How should we settle controversial issues in society? Can we allow for differences of opinion? Or should we insist that everyone think the same way? Objective The student will be able to explain how the town of Fort Scott was divided during the Bleeding Kansas era, even to the point that law enforcement officers took sides. Background Have you ever been so concerned for your own safety that you were afraid to walk out the door? This is undoubtedly how many citizens of Fort Scott felt in spring of 1858. The events that led up to the situation actually had begun two years earlier. Proslavery men Duration: 30 Minutes.