"The story of Kansas and her constitutions is a novel that grips and holds you to the end. You see the dusty throngs gathering to hear Lincoln and Douglas debate squatter sovereignty. You hear the whispered conspiracy of the Washington politicians planning the betrayal of Kansas and Nebraska. You hear the stentorian challenge of William Seward when the bill is passed in the Senate."
Kansas was born a free state, not for herself alone, but to hasten the end of slavery in the United States. The question of whether human slavery should be further extended over the free soil of America, or whether it should be checked in its progress further, was fought out nobly on Kansas soil by brave, enlightened, and heroic men and women.
This collection vividly describes the important events in early Kansas history written by prominent Kansans, journalists, politicians, and historians. Chapters briefly introduce each writer and include the necessary historical setting for each selection. The chronological format and eyewitness accounts make this book an excellent companion for general Kansas history texts.