Question

kansas - nebraska act (1854)
instructions

• examine the context and political cartoon for analyzing the kansas - nebraska act (1854) below.
• answer the analysis questions that follow using information from the context and primary source document.

forcing slavery down the throat of a freesoiler (1856)
context: the kansas - nebraska act repealed the missouri compromise, thereby allowing slavery in territories it was formerly banned from. the kansas - nebraska act promoted the political concept of “popular sovereignty”, which would allow the people in a territory to determine themselves if they would permit or prohibit slavery. when it passed, fighting broke out in kansas between pro - slavery and anti - slavery settlers. the conflict became known as “bleeding kansas” and is seen as a preview of the civil war.
\murder!!! help - neighbors help. o my poor wife and children\
forcing slavery down the throat of a freesoiler
image source: library of congress
based on the image and context above, who do you think a freesoiler was?
how do you think the author of the image above felt about slavery in kansas? explain your answer.

Explanation:

1. For the identity of a Freesoiler: The context notes the Kansas-Nebraska Act led to conflict between pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers. The cartoon shows "slavery" being forced on a Freesoiler, so Freesoilers were people opposed to the expansion of slavery into Kansas, likely Northern anti-slavery settlers who wanted Kansas to be a free state.
2. For the author's feelings: The cartoon depicts the violent, forced imposition of slavery on a Freesoiler, with the Freesoiler crying out in distress. This visual imagery, paired with the caption about forcing slavery down a Freesoiler's throat, shows the author viewed the spread of slavery into Kansas as cruel, unjust, and oppressive, and opposed the idea of slavery being forced on anti-slavery settlers there.

Answer:

1. A "Freesoiler" was an anti-slavery settler (or person opposed to the expansion of slavery) who wanted Kansas to be established as a free state, not allowing slavery within its borders.
2. The author of the image felt strongly opposed to slavery being imposed on Kansas. The cartoon's violent, distressing depiction of slavery being forced down the throat of a Freesoiler (who cries out for help) conveys that the author saw the spread of slavery into Kansas as a cruel, unjust, and oppressive act, and sympathized with anti-slavery settlers in the region.