When Kansas Territory was organized little was known of it, but, because it was wanted by both the North and the South, knowledge of Kansas spread rapidly. The South had the support of every branch of the National Government and the added advantage that the only State touching Kansas was proslavery. The advantage of the North lay in the fact that it had a much larger number of people who were free to move to a new country. The proslavery Missourians came in at once and took claims. A few free-state people came within a month, and in two months the emigrant aid parties began to arrive. The fact that many Missourians had staked out claims and gone back home led to numerous claim disputes and caused the organization of the Actual Settlers’ Association. By the time winter had come four emigrant aid parties had arrived at Lawrence, many settlers were living on their claims, and several towns had been started by each side. REFERENCES Spring, Kansas, pp. 29-40. Brooks, The Boy Settlers. Prentis, History of Kansas, pp. 71-78. Thayer, The Kansas Crusade. Robinson, The Kansas Conflict, chaps. II-IV. Mrs. Robinson, Kansas――Its Interior and Exterior Life. Gihon, Geary and Kansas, chap. IV. Historical Collections, vol. VI, p. 90; vol. IX, p. 144. QUESTIONS 1. When was Kansas organized as a territory? In what ways had the people gained any knowledge of Kansas up to this time? Why did Kansas soon become well known? 2. What advantages did the South have in the effort to win Kansas? The North? 3. Contrast the manner of life in the North and the South in those days. What do you know of the conditions to-day? 4. Why did Missouri play an important part in early Kansas affairs? Explain how Missourians took claims. 5. Why did the North organize emigrant aid companies? What was the chief company? What did it do? Did all the Kansas settlers come under the management of these companies? 6. What was the attitude of the South toward these organizations? 7. When did the first emigrant aid party arrive? Tell of their journey; their settlement. Were they the first free-state settlers to arrive? 8. Give an account of the second party. Tell something of the way they lived. What had been accomplished by the time winter set in? 9. What was the Actual Settlers’ Association? Why was it formed? 10. Name several persons connected with this period of Kansas history, and tell something of each. 11. Name and locate some of the towns settled during this period. CHAPTER VIII THE FIRST TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT