What was the Lecompton Constitution?

The Lecompton Constitution was indeed a pro-slavery constitution that was drafted in Kansas during the struggle over whether Kansas would enter the Union as a free or slave state. It was developed by pro-slavery forces in 1857 and presented to the residents of Kansas for a vote. However, the voting process was deeply flawed and contentious, leading to significant controversy. The document's provisions protected slaveholders in the territory and sought to secure Kansas as a slave state.

This context reflects the larger national crisis around slavery during the 1850s, particularly in the wake of the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which allowed the settlers in those territories to determine through popular sovereignty whether they would be free or slave states. The rejection of the Lecompton Constitution by many anti-slavery supporters indicated the deep divisions within the territory and the country regarding the issue of slavery. Ultimately, Kansas would be admitted as a free state in 1861, highlighting the failure of the Lecompton Constitution to gain widespread acceptance.