Slavery
What role did Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad play in helping enslaved people escape?
Harriet Tubman helped hundreds escape slavery through the Underground Railroad, guiding them to free states or Canada.
How did the Dred Scott decision affect the political landscape and tensions between the North and South?
The Supreme Court ruled that African Americans were not citizens and that Congress could not ban slavery in territories, outraging Northerners and empowering pro-slavery forces.
What were the events leading up to the attack on Fort Sumter, and why was it significant?
After Southern states seceded, they demanded the surrender of Union forts. Lincoln refused to abandon Fort Sumter, leading Confederates to attack on April 12, 1861—marking the start of the Civil War.
Why was the Battle of Gettysburg considered the turning point of the war?
It ended Lee’s invasion of the North and shifted momentum to the Union.
What were the economic consequences of the war for both the North and the South?
The North’s economy grew due to war industries; the South’s economy was devastated, losing its labor force and infrastructure.
What impact did the Kansas-Nebraska Act have on sectional tensions in the United States?
It repealed the Missouri Compromise, led to violent conflicts in Kansas (“Bleeding Kansas”), and intensified North-South divisions.
How did the Lincoln-Douglas debates highlight the key sectional differences regarding slavery?
Lincoln opposed its expansion, while Douglas supported popular sovereignty
How did the draft (conscription) affect public opinion in both the Union and the Confederacy?
It led to protests and riots, especially among poor men who couldn’t pay for substitutes.
What was the significance of the Battle of Vicksburg for the Union?
It gave the Union full control of the Mississippi River and split the Confederacy.
How did Lincoln’s vision for post-war reconstruction differ from that of Radical Republicans?
Lincoln wanted leniency and quick reunification; Radicals wanted strict punishment and protection for freedmen.
Why did Free-Soilers oppose slavery, even though they were not necessarily abolitionists?
They feared slavery would take jobs from free white workers and spread the influence of the slaveholding elite.
Why was the election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860 seen as a direct threat by the South?
Southern states feared he would abolish slavery, leading them to secede.
What was the role of women in the war, both on and off the battlefield?
Women served as nurses, managed homes and farms, and some disguised themselves to fight.
How did the First Battle of Bull Run influence the North’s perception of the war?
It shocked the North, revealing the war would be longer and bloodier than expected.
How did the Thirteenth Amendment change American society?
It abolished slavery in the U.S., freeing millions and transforming the legal and social structure
How did the decline of the Whig Party contribute to the rise of the Republican Party?
The Whigs split over slavery, with many Northern Whigs joining the Republican Party, which opposed the expansion of slavery.
Why was John C. Frémont chosen as the Republican candidate in 1856?
He was a military hero who opposed the expansion of slavery, making him a strong candidate for a new party.
What were the initial military strategies of both the Union and the Confederacy?
The Union used the Anaconda Plan to blockade Southern ports and split the Confederacy. The South aimed to defend its territory and seek European support.
What was the significance of the conflict between the Monitor and the Merrimack?
It was the first battle between ironclad ships, signaling the end of wooden warships.
Why was President Lincoln’s assassination a turning point in American history?
It removed a unifying figure and allowed for a harsher Reconstruction under Andrew Johnson and Congress.
Why did the issue of slavery become such a dominant force in American politics during the 1850s?
Expansion of slavery threatened the balance of power between free and slave states, leading to repeated conflicts and political instability.
What was the Freeport Doctrine, and why did it hurt Stephen A. Douglas’s chances for national leadership?
Douglas argued territories could exclude slavery by passing local laws against it, angering Southern Democrats.
What was the purpose of the Emancipation Proclamation, and how did it change the focus of the war?
It freed slaves in Confederate-held territories and reframed the war as a fight against slavery, gaining moral support.
Why was Fort Pillow a controversial event during the war?
Confederate troops massacred African American Union soldiers after their surrender, sparking outrage.
What were the political consequences of the Civil War for the federal government?
Federal authority was strengthened, and states’ rights arguments were weakened.