Leading to the Civil War
Restate all questions in your answer
Thursday (4/11) (page 65 of your notebook)
21.5 Something for Everyone (p. 291 brown book)
1. List in bullet points, the conditions of the Compromise of 1850 ( should be four)
Write “Compromise of 1850” and the conditions underneath
-CA is a free state
-NM and UT are open to slavery
-no more slave trade in Washington D.C.
-strong fugitive slave law
2. Read “The Compromise is Accepted” and write a 2 sentence summary.
-Southerners talked about leaving the Union, but decided to agree with the Compromise in the end. Most were
happy to see the compromise, but some Southerners were still paranoid, wanting Congress to stay away from
the issue of slavery.
21.6 The Compromise Satisfies No One (p. 292 brown book, #2 must be on a separate sheet of paper)
1. Read the first paragraph “The Fugitive Slave Law” page 292 in brown book.
a. Why were Northerners unhappy with this law? Northerners did not want to enforce the law.
b. Why were Southerners unhappy with this law? Southerners felt that the law didn’t go far enough.
2. Read pages 100-102 in your Language Arts book about the Fugitive Slave Laws
a. Answer questions 2 through 5 on the reading check as cartoon strips. Do this on a separate piece of paper.
Use toondoo.com to create (and print out) the cartoon if you wish. The cartoon must be in color if you draw
it. If you use the website, you can print it out in black/white if you have to.
1. Under the Fugitive Slave Act of 1793, what would happen to someone who knowingly helped a person
running away from slavery?
2. Under the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, what would happen to a person who knowingly helped someone
running away from slavery?
3. Under the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, who was, and who was not, allowed to testify at the trial of an
alleged runaway? (See Section 6).
4. Under the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, who was required to help catch a suspected runaway?
5. How did many Northerners react to the provisions of the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850?
1. Person protecting fugitive was subject to a fine and responsible for any damages that the owner
might claim
2. $1,000 fine and jail (section 7)
3. Fugitive can’t testify, only owner/representative can (section 6)
4. Any person who is told to must help out (section 5)
5. More Northerners started to help slaves
Friday (4/12)
Read “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” page 292 – 293 in the brown book (answer questions on page 65 of your notebook)
1. What was Uncle Tom’s Cabin? Novel about a good slave who is whipped to death by his master.
2. What was the effect on the country? More Northerners opposed slavery, while Southerners cursed the novel
and its author
In the red book, read pgs 446-447 (Kansas-Nebraska Act) (page 66 of your notebook)
1. Why was the Kansas-Nebraska Act created? To appease Southerners who would only allow Stephen Douglas’s
railroad land west of Missouri was open to slavery (they previously weren’t because of the MO Compromise)
2. What were the conditions of the Act? Remainder of the LA Purchase was divided into two territories: Kansas and
Nebraska. Settlers living there could decide on their own whether to permit slavery or not.
Read Bloodshed in Kansas, 294 – 295 in brown book book (page 66 of your notebook)
1. Why did both pro and anti slavery groups encourage people to move to Kansas? So they could make Kansas a
state that supported their side.
2. List what each side did to defend its position. (You can do this as a chart if you wish)
Pro-Slavery: invaded Lawrence, home of anti-slavery gov’t, burning hotel, looting homes, destroying printing
presses of two abolitionist newspapers
Anti-Slavery: John Brown led seven men in invading pro-slavery town of Pottawatomie, killing five men
Read Violence in Congress page 295 – 296 brown book. (page 66 of your notebook)
1. What happened between Sumner and Brooks? Sumner attacked Senator Butler in a speech, talking about how
people were plotting to turn KS into a slave state. Brooks was the nephew of Butler, and attacked Sumner
violently in the Senate.
2. How did Southerners view what happened? Applauded Brooks, sending him new canes to replace the broken
one he had used on Sumner’s head.
3. How did Northerners view what happened? Saw this as an example of southern brutality.
Monday (4/15) (page 67 of your notebook)
youtube video: Dred Scott Decision (posted by Nummy Cookie)
21.6 Dred Scott Case, page 296 in the brown book
Questions:
1. What was the make-up of the Supreme Court in 1857? 5 judges from the South, including Chief Justice Taney
2. What two questions did the court need to decide? Was Dred Scott a citizen who had the right to bring a case to
court? Did his time in Wisconsin make him a free man?
3. What two additional questions did Chief Justice Roger Taney want considered? Did Congress have the power to
make any laws about slavery in the territories? Was the Missouri Compromise a constitutional use of that
power?
21.7 The Dred Scott Decision, page 297 in the brown book (page 67 of your notebook)
After reading about the Dred Scott Decision answer the four questions the Supreme Court considered when it heard the
Dred Scott Case.
Then, say what both the Southern and Northern reaction to the decision was.
Dred Scott was not a citizen because he was a slave.
His time in Wisconsin didn’t make him free because slaves are property and property cannot be taken without a
proper court hearing (due process of law).
Congress didn’t have the power to make laws about slavery.
Missouri Compromise was unconstitutional.
Southerners were happy because the issue of slavery was finally solved, in their favor.
Northerners were outraged by the ruling.
21.8 From Compromise to Crisis, pages 298-299 in the brown book
Read the first two paragraphs. Then, finish this statement:
1.An anti-slavery political party that started during Kansas-Nebraska troubles was called…. the Republican Party.
2. List the 4 beliefs that united this party.
a. no man can own another man
b. slavery must be prohibited in the territories
c. all new states must be free states
d. the rights of blacks must be protected
3. Explain, in your own words, the meaning of Lincoln’s statement, “ A house divided against itself cannot stand.
I believe this government cannot endure, permanently half-slave and half-free, I do not expect the house to fall – but I
do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing, or all the other.”
The US will only survive as a nation if it is either all free or all slave.
Tuesday (4/16) (page 68 of your notebook)
Read “The Lincoln-Douglas Debates” page 298.
1. What is a debate? A formal discussion on a particular topic in a public meeting or legislative assembly, in
which opposing arguments are put forward
2. What did Lincoln and Douglas debate about? Slavery.
3. What was Lincoln’s position? The problem is that one group sees slavery as wrong and the other doesn’t.
4. What was Douglas’s position? It’s fine if the country isn’t fully-slave or fully-free
Read “John Brown’s Raid” page 298 -299
1. What did John Brown hope to accomplish with his raid? Arm slaves for a rebellion that would destroy
slavery completely.
2. How did the North feel? John Brown was a hero.
3. How did the South feel? Scared because a rebellion would start with the death of southerners.
Read “Election of 1860” on page 299
1. How did Lincoln win with only 40% of the vote? The rest of the vote was split, and elections are won by majority
electoral votes.
2. Lincoln was a Republican. Why was his election such a disaster for the South? The South thought that it had little
political power and Lincoln might try to end slavery.
Read “Secession” on page 300
1. Define the term ‘secession’ (use the glossary). The act of withdrawing from an organization or alliance
2. What two events ended the hopes of a peaceful agreement between the North and South? Lincoln said slavery could
not be allowed in the territories. South Carolina seceded from the United States.
Read “Civil War” on page 300
1. What battle began the Civil War? Battle of Fort Sumter.