1. During what years did the American Civil War occur?
2. What were the two main ‘sides’ of the American Civil War?
3. In what region of the United States was slavery popular before the start of the American Civil War?
4. What was the Missouri Compromise of 1820?
5. What was the Compromise of 1850?
6. What was the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 and how did it impact life for slaves in the United States?
7. What was the name of the movement to end slavery in the United States?
8. Why did the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 anger people from the northern states?
9. What did the Kansas-Nebraska Act allow for?
10. In what year was the Kansas-Nebraska Act created?
11. What is meant by ‘Bleeding Kansas’?
12. Who was John Brown?
13. When and where was John Brown’s famous raid?
14. What happened to John Brown?
15. Explain the significance of John Brown’s quote from the website.
16. Who wrote ‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin’?
17. When was ‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin’ published?
18. What was the main theme or message of ‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin’?
19. What did Abraham Lincoln supposedly say in relation to ‘Uncle Tom’s Cabin’?
20. Explain the tensions surrounding the practise of slavery and how it led to the start of the American Civil War.
21. What is meant by ‘states rights versus federal rights’?
22. How was the expansion of slavery into western territories an issue also related to states’ rights versus federal rights?
23. When was Abraham Lincoln elected as the 16th President of the United States?
24. Explain how the election of Abraham Lincoln impacted the Southern states.
25. What does the term ‘secession’ mean?
26. Which states seceded when Lincoln was elected?
27. According to the website, what event sparked the Civil War?
28. When did the Battle of Fort Sumter begin?
29. What did Lincoln do on April 15th and why did it anger the Southern states so much?
30. Why do historians consider the Battle of Fort Sumter to be the spark of the American Civil War?
31. Which cause of the American Civil War do you think had the biggest impact on starting the war? Explain your reasoning.