Series 2: From Secession to Pea Ridge (1860–1862) — Introduction Missouri Civil War chaos erupts in 1861 as secession, militias, and a divided government pull the state into the conflict’s opening battles. Missouri Civil War – The War Comes to Missouri: Secession & Chaos Begin Missouri did not slip quietly into the Civil War —…

Series 1 — The Fires Before the War: Bleeding Kansas (1854–1860) — Article 6 Discover how the Election of 1860 pushed Missouri to the brink. Fear, fractured loyalties, and political turmoil made civil war nearly unavoidable. Election of 1860 By November 1860, Missourians weren’t just choosing a president — they were choosing what future their…

Series 1 — The Fires Before the War: Bleeding Kansas (1854–1860) — Article 5 Discover how Missouri’s newspapers, preachers, and politicians used propaganda to inflame fear, shape loyalties, and push the state toward Civil War. Politics & Propaganda: How Words Drove Missouri Toward War By the late 1850s, Missouri was not just fighting along its…