Identify items (events or factors) that led to the Civil War through your work in your class lessons. Be sure to include factors that cover a variety of areas—social, political, and economic.
Identify a date associated with each item. Be as specific as possible. If your item is a single event, include the month, day, and year. If it’s not a single event, include the month and year, or just a year.
Identify visuals to represent each item you choose.
Write a caption (one or two sentences) explaining how your visual corresponds to the item.
Write a summary (at least one paragraph) explaining how the item helped to lead to the outbreak of the Civil War.
Item: Missouri Compromise
Date: March 3, 1820
Visual: Map of the United States highlighting the division between free and slave states.
Caption: This visual represents the division between free and slave states before the Missouri Compromise.
Summary: The Missouri Compromise was triggered by the admission of Missouri as a slave state. It aimed to maintain the balance of power between free and slave states by admitting Maine as a free state. It also established a line, known as the Mason-Dixon Line, where slavery would be prohibited in future states. While it temporarily appeased tensions, it ultimately highlighted the growing divide between the North and the South over the issue of slavery, setting the stage for further conflict and the eventual outbreak of the Civil War.
Item: Dred Scott Decision
Date: March 6, 1857
Visual: Illustration of Dred Scott and his family.
Caption: This visual depicts Dred Scott and his family, whose fight for freedom through the courts led to the controversial Supreme Court decision.
Summary: The Dred Scott Decision was a landmark ruling by the Supreme Court stating that enslaved individuals were property and not entitled to the rights granted to citizens. It further invalidated the Missouri Compromise, as it declared that Congress had no power to ban slavery in the territories. This decision outraged abolitionists and intensified the debate over slavery, fueling tensions between the North and the South. It underscored the deep-seated ideological differences between the two regions and contributed to the growing call for secession, eventually leading to the Civil War.
Item: Harper's Ferry Raid
Date: October 16-18, 1859
Visual: Illustration of John Brown and his followers during the raid.
Caption: This visual portrays John Brown and his followers during their attempted raid on Harper's Ferry.
Summary: The Harper's Ferry Raid led by abolitionist John Brown aimed to incite a slave rebellion and overthrow the institution of slavery. While it was ultimately unsuccessful and Brown was captured and executed, the raid heightened Southern fears of a slave uprising and fueled calls for secession. It further polarized the North and the South, with the North praising Brown as a martyr for the cause of abolition, and the South viewing him as a dangerous terrorist. The raid highlighted the deepening divisions between the two regions and contributed to the escalating tensions that ultimately culminated in the Civil War.
Item: Election of Abraham Lincoln
Date: November 6, 1860
Visual: Campaign poster or image of Abraham Lincoln.
Caption: This visual represents the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States.
Summary: Abraham Lincoln's election as President in 1860 was viewed as a threat to the institution of slavery by the Southern states. Lincoln, who opposed the expansion of slavery into new territories, was seen as a representative of Northern interests and a threat to Southern economic and political power. His election prompted seven Southern states to secede and form the Confederate States of America, leading to the outbreak of the Civil War.