▁were ▁held ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁Kansas ▁Territ ory ▁legisl ature . ▁Missouri ans ▁crossed ▁the ▁border ▁in ▁large ▁numbers ▁to ▁elect ▁a ▁pro - s la very ▁body . ▁ ▁July ▁ 2 , ▁ 1 8 5 5 : ▁The ▁Kansas ▁territorial ▁legisl ature ▁conven ed ▁in ▁P aw ne e ▁and ▁began ▁en act ing ▁pros la very ▁laws . ▁ ▁November ▁ 2 1 , ▁ 1 8 5 5 : ▁Lar ge - scale ▁Ble eding ▁Kansas ▁violence ▁began ▁with ▁events ▁leading ▁to ▁the ▁W ak ar usa ▁War ▁between ▁ant is la very ▁and ▁pros la very ▁forces . ▁ ▁December ▁ 3 , ▁ 1 8 5 5 ▁– ▁February ▁ 2 , ▁ 1 8 5 6 : ▁The ▁election ▁for ▁Spe aker ▁of ▁the ▁House ▁was ▁" the ▁longest ▁and ▁most ▁content ious ▁Spe aker ▁election ▁in ▁its ▁history ," ▁due ▁to ▁" Section al ▁conflict ▁over ▁sla very ▁and ▁a ▁rising ▁anti - imm igr ant ▁m ood ▁in ▁the ▁nation ▁contributed ▁to ▁a ▁poison ed ▁and ▁d eter ior ating ▁political ▁climate ." ▁No ▁party ▁had ▁controlled ▁a ▁majority ▁of ▁the ▁seats , ▁and ▁more ▁than ▁ 2 1 ▁members ▁v ied ▁for ▁the ▁post ▁of ▁Spe aker . ▁The ▁election ▁took ▁ 1 3 3 ▁ball ots ▁and ▁two ▁months ▁with ▁Nathan iel ▁P . ▁B anks ▁winning ▁over ▁William ▁A iken ▁Jr . ▁by ▁ 1 0 3 ▁to ▁ 1 0 0 ▁votes . ▁" B anks , ▁a ▁member