How did the issue of Kansas statehood reflect the growing divisions between the north and south?

As the slavery debate began to heat up, following the unpopular Compromise of 1850, there was a hopeful attempt to put the question to the vote in newly-admitted states of the Union.

The first time it happened was in Kansas, and many strong believers from both sides descended on this thinly-populated area and rented a home in order to qualify for the vote. There were also a lot of bully-boys (including John Brown) who mounted patrols that intimidated voters, and tried to upset the ballot and then declare the results to be rigged.

This led to a lot of bloodshed, and 'Bleeding Kansas' is often seen as the curtain-raiser to the main conflict.