What was the Lecompton Constitution?
Q: What was the Lecompton Constitution?
A: The Lecompton Constitution was one of four proposed constitutions for the state of Kansas. It was written by pro-slavery people and included parts to allow slavery in the state, as well as exclude free blacks from its bill of rights.
Q: How did it become defeated?
A: The Lecompton Constitution was rejected on January 4, 1858 by a majority of voters in the Kansas Territory. This showed the unusual and fraudulent voting practices that had been used earlier by bushwhackers and border ruffians to create a state constitution allowing slavery.
Q: What other constitutions were written before or after the Lecompton Constitution?
A: Before the Lecompton Constitution, there was the Topeka Constitution which was written by James H. Lane and other free-state people. Afterward, there were two more constitutions written - Leavenworth and Wyandotte Constitutions - with Wyandotte becoming the Kansas state constitution in response to Topeka's anti-slavery document.
Q: Who wrote this document?
A: The Lecompton Constitution was written by pro-slavery people who met at the chosen capital of Lecompton in September 1857 for this purpose. Most actual settlers at this time were anti-slavery so they boycotted voting on it.
Q: Who supported it when it went to Congress?
A: When sent to Congress, President James Buchanan supported it due to his pro-slavery views while receiving support from Southern Democrats; however, many Northern Democrats led by Stephen A Douglas voted against it along with Republicans due to its unfairness.
Q: Who opposed it when it went to Congress?
A: When sent to Congress, many Northern Democrats led by Stephen A Douglas voted against it along with Republicans due to its unfairness while President James Buchanan supported due his pro-slavery views despite opposition from Territorial governor Robert J Walker who quit being governor so he did not have enforce such an unfair document .
