Name: ____________________
Ch. 16: Slavery Divides The Nation
Period: __________
Essential Questions:
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How do economic differences lead to social differences in a society?
How do the issues of sectionalism, states’ rights, and slavery lead the nation to civil war?
Understand:
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Economic differences between the North and the South furthered feelings of sectionalism in the time
period leading up to the Civil War.
Reform movements in the country created and spread anti-slavery feelings among many citizens.
An end to the practice of slavery would mean economic destruction to the South.
Many key events led to increased tensions between the North and the South.
The election of Abraham Lincoln, who was against the spread of slavery, fueled Southern states to secede
from the Union.
Know:

Sectionalism means loyalty to one particular section of the nation, rather than to the nation as a
whole.
 The Industrial Revolution had positive and negative effects throughout the United States.
 The North and South developed differently economically, causing them to grow further apart. The
North was known as the “Industrial North” and the South (and parts of the West) was known as
the “Cotton Kingdom.”
 While slavery did exist in the North, the Southern economy really depended upon slavery for its
economic success.
 There was a constant battle between the North and the South over power in the government.
Many issues and new lands being added to the U.S. between the years of 1820 – 1860 threatened
to tip the balance of power in the federal government.
 The issue of states’ rights, and what a state should be able to decide, was at the forefront of the
political debate during this time period.
 Southern states thought they should decide the slavery debate by popular sovereignty (the vote
of the people) in each new state.
 The Missouri Compromise of 1820 temporarily resolved the balance of power issue, with
Missouri entering the Union as a slave state, and Maine entering as a free state.
 The Compromise of 1850 addressed the issue of slavery in the West. California entered the
Union as a free state, while the rest of the Mexican Cession would be divided into the territories of
New Mexico and Utah, deciding by popular sovereignty (the vote of the people).
 The Fugitive Slave Law of 1850 enraged the anti-slavery Northerners, and pleased the Southern
slave owners. The law was ineffective, however, as the monetary reward system led to corruption.
 The Free Soil Party was formed out of the antislavery believers in both the Democratic and the
Whig parties. It was created to keep slavery out of the Western territories.
 The abolitionist movement swept the North, spurred by the publication of Harriet Beecher
Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin.
 The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 violated the Missouri Compromise by leaving the issue of
slavery up to popular sovereignty (allowing territories to decide for themselves).
 Violence and bloodshed in this region after the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act became
known as “Bleeding Kansas.” For a time, a state of civil war existed in
Kansas with two governments in power, one anti-slavery and one pro-slavery.
 John Brown, an abolitionist, believed it was acceptable to use violence to end slavery. He killed 5
men in the Kansas territory who supported slavery. In Virginia, he led a raid on an arsenal to
equip rebellious slaves with arms. He was caught and hanged for his crimes. The North saw
Brown as a martyr, while the South supported his death.
 The Dred Scott decision by the Supreme Court involved a slave from Missouri (slave state) who
spent some time in Wisconsin (free state) with his owner, and then moved back to Missouri. Scott
sued for his freedom, claiming his time in Wisconsin allowed him to call himself a free man. The
Supreme Court said, as a slave, Scott had no right to sue and essentially upheld the existence of
slavery (decision said Congress could not outlaw slavery). **Slavery was now allowed in ALL
territories again.
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*States’ rights, sectionalism, and slavery caused the Civil War.
Unit Vocabulary
Key Terms
Important People
Key Events/Concepts
Popular sovereignty
Free Soil Party
Secede
Fugitive
Propaganda
Abolitionist
Civil war
Confederate States of America
Henry Clay
John C. Calhoun
Daniel Webster
Harriet Beecher Stowe
Stephen Douglas
John Brown
Dred Scott
Abraham Lincoln
Republican Party
Missouri Compromise
Wilmot Proviso
Compromise of 1850
Fugitive Slave Law
Uncle Tom’s Cabin
Kansas-Nebraska Act
“Bleeding Kansas”
Dred Scott Decision
Lincoln-Douglas Debates
Election of 1860
Fort Sumter
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ASSIGNMENTS- Chapter 16
Nation Divided #1
Date Due: ___________
A). Read pages 486-489 in your text and answer the following questions:
1). How did the new Mexican Cession threaten to tip the balance of power in the federal government?
2). What lasting impact did the Wilmot Proviso create in the U.S. government?
3). Describe the formation of the Free Soil Party.
Bonus: Pretend you are a reporter for Congressional Weekly. Write a brief summary about the debate in
Congress between John C. Calhoun and Daniel Webster. Be sure to include details on how each person
viewed the issues facing Congress.
Nation Divided #2
Date Due: ____________
A). Read pages 463-467 and answer the following questions:
1). How did the Compromise of 1850 address the issue of adding California to the U.S.?
2). Why did the Fugitive Slave Law create controversy between the North & South?
3). What was the impact of the publication of Uncle Tom’s Cabin?
4). How was the Kansas-Nebraska Act a change from the existing Missouri Compromise? Why would its
passage create new controversy in the U.S. Congress?
Nation Divided #3
Date Due: ____________
A). Read pages 468-472 and answer the following questions:
1). Describe “Bleeding Kansas.” Why did it happen? What went on there? Who was involved?
2). Explain the outcome of the Supreme Court case known as Dred Scott.
a). How did the North feel about this? Why
b). How did the South feel about this? Why?
Bonus: Draw a political cartoon that represents the idea of “Bleeding Kansas.”
Nation Divided #4
Date Due: ____________
A). Read pages 473-477 and answer the following questions:
1).
How did the nation react to the hanging of John Brown?
2). a). What was Lincoln’s position on slavery during the Lincoln-Douglas debates?
b). What was Douglas’ position on slavery during the debates? How do they differ
Bonus: Pretend you are a newspaper reporter who is attending the hanging of John Brown. Write a
newspaper story describing what you see and hear. Be sure to explain which side (North or South) your
paper represents and reflect the proper perspective on this event. Create a poster (no larger than 8 ½ x 11”)
announcing the election of Abraham Lincoln. The poster can reflect either the Northern position on
Southern. Be sure to be clear on which side yours represents.
Nation Divided #5
A). Read Pages 478-481
1). Describe the results of the election of 1860.
2). Why does the election of Lincoln lead the Southern states to secede from the Union?
3). How does fighting break out at Fort Sumter?
EXTENSION ACTIVITY/Extra Credit:
Choose EITHER A or B:
A). Prepare a pamphlet which may have been distributed at an abolitionist meeting or gathering. Be sure
to include plenty of detail about the reasons the abolitionists would have wanted to ban slavery.
B). Pretend you are a Union soldier camped at Fort Sumter on the eve of firing of the first shots of the Civil
War. Write a one-page letter home to your family members, describing what you see and feel. Be sure to
include plenty of detail about why the Union wants to hold this Fort and why the Confederacy will try to
prevent that.
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