This episode explores the aftermath of the Dred Scott decision and its explosive impact on the nation. Monsignor and Teresa detail how the ruling dismantled the Missouri Compromise and fueled violent clashes in Kansas under the guise of “popular sovereignty.” They introduce key figures like David Rice Atchison, Claiborne Fox Jackson, and James Lane, whose actions deepened sectional tensions and set the stage for guerrilla warfare along the Missouri-Kansas border. The episode closes with the remarkable story of Father John Hogan, an Irish priest whose tireless missionary work in frontier towns laid the foundation for Catholic communities and earned him a place in history as the first bishop of Kansas City.
