| 1854 |
| May 30 | Passage of Kansas-Nebraska Act |
| Summer | Anti-Slavery emigres from Massachusetts arrive in Kansas |
| July 20 | Platte County Self Defense Association founded by MO Senator Atchison |
| October 7 | First Governor Andrew Reeder arrives in Kansas |
| November 29 | Missouri Ruffians steal the first Popsov election in Kansas; Reeder concerned |
| 1855 |
| March 30 | Border Ruffians select pro-slavery “bogus legislature” |
| July 2 | Legislature meets in Pawnee and drafts pro-slavery laws |
| July 2 | Militia leader Stringfellow assaults Reeder for vetoing some bills as illegal |
| August 4 | Free Staters meet in Lawrence and draft a constitution |
| August 14-15 | Free State Party officially founded at Big Springs Convention |
| August 17 | Pierce sacks Governor Reeder |
| September 7 | Governor Wilson Shannon takes office |
| November 11 | Free State Party drafts Topeka Constitution |
| November 21-7 | Wakarusa War signals open violence to come |
| December 15 | Voters approves Topeka Constitution & Black Exclusion Clause |
| 1856 |
| January 15 | The Free Staters select a separate legislature |
| January 24 | Pierce declares Topeka invalid revolutionary and treasonous |
| March 4 | General James Lane asks Congress to admit Kansas as a Free State under Topeka |
| March 12 | Douglas’ Committee on Territories attacks Topeka & calls for a do-over election |
| March 19 | Congress sets up “Kansas Investigation Committee” |
| March 20 | Seward supports Topeka option |
| April 9 | Seward attacks Pierce; Lane challenges Douglas to a duel |
| April 18 | Three man ”Kansas Investigation Committee” arrives in Kansas |
| April 19 | Pro-Slave Sheriff Samuel Jones shot in back in Lawrence and badly wounded |
| May 10 | Free State Governor Robinson arrested for treason bailed four months later |
| May 18-19 | Senator Charles Sumner delivers inflammatory speech riling the South |
| May 21 | Sheriff Jones and posse destroy Free State Hotel and two presses in Lawrence. |
| May 22 | Sumner nearly caned to death on the Senate floor |
| May 24-25 | Abolitionist John Brown kills five men in Pottawatomie Massacre |
| June 2 | Battle of Black Jack is a Free-State victory |
| June 13 | KIC report says that elections were all flawed & should be done over |
| June 30 | US House vote on statehood under Topeka Constitution loses 106-105 |
| July 3 | Second vote in House supports statehood under Topeka Constitution |
| July 4 | Senate blocks Topeka admission by 33-12 margin |
| July 4 | Topeka legislature dispersed by U.S. troops under General Bull Sumner |
| August 15 | Fort Saunders captured by Free-State men |
| August 16 | Fort Titus captured by Free-State men three killed fourteen injured |
| August 18 | Buchanan fires Governor Shannon |
| August 25 | Acting Governor David Woodson declares Kansas Territory in open rebellion |
| August 30 | Pro-Slavery men kill seven and burn town of Osawatomie |
| September 9 | Civil war hero General John W. Geary named governor |
| September 13-4 | Battle of Hickory Point ends wirh 101 Free-Staters arrested by U.S. troops. |
| September 15 | A decisive Geary disbands Pro-Slavery militia after Lawrence besieged |
| October 6 | Another election of territorial legislature skipped by Free-State men |
| October 10 | Free-State “Army of the North” entered Kansas via Iowa and Nebraska. |
| October 20 | Pro-Slavery forces choose Lecompton as the Territorial capital |
| November 4 | Pro-South James Buchanan elected 15th President |
| November 29 | Pro-Slavery J. W. Whitfield elected territorial delegate to Congress |
| 1857 |
| January 7 | Free-State legislature meets at Topeka |
| January 12 | Law and Order Party reorganized as National Democratic Party at Lecompton. |
| January 12 | Second territorial legislature convenes at Lecompton |
| January 19 | William Sherrard threatens Geary for opposing his appointment to Sheriff |
| February 9 | Governor Geary requests military protection against assassins |
| February 18 | William Sherrard killed during public rally in Lecompton. |
| March 6 | Supreme Court issues the Dred Scott ruling |
| March 20 | Governor Geary resigns |
| May 24 | Gov. Robert J. Walker arrives promised fair dealings with all political factions |
| July 15 | Walker declares Lawrence in rebellion for establishing illegal government |
| August 20 | Charles Robinson acquitted of charge of treason by district court. |
| September 7 | Lecompton Constitutional Convention convened |
| October 5-6 | Key moment as Free-Staters win majority in 3rd Legislative assembly race |
| December 17 | Governor Walker resigns and attacks Buchanan |
| December 21 | Lecompton Constitution is approved but Free-Staters skip the election |
| Late December | Senator Stephen Douglas publicly splits with Buchanan |
| 1858 |
| January 4 | 3rd official Legislature meets in Lecompton with Free State Party in majority |
| January 4 | In a fair election voters reject the Lecompton Constitution |
| February 2 | Despite the Kansas election Buchanan ask Congress to support Lecompton |
| March 23 | Free State Party begins work on its Leavenworth Constitution |
| May 4 | Congress passes Buchanan’s English Bill forcing another vote on Lecompton |
| May 18 | Voters approve Leavenworth Constitution prohibiting slavery |
| May 19 | Missouri men shoot eleven men at the Marais des Cygnes Massacre |
| August 2 | Kansas voters reject Lecompton Constitution under English Bill. |
| October 10 | The fifth Territorial Governor James Denver resigns |
| December 1 | Samuel Medary replaces Denver |
| December 20 | John Brown freed 11 slaves in Missouri one killed |
| December 29 | Gov. Medary requests U.S. troops to avoid more violence |
| 1859 |
| January 25 | At the Battle of the Spurs 12 enslaved are rescued by John Brown |
| May 18 | Free-State Party reorganizes as the Republican Party at Osawatomie |
| July 5 | Wyandotte Constitutional Convention openes. |
| October 4 | Voters accept Wyandotte Constitution by 10420 to 5530 |
| December 6 | Charles Robinson elected governor under Wyandotte Constitution |
| 1860 |
| April 11 | U.S. House accepts Wyandotte Constitution |
| June 1 | Census listed 107204 people in Kansas primarily Westerners |
| November 6 | Abraham Lincoln elected President |
| 1861 |
| January 21 | U. S. Senate approves Wyandotte Constitution |
| January 29 | President Buchanan signs bill admitting Kansas as Free State |
| February 8 | Confederate States of America founded |
| March 4 | Lincoln inaugurated |
| April 13 | Ft. Sumter attacked |