kansas territory was created by the kansas-nebraska act of 1854. the act repealed the missouri compromise of 1820. the kansas-nebraska act introduced the doctrine of popular sovereignty. that meant the people of kansas would decide on the issue of slavery. at this time, many (probably most) of the settlers in kansas opposed slavery. however, slavery advocates were determined to have their way no matter what. when elections were held in kansas territory, bands of armed ruffians seized polling places. they prevented free-state men from voting, and they cast illegal votes. on 29 november 1854, border ruffians elected a pro-slavery territorial representative to congress. on 30 march 1855, the ruffians elected a pro-slavery legislature. despite these measures, far more free-state settlers moved to kansas than pro-slavery settlers. in 1857, pro-slavery settlers in kansas proposed the lecompton constitution for the future state of kansas. the ruffians tried to get the lecompton constitution adopted with additional fraud and violence. but by then there were too many free-staters there.