The Kansas Territory was established in 1854 as part of the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which allowed settlers to decide whether to allow slavery. It was located in the central United States and included present-day Kansas and parts of Nebraska. The territory was marked by conflict between pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers, leading to a period known as "Bleeding Kansas." The capital of the Kansas Territory was initially located in Shawnee Mission, but later moved to Lecompton. The territory played a significant role in the events leading up to the American Civil War, as it became a battleground for differing ideologies regarding slavery and statehood.