Week of Feb. 18-21, 2k25

Test on Manifest Destiny -- Industrial Revolution -- Era of Reform on Tuesday/Wednesday 2/18-2/19

The Road to Civil War...

1. How did the Compromise of 1850 attempt to address the issue of slavery in the new territories, and why did it end up favoring the South more than the North?
2. Why was the Fugitive Slave Act such a controversial piece of legislation, and how did it lead to growing tensions between Northern and Southern states?
3. What role did Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad play in the fight against slavery, and what risks did Tubman face to help others escape to freedom?
4. How did the publication of Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe influence public opinion in the North about the realities of slavery, and why was it so impactful?
5. In what ways did the Dred Scott decision of 1857 affect the status of African Americans in the United States, and what did it reveal about the power of the Supreme Court at the time?
6. What were the key arguments made by both pro-slavery and anti-slavery groups during the Lincoln-Douglas debates, and how did Abraham Lincoln’s views on slavery shape his political career?
7. What did John Brown’s raid at Harpers Ferry symbolize in the context of the growing conflict over slavery, and why did it have such a dramatic impact on the nation in 1859?
8. How might the concept of "popular sovereignty" have influenced the settlers of Kansas? Do you think it made the situation more fair or more dangerous for the country?
9. What is the significance of the creation of the Republican Party in 1854? How did this new political party change the course of American history?
10. Why do you think John Brown believed violence was necessary to fight slavery, and how did his actions affect public opinion in the North and South?
11. The attack on Charles Sumner by Preston Brooks is an example of how heated the debate over slavery was. What does this violent act tell you about the level of division in the country at the time?
12. In the Dred Scott decision, the Supreme Court ruled that slaves were property, not citizens. How do you think this ruling impacted the relationship between the North and South?
13. Abraham Lincoln famously said, "A house divided against itself cannot stand." What do you think he meant by this, and how does it reflect the situation in the United States in 1858?
14. When John Brown raided Harper’s Ferry in 1859, his goal was to inspire a slave rebellion. Why do you think his actions were seen as both heroic and insane by different groups of people? Do you think Brown was more of a martyr or a murder?