Name _______________________________
Date ________________
UNITED STATES STUDY QUESTIONS
CHAPTER 10: The Union In Crisis (1846-1861)
Important Vocabulary Terms and Topics
Directions: Circle terms or topics you remember and write a statement to show your
understanding.
Wilmot
Free-Soil Party Popular
Compromise of Secession/Secede
Proviso
Sovereignty
1850
Stephen
Millard
Fugitive Slave Personal liberty Underground
Douglas
Fillmore
Act
laws
Railroad
Harriet
Harriet Beecher “Uncle Tom’s
KansasJohn Brown
Tubman
Stowe
Cabin”
Nebraska Act
Bleeding
Nativism
Know-Nothing Republican
James Buchanan
Kansas
Party
Party
Dred Scott
Roger B. Taney Abraham
Harper’s Ferry Confederate
Lincoln
States of
America
Jefferson Davis Crittenden
Fort Sumter
Compromise
Ch. 10 section 1
1. What was the Wilmot Proviso, and why was it denounced by the South and supported
by the North?
The Wilmot Proviso was legislation designed to ban slavery in any territory
acquired from Mexico; the South wanted slavery to exist in new territories, but the
North did not.
2. How did the northern and southern views of slavery differ?
Northerners did not rely on slavery, many did not have strong opinions about it.
Some, however, believed slavery to be morally wrong. Many Southerners viewed
slavery as an integral part of their economy and did not want it to end. They
proposed that enslaved people were healthier and happier than they would be had
they been free.
3. What were the components in Henry Clay’s Compromise of 1850?
Congress would admit California as a free state. The people of the territories of
New Mexico and Utah would decide the slavery question by popular sovereignty.
The slave trade—but not slavery—would be ended in Washington, D.C. Congress
would pass a strict new fugitive slave law. Texas would give up its claims to New
Mexico in return for $10 million.
4. How did Congress try to resolve the dispute between North and South over slavery?
Congress debated and then adopted the Compromise of 1850. The compromise
allowed for California to become a free state, strengthen fugitive slave laws,
provided that new U.S. territories could choose whether to adopt slavery, and ended
the slave trade in Washington, D.C.
Ch. 10 section 2
1. Who wrote Uncle Tom’s Cabin? How did Uncle Tom’s Cabin raise tensions between
the North and South?
Harriet Beecher Stowe. The book intensified Northerners’ compassion for enslaved
people and confirmed their belief that slavery was morally wrong. Many
Southerners were angered by the novel’s portrayal of slavery and resentful of the
increasing activism of abolitionist Northerners.
2. How did the Fugitive Slave Act and the Kansas-Nebraska Act increase tensions
between the North and South?
Northerners passed personal liberty laws to combat the Fugitive Slave Act, angering
Southerners. The Kansas-Nebraska Act nullified the Missouri Compromise and
caused some Northerners and Southerners to set up anti-slavery and proslavery
governments in Kansas.
3. What were the consequences of the Fugitive Slave Act for slaveholders, white
Northerners, free African Americans, and fugitive slaves?
Slaveholders sometimes recaptured people who escaped slavery; white Northerners
were angered that they were expected to capture and return people who had
escaped slavery or face cruel punishment; free African Americans were often
captured in the North and sent to slave owners in the South; fugitive slaves were
often recaptured and return to the South, losing their opportunity for freedom in
their lifetime.
4. Why did violence break out in Kansas?
People established both antislavery and proslavery governments in Kansas. Each
group was determined that Kansas would enter the Union with its views entrenched
in the new government (whether free state or slave state).
5. How did “Bleeding Kansas” embody the slavery controversy?
Supporters and opponents of slavery were both determined to prevail. This led to
violence in Kansas because each side had different visions for the territory.
Ch. 10 section 3
1. What was Lincoln’s position on slavery? Why did the Republican Party form?
Although he does not indicate that he would abolish slavery, Lincoln explains that
the country cannot continue to be divided by this issue. All states must allow or
outlaw slavery. The Republican Party formed out of its support of the antislavery
movement.
2. What was the ruling in the Dred Scott decision? Why did the Supreme Court deny
Scott his freedom? What were the reactions to the Dred Scott decision?
Dred Scott would still remain a slave. The Supreme Court ruled that slaves were
property; therefore, they did not have the same rights as citizens to sue in a court of
law. Many Southerners celebrated the decision and felt slavery would continue
forever. Many Northerners were outraged they felt slavery would not end because
the Court failed to eliminate the expansion of slavery. Slaves were not considered
individuals only property with no rights and could be taken anywhere (whether free
or slave territory) and still be enslaved.
3. How did Lincoln and Douglas differ on the issue of slavery? Who won the Illinois
Senate race in 1858? In what way was this victory for Lincoln’s 1860 Presidential
campaign?
Lincoln wanted to end slavery. Douglas believed that each state should decide
whether to be a free or slave state (popular sovereignty). Stephen Douglas. Lincoln
gained a reputation (of wanting to end slavery) and a large number of (northern)
supporters for his next campaign.
4. Why did John Brown attack an arsenal? How successful was John Brown’s raid on
Harper’s Ferry? How did Americans respond to John Brown’s raid and his execution?
John Brown wanted to take guns and other weapons and give them to enslaved
people for his planned revolt. His raid did not prompt a slave rebellion, but it did
increase tensions between abolitionists and supporters of slavery. Some people saw
Brown as a martyr (giving up his life) for the abolitionist cause. Americans reacted
with mixed emotions. Some northerners saw Brown as a martyr who died for a
worthy cause, but others believed that he had gone too far and was wrong to use
violence. Many southerners began to prepare for war.
5. What developments deepened the divisions between North and South?
Political parties disintegrated and formed around the issue of slavery, further
dividing the North and South. The Dred Scott decision outraged northerners and
made them more determined to abolish slavery. John Brown launched an
unsuccessful attempt to capture the arsenal at Harper’s Ferry and stage a slave
rebellion. Some northerners supported Brown’s raid, but many southerners
prepared for war.
Ch. 10 section 4
1. How did the election of 1860 increase sectional tensions? What caused the
Democratic Party to split? How did the division of the Democratic Party influence the
outcome of the election of 1860?
The four candidates represented a divided population. The results offended
southerners, many of whom believed that they had lost all power and influence in
the federal government. Northern Democrats who supported popular sovereignty
nominated Stephen Douglas as their candidate. Southern Democrats wanted to
protect slavery and formed a separate party supporting John Breckinridge. With
the Democratic vote split between Douglas and Breckinridge, Lincoln won the
majority of popular and electoral votes.
2. What did Lincoln promise the South in his inaugural address? Why did the Southern
states secede?
Lincoln promised not to interfere with slavery where it was already established. He
also promised that the Union would not attack the South unless the Union was
provoked. After Lincoln was elected, the southern states feared that he would limit
or even abolish slavery. They believed that Lincoln would violate their states’
rights.
3. How did the Union finally collapse into the Civil War?
Lincoln was elected President without receiving any southern electoral votes. Many
southerners believed that they had lost any influence in the federal government.
Seven southern states seceded from the Union and fought for control of federal forts
in the South.
4. How did the southern states justify secession?
Because Lincoln was elected without a single vote in the South, southerners believed
that the national government no longer represented them or their interests. They
feared that Lincoln would end slavery.
5. What event led to the outbreak of war?
When President Lincoln sent supplies to Fort Sumter, the Confederates attacked
and took control of the fort. As a result, President Lincoln called for volunteers to
fight the Confederacy.