civil War. There was a lot of fighting and guerrilla warfare for several years. Many people were unfairly killed, and property was stolen by groups on both sides of the border.
This violence deeply hurt the relationship between the people of Kansas and Missouri. This bad feeling continued even after Kansas became a state and the American Civil War ended.
Modern Day Connections
Kansas and Missouri are neighbors, so they have to work together often. However, some of the old bitterness from Bleeding Kansas still remains. You can even see this in college sports! The rivalry between the main universities in each state is known as the Border War. The two states also compete against each other in business and economics.
