Name: _______________________________________________ Date: ______________________ Period______
U.S. HISTORY - CHAPTER 10 - Study Guide
The Nation Divided
10.1 – Growing Tension Over Slavery p. 356-359
Slavery & the Mexican War – The vast territory acquired as a result of the ________________-American
War reignited the controversy over ___________________. Between ________ and1840 _____ new states were
added to the Union. There were 30 states: 15 free states and _______ slave states. The Missouri _____________
which was passed in 1820, did not apply to the Mexican ___________________ (the land gained as a result of the
Mexican-American War). In 1846, Pennsylvania Congressman David Wilmot introduced the Wilmot ___________
This bill would forever ban __________________ in the newly acquired territories from the Mexican War. It
passed in the House of Representatives but failed in the Southern dominated __________________. Why did
this failed congressional bill upset so many wealthy slave-owners in the south? __________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
An Antislavery Party - neither Democrats or ______________ would take a stand against slavery in the 1848
Election. Democratic Senator Lewis ____________, from Michigan, even proposed popular _________________people in an area vote directly on important issues. This would open the new territories to slavery. A new political
party was formed, the Free-___________ Party. Their main platform was to make the Mexican Cession land free.
They nominated former president Martin Van _______________ but both he and Cass lost to war hero Zachary
___________________, who became our 12th president in 1849. Why did some people call Martin Van Buren a
“barnburner”? ________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
A Bitter Debate – admitting ___________________ as a free state would upset the ________________ of
power in the ________________. Southern states threatened to ______________ if this happened. Southerners
also wanted the North to help return all _____________________ slaves to the South. Tensions led to a proposal
by Henry Clay, “The Great ___________________________”. Southerner John C. ________________ believed
states had a right to secede (withdrawl) from the Union. Clay and Daniel ________________ both believed the
Union must be _____________________......
10.1 Section Focus Question: How did the question of admission of new states to the Union fuel the debate over
slavery and states’ rights? _______________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
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10.2 – Compromises Fail p. 362-367
In July of 1850, President Zachary _________________ suddenly died in office. He had opposed the “Compromise
of ___________”. Vice-president Millard __________________ became president #13. He disagreed with Taylor
about Henry Clay’s compromise. One of his first acts as president was to sign The ___________________ of 1850.
The Compromise of 1850 – was a bundle of 5 bills that were designed to do what? ___________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Describe each of the 5 bills and which states (if any) that it benefits:
Bill favors:
1. ________________ becomes the 31st state, a ___________ state
____________
2. New ________________ will have no restrictions on _______________
____________
3. Texas/New ________________ border settled
____________
4. Slaves could no longer be SOLD in _______________________ D.C.
____________
5. The ________________ Slave Act: requires all runaway slaves be returned
____________
The Fugitive Slave Act – Southerners _____________ this part of the Compromise. Had four parts:
1. ___________________ runaway slaves could be arrested.
2. The __________________ had NO right to a ________________.
3. Only needed word of 1 __________ person to arrest an accused runaway slave.
4. Northerners were _________________ to help capture runaways.
Many northerners were ____________________ by this law which resulted in many ________ African-Americans
being sent South and __________________ into slavery. In Northern cities, communites banded together to
_____________________ the Fugitive Slave Act. More northerners began to believe that slavery is ___________.
Uncle Tom’s Cabin – Anger over the Fugitive Slave Act led Harriet Beecher ______________ to write the
antislavery novel Uncle ___________ Cabin. Her novel became a world-wide best seller in 1852. Stowe was the
daughter of an ________________________ minister. She witnessed the cruel treatment of slaves when she
visited ___________________. Her novel caused thousands of people to question the ____________________ of
slavery. Southern states considered her book to be propaganda (false or _____________________ information).
Uncle Tom’s Cabin was ___________________ in many Southern states.
Franklin Pierce – President #14 easily defeats Millard Fillmore in 1852 election. “Handsome Frank” was liked
by _______________________ when he became president, will be ________________ by most when he is done.
His presidency was weakened by the tragic death of his only son in a __________________ wreck. He will be
bullied by Senator Stephen _____________________ into signing the Kansas - ______________________ Act.
Stephen Douglas – the senator from Illinois wanted to see the _________________-Nebraska Territories
developed. He stood to personally _________________ from a _____________________ built through Illinois.
