Question 1

The authors describe the Lincoln-Douglas debates of 1858 as "one of the preliminary battlefields of the Civil War." How and why did political debates between two Senatorial candidates in Illinois prove so significant in the growing sectional crisis of the late 1850s?

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Question 2

In the North,John Brown´s raid on Harpers Ferry

Accepted Answer

John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry was seen as an extremist action by many moderate Northerners, including Republican leaders like Abraham Lincoln, who expressed disapproval of the raid. They feared that violent acts like this would only escalate tensions between North and South and lead to further violence. Thus, the raid did not receive widespread support in the North.

Question 3

The authors argue that despite Lincoln's election in 1860,the South "was not badly off." What do they mean? Why,in spite of this,did southern states secede?

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Question 4

The Republican platform in 1860 appealed to a broad range of non-southerners,including

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Question 5

What were the implications of the Dred Scott decision for the concept of popular sovereignty,African American rights,and the future of slavery in America?

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Question 6

In the Dred Scott case,the Supreme Court ruled in part that

Accepted Answer

The Dred Scott decision stated that Scott, as a black slave, was not a U.S. citizen and therefore had no legal right to sue in a federal court. This decision further solidified the principle of African American inferiority and the institution of slavery.

Question 7

To what extent was the Crittenden Compromise a possible way to avoid Civil War? Were there any modifications that might have made it acceptable to both Lincoln and the South (for instance,forbidding the acquisition of new territory in Latin America)?

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Question 8

Assess the validity of the following statement: "Kansas provided a horrible example of the working of popular sovereignty."

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Question 9

Compare the historical significance of Harriet Beecher Stowe´s writing and John Brown´s violent efforts to end slavery.Who made the greater contribution to the abolitionist cause? Who played a greater role in provoking the Civil War?

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Question 10

Many historians believe that the Civil War came partly because both Northerners and Southerners saw their way of life threatened.How and why could both feel this way? Were their feelings actually justified by the facts,or more a product of irrational fears?

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The answer of Many historians believe that the Civil War...

Question 11

In the election of 1860,Abraham Lincoln

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Abraham Lincoln was not on the ballot in ten southern states, as he was seen as an anti-slavery candidate and was not supported by those states. However, he did still win the presidency by carrying enough non-southern states to secure an Electoral College victory.

Question 12

The proposed Crittenden Compromise sought to end the secession crisis by

Accepted Answer

The Crittenden Compromise proposed allowing the expansion of slavery into new territories south of the 36°30' parallel, in an effort to appease Southern states and prevent secession.

Question 13

The major parties in the 1850s repeatedly put fear of controversy over slavery ahead of experience or leadership skills in choosing presidential candidates.If the parties had chosen more experienced and well-known - but more controversial - leaders as their candidates,do you think the Civil War would have come sooner? Or might it have been avoided altogether?

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Question 14

Which of the key events of the 1850s──Bleeding Kansas,the Sumner-Brooks affair,the Dred Scott decision,the Harpers Ferry Raid,and the Election of 1860──marked the point at which secession and Civil War became truly inevitable?

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Question 15

Who and what was responsible for the violence in "Bleeding Kansas"? Why might the violence be viewed as the "prelude to Civil War"?

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Question 16

The 1860 Republican party platform included

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The 1860 Republican party platform included free homesteads for western settlers, as part of their mission to encourage western expansion and settlement. While the platform did condemn the expansion of slavery into new territories, it did not explicitly call for its abolition. The platform also did not include nativist restrictions on immigration or a reduction in the tariff. It did not address John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry.

Question 17

According to the authors,the election of 1860 "was virtually two elections," involving three parties and four candidates who each claimed a significant number of popular votes.Explain this unusual turn of events.

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Question 18

Compare and contrast the criticism of slavery in Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin to Helper's The Impending Crisis of the South.Why did Stowe's novel have a greater impact on public opinion?

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Quiz 19: Drifting Toward Disunion,1854-1861