American Nation
16-2 Section Questions
Name ____________________________
The Compromise of 1850
Setting the Scene (page 463)
1. What does this scene tell you about the situation in the country?
The Slavery Debate Erupts Again (page 463)
2. In 1849, there were _ _ free and _ _slave states in the Union. Did California want to enter the U.S. as a free or slave state?
3. What other states might enter the union as free states?
4. Why were Southerners afraid? What did some suggest they might do?
5. Henry Clay won the nickname “the Great Compromiser” for what? If they could not agree, what did Clay warn would happen?
6. __________________ ___. __________________ responded to Henry Clay. He refused to Compromise …
A. Calhoun insisted slavery be allowed in the _____________________________________.
B. Calhoun demanded fugitive, or runaway, slaves be____________________________________________.
C. Calhoun said, if the North rejected the South’s demands, “Let the states …_______________________”.
7. What did Calhoun tell the Senate they should do if they were not willing “to part in peace” -?
(you have to infer what he means)
8. Daniel Webster is the next to speak in the Senate after Clay and Calhoun. Which one, Clay or Calhoun, did Webster support?
9. From the quote on page 464, what seems to be a reason Webster wants to save the Union? Was Webster for or against
slavery?
10. What did Webster view as worse, or more evil, than slavery? And how was he willing to compromise with the South?
Compromise of 1850 (page 465)
11. Describe the five parts of the Compromise of 1850. In the corner of each block circle N if the part would please the
North or S if it would please the South.
Compromise of 1850
N/S
N/S
N/S
N/S
N/S
Fugitive Slave Act
12. The Fugitive Slave Act/Law of 1850 required all citizens to ____________________________________________. What
was the punishment for disobeying the Fugitive Slave Act?
13. Describe two details of the special courts set up by the Fugitive Slave Act.
A.
B.
Reaction
14. What was the reaction to the Fugitive Slave Act?
Northern Reaction –
Southern Reaction –
Uncle Tom’s Cabin: An Antislavery Bestseller (page 466)
15. _________________________________ wrote Uncle Tom’s Cabin in 1852. Why did she write the novel?
16. What was the story of Uncle Tom’s Cabin about?
17. Uncle Tom’s Cabin sold out of the first printing in ___ days. It was widely supported by _____________________.
The book went on to sell _________________ copies and was ____________________________________________.
Nationwide Reaction (page 466)
18. What was the reaction to the book?
Northern Reaction –
Southern Reaction –
19. When Abraham Lincoln met Harriet Beecher Stowe during the Civil War, he said, “So, this is the little lady who caused
this great war.” Based on what you know why do you think Uncle Tom’s Cabin, a book, is considered to be a cause of the
Civil War?