Why is Kansas called Jayhawkers?

The name combines two birds–the blue jay, a noisy, quarrelsome thing known to rob other nests, and the sparrow hawk, a quiet, stealthy hunter. The message here: Don't turn your back on this bird. During the 1850's, the Kansas Territory was filled with such Jayhawks.

What does the term jayhawker mean?

Definition of jayhawker

1 capitalized : a native or resident of Kansas —used as a nickname. 2a often capitalized : a member of a band of antislavery guerrillas in Kansas and Missouri before and during the American Civil War. b : bandit.

Where did the name Jayhawks come from?

Its origin is rooted in the historic struggles of Kansas settlers. The term "Jayhawk" was probably coined about 1848. Accounts of its use appeared from Illinois to Texas. The name combines two birds-the blue jay, a noisy, quarrelsome thing known to rob nests, and the sparrow hawk, a stealthy hunter.

Who coined the term jayhawker?

McReynolds reportedly picked up the term from Pat Devlin, a Free State partisan described as "nothing more nor less than a dangerous bully." In mid-1858, McReynolds asked Devlin where he had acquired two fine horses that he had recently brought into the town of Osawatomie.

Who were the Jayhawkers and what did they do?

Jayhawkers, Bushwhackers and Swamp Foxes: Local Knowledge and Intel in the Trans-Mississippi West. This pair of "Boarder Ruffians" were among the pro-slavery activists who crossed from Missouri into Kansas during the second half of the 1850s.

The surprising history of the KU Jayhawk

Who were the Jayhawkers after the Civil War?

Originally, “jayhawker” referred to Union sympathizers, “bushwhacker” to Confederate sympathizers, but the distinction lost much of its meaning in the chaos of war. “Jayhawker” originated in Kansas, and according to some authorities, it came into use in the late 1840s.

What did Jayhawkers do during the Civil War?

Jennison led the “Independent Mounted Kansas Jayhawkers,” also known as the Seventh Kansas Volunteer Cavalry, into Jackson County, where they sustained themselves by looting and stealing from Missourians, indiscriminate of their loyalty to the Union or opinions on slavery.

Who were the Jayhawkers in Kansas?

Jayhawkers is a term that came into use just before the American Civil War in Bleeding Kansas. It was adopted by militant bands of Free-Staters. These bands, known as "Jayhawkers", were guerrilla fighters who often clashed with pro-slavery groups from Missouri known at the time as "Border Ruffians".

What were red legs?

The Red Legs were a somewhat secretive organization of about 50 to 100 ardent abolitionists who were hand selected for harsh duties along the border. Membership in the group was fluid and some of the men went on to serve in the 7th Kansas Cavalry or other regular army commands and state militias.

Was Missouri a Confederate state?

During and after the war

Acting on the ordinance passed by the Jackson government, the Confederate Congress admitted Missouri as the 12th confederate state on November 28, 1861.

Who were bushwhackers and Jayhawkers?

In Missouri and other Border States of the Western Theater, guerilla fighters — regardless of which side they favored — were commonly called “bushwhackers,” although pro-Union partisans were also known as “jayhawkers,” a term that had originated during the pre-war Bleeding Kansas period.

What does Rock Chalk mean at KU?

Bailey and his colleagues came up with 'Rah, Rah, Jayhawk, Go KU,' repeated three times, which later became "Rock Chalk Jayhawk, KU." “By 1889, 'Rock Chalk'—a transposition of chalk rock, a type of limestone, that exists on Mount Oread, where the University is located—later replaced the two 'rahs.'” Read more.

What does Rock Chalk Champs mean?

"Rock Chalk, Jayhawk" (a.k.a. the "Rock Chalk" chant) is a chant used at University of Kansas Jayhawks sporting events. The chant is made up of the phrase "Rock chalk, Jayhawk, KU".

What is a Confederate Bushwhacker?

The “bushwhackers” were Missourians who fled to the rugged backcountry and forests to live in hiding and resist the Union occupation of the border counties. They fought Union patrols, typically by ambush, in countless small skirmishes, and hit-and-run engagements.

Where was the Jayhawkers filmed?

Shot in Lawrence, Kansas, Topeka, Kansas, and Leavenworth, Kansas, the film stars then-current Kansas Basketball player Justin Wesley as Chamberlain. The 6-foot-9 forward was recommended for the role by KU coach Bill Self to Willmott.

Was Kansas a free state?

On January 29, 1861, Kansas is admitted to the Union as free state. It was the 34th state to join the Union.

Why are artillerymen called redlegs?

The term Red Leg derives from the early 1800's as the military desired to differentiate the branches by color. The Field Artillery's color was Scarlet and the Field Artillery Soldiers wore a Scarlet stripe down their pant legs' on the field of battle.

Where did the term redleg come from?

Artillerymen once had scarlet red piping that ran down the side of their pant legs. In fact, these stripes were once so iconic that it gave rise to a nickname for artillerymen: “redlegs. “ Due to wartime restrictions, artillerymen stopped wearing the red piping during WWI — and it never made a comeback.

When did Bleeding Kansas happen?

Between roughly 1855 and 1859, Kansans engaged in a violent guerrilla war between pro-slavery and anti-slavery forces in an event known as Bleeding Kansas which significantly shaped American politics and contributed to the coming of the Civil War.

Who was the main rival of Jayhawkers in Bleeding Kansas in the 1850s?

The most notorious group called itself the Jayhawkers, a name echoed in Kansas' mascot, a blue and red Jayhawk. The Confederate guerrilla William Quantrill responded by bringing a force from Missouri to destroy Lawrence in 1863, and more than 150 residents were killed. The animosity showed no signs of fading.

What were abolitionists from Kansas known as?

Not all people against slavery were abolitionists. Some did not want to see slavery expand into the territories. In Kansas, these people were called freestaters.

What happened to Quantrill after the Civil War?

William Clarke Quantrill, who continues to lead his guerrilla forces after General Lee's surrender at Appomattox, falls into a Union ambush near Taylorsville, Kentucky, and is shot in the chest. On June 6, 1865, he dies from his wounds at a Louisville, Kentucky, military prison hospital.

How did the Kansas-Nebraska Act lead to the Civil War?

Known as the Kansas-Nebraska Act, the controversial bill raised the possibility that slavery could be extended into territories where it had once been banned. Its passage intensified the bitter debate over slavery in the United States, which would later explode into the Civil War.