Bleeding Kansas Billboard

This activity requires students to build use their knowledge about the forces that created "Bleeding Kansas" to design a "billboard" urging abolitionists to settle in Kansas.

Plan:

1. Project the Political Cartoon

Begin by displaying the cartoon on the whiteboard or projector.

2. Class Discussion – Cartoon Analysis

Ask students:

• What do you notice in this cartoon?
• What do you think it is trying to say?
• Who are the people being shown, and what are they doing?

3. Explain the Context

Share with the class:
"This cartoon was created by a group called the Free Soilers, who were mostly Northerners strongly opposed to the expansion of slavery into new territories. They believed that political leaders, including President Franklin Pierce, were forcing slavery on the country—even on people who didn’t want it. This cartoon shows that idea in a dramatic and symbolic way."

4. Introduce the Activity

Say:
"Now you’re going to imagine that you are one of those antislavery Free Soilers. You’re trying to convince others to move to Kansas and fight back by voting against slavery. You’ll create a billboard that makes a strong visual statement about what’s happening in Kansas and what’s at stake for the future of the country."

5. Explain Student Tasks

Students should:

• Explain why Kansas is “bleeding” (hint: the violence and fighting between pro- and antislavery settlers).
• Describe what’s at stake: the future of slavery and the country’s direction.
• Color a map showing the Kansas Territory “bleeding.”
• Draw a scary image of a Border Ruffian (a proslavery settler known for using violence and threats).