The Union in Peril
Section 1: The Divisive Politics of Slavery
Differences Between North and South, Slavery in Territories,
· What were the differences between the North and South?
· How did California’s request for statehood cause a crisis?
· What was Henry Clay’s compromise?
Protest, Resistance, and Violence
· What were the organization and functions of the Underground Railroard?
· Who were Harriet Tubman and Harriet Beecher Stowe?
· What violence erupted in Kansas over slavery and in Congress between Senator Charles Sumner and Representative Preston S. Brooks?
New Political Parties Emerge
· How did slavery affect the Whig and Know-Nothing parties?
· What issue united the Republican Party?
Conflicts Lead to Secession
· What was the Dred Scott decision and why was it so important in the slavery conflict?
· What was the disagreement between Lincoln and Douglas?
· What happened at Harpers Ferry?
· How did Lincoln’s election result in secession?
Key Terms
Ø Secession
Ø Popular Sovereignty
Ø Underground Railroad
Ø Harriet Tubman
Ø Harriet Beecher Stowe
Ø Franklin Pierce
Ø Dred Scott
Ø Stephen Douglas
Ø Abraham Lincoln
Ø Confederacy
Ø Jefferson Davis
Critical Thinking
v Review issues and events in this section that reflect the growing conflict between North and South. Do you think there were any points at which civil war might have been averted?
Think About:
ü The Compromise of 1850
ü Fugitive Slave Act
ü Kansas-Nebraska Act
ü The new political parties
ü The Supreme Court’s ruling in Dred Scott decision
ü The election of Abraham Lincoln as president in 1860