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Name: _______________________________________________ Date: ______________________ Period______
CHAPTER 10 - Study Guide – The Nation Divided (Continued)
The railroad through Illinois would require support of __________________ senators. Douglas knew he could get
this by offering them the ___________________ - Nebraska Act. This law allowed settlers in the territories to
decide whether their territory would allow ________________ by offering _______________ ________________
-the idea that people living in the territories could decide for themselves if their state would allow slavery. The
effect of this controversial Act was to overturn the _______________________ Compromise. It would lead to…
Bleeding Kansas - Kansas suffered widespread ___________________ as proslavery and antislavery settlers
battled for control. QUESTION: Who would have moved to the Kansas Territory before the Kansas-Nebraska Act,
people who were for OR against slavery? _______________________________ After the KS/NB Act, pro-slavery
supporters moved into Kansas to ______________________ vote for a proslavery government. This lead to years
of violence and inspired abolitionist John __________________ to join the fight. In 1856, Brown and his followers
butchered 5 proslavery settlers at Pottawatomie Creek in retaliation for their sacking _______________________,
the antislavery capital of Kansas. Brown’s attack was preceded by the beating of Charles ____________________,
an abolitionist senator from ____________________________.
10.3 – The Crisis Deepens p. 368-372
A New Antislavery Party – in 1854, the ____________ party splits. Members of the Free-__________ and
Whig parties started a new anti-slavery party: The _________________________ Party. Their main platform was
to STOP the _________________ of slavery into the western territories. The first Republican candidate for
president was John C. ______________________. He did well by taking _____ of the 16 Free states in the election
of 1856. However, he lost to the Democrat, James _____________________________ from Pennsylvania.
The Dred Scott Decision – a slave named Dred __________________ was taken by his owner from a slave
state to a free state, where he lived for five years. When they returned to the slave state, Mr. Scott _________ for
his freedom. The case was ultimately decided by the ______________________ Court in 1857. In a sweeping
ruling, Chief Justice Roger B. __________________ & the Supreme Court concluded the following: 1.) Blacks were
not ______________________, 2.) Slaves were _______________________, and 3.) ______________________
cannot decide slavery for states or territories. QUESTION: What did the ruling that slaves are property mean for
free states? ___________________________________________________________________________________
Reaction to these rulings varied by region. Southern leaders happy that slavery was now _____________in _____
territories. Northerners were ______________________ and outraged.
The Lincoln-Douglas Debates - Abraham Lincoln took a strong stand against slavery’s _________________
while running for the _________________ against Stephen Douglas in 1858. They held a famous series of debates
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while campaigning though Illinois. Their speeches were printed throughout the country. Lincoln’s memorable
“House-___________________” speech made it clear that he saw no future for ___________________ in the U.S.
John Brown’s Raid – Brown was a fanatical __________________________ from the Northeast. In 1856, he
attacked and ___________________ proslavery settlers during “Bleeding _________________”. In 1859, he led
22 men to attack the Federal Armory in Harpers Ferry, VA to get weapons to start a _______________ rebellion.
He was injured and captured by the U.S. Army, tried & executed for _________________. YOUR TURN: Was John
Brown a hero or a terrorist (or both)? Explain in 2-3 sentences: _________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
10.4 – The Coming of the Civil War p. 373-377
The Nation Divides – The election of _________ led to the breakup of the Union. The ________________
Party split into northern and ___________________ sections. Democrats in the north nominated Stephen
_____________________ while southern Democrats chose John C. ___________________________ to run for
president against John ____________ of Tennessee and the Constitutional Union Party and Abraham Lincoln, who
was the _________________________ nominee. Lincoln was VERY unpopular in the south because he opposed
the _______________ of slavery and favored protective ___________________. Lincoln wins the election of 1860
without even getting 40% of the ___________________ vote. How? ____________________________________
Lincoln's victory causes southern states to _________________. They believed he was against them. The first
state to secede was South ________________________, on Dec. 20, 1860. Six other states secede soon after to
form the ____________________________ States of ______________________ (the C.S.A.). The 1st seven states
of the Confederacy were: South Carolina, Mississippi, ____________________, Alabama, ___________________,
Louisiana, and ___________________. Their representatives met in Montgomery, ____________________ where
they formed a __________________________, began training an _____________, and elected Jefferson________
to be their president. All of this happened before Abraham Lincoln actually became _______________________.
The Civil War Begins – at his inauguration, President Lincoln made three promises to the nation (and the
South). 1.) He would NOT interfere with slavery where it ____________________ existed. 2.) He would enforce
the ____________________ _____________ Law. 3.) He would NOT allow any further extension of ___________
His efforts to heal the division were ignored by the South. On April 12, 1861, South Carolina militia fired the first
shots of the Civil War as they bombarded federal troops in Fort ___________________, a small fort in the mouth
of the Charleston Bay, in _________________________, South _________________________. The Civil War had
begun.
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Name: _______________________________________________ Date: ______________________ Period______
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CHAPTER 10 - Study Guide – The Nation Divided (Continued)
Use your knowledge, study guide, and textbook to complete the following:
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