The Lecompton Constitution was a proposed constitution for the state of Kansas in the mid-1850s. Drafted by pro-slavery advocates in 1857, it aimed to establish Kansas as a slave state. The document was controversial and faced significant opposition from anti-slavery settlers, leading to a heated debate over its legitimacy. The constitution was ultimately rejected by Congress in 1858, which contributed to the ongoing tensions between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions in the United States. This conflict was part of the larger struggle leading up to the American Civil War, highlighting the deep divisions over the issue of slavery.