Not to be outdone, the Southerners fought just as hard to make Kansas a slave state. With Missouri right next door, numerous pro-slavery settlers flooded across the border, many of whom established Town Association Companies and formed some of the earliest cities, such as Leavenworth and Atchison. At risk in the South, was not only their way of life and culture, but, more importantly, their economy, which was largely based on the plantation system, which, of course, needed slaves to survive.

For six years, pro-slavery and Free-State factions fought in Kansas as popular sovereignty degenerated into violence.

A number of “Blue Lodges,” a secret pro-slavery organization, were formed in the South to assist in promoting the interests of the slave power. The society was known by different names, such as the "Friends Society," the "Social Band," "Dark Lantern Society," and the "Sons of the South," but, by whatever name it might be known the object was always the same. Each member took a solemn oath, after which he was given the signs, handshakes, and passwords of the order. Severe penalties were provided for any violation of the oath, or for divulging the secrets of the organization, and in a few instances these penalties were executed upon offending members. The order was a branch of the famous Knights of the Golden Circle, the common object being the same -- the extension of slavery.

Competition between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions reached a climax on May 30, 1855, when Kansas held territorial elections. Although only 1,500 men were registered to vote, 6,000 ballots were cast, many of them by pro-slavery "border ruffians" from Missouri. As a result, a pro-slavery legislature was elected, which passed laws stipulating that only pro-slavery men could hold office or serve on juries. One statute imposed five years imprisonment for anyone questioning the legality of slavery in Kansas.

The “Free-Staters” were obviously incensed, but, the U.S. Federal Government recognized the new territorial government, which the Free-Staters referred to as the “Bogus Legislature.” Free Soilers then held their own "Free State" convention in Topeka in the fall of 1855, and drew up a constitution that prohibited slavery in Kansas. They submitted the Topeka Constitution to the territory's voters, who approved it by an overwhelming majority. The Topeka government then asked Congress to admit Kansas as a free state.

Kansas then had two legislatures--one pro-slavery, the other against. However, President Franklin Pierce threw his support behind the pro-slavery legislature and asked Congress to admit Kansas to the Union as a slave state. However, the president was denied.

Another group called the Law and Order League, also known as the Army of Law and Order was formed in 1855. From the name of this organization, one would naturally suppose that it was formed for the purpose of promoting peace, prosperity and good government among the people of Kansas. But, such was not the case. It was an armed force, the strength of which has been variously estimated at from 500 to 1,100 men, organized by David R. Atchison and John H. Stringfellow, whose policy was banishment or extermination of all Free-State men in the territory.

Popular sovereignty degenerated into violence on May 21, 1856, when 800 pro-slavery men, many from Missouri, marched into Lawrence, Kansas, to arrest the leaders of the Free-State government.