Don't forget to use RAD Restate the questions, Answer the question, and provide Details ;) Good essay questions should be at least 4-6 sentences.

Choose one of the following topics and explain its significance (4-6 sentences) leading up to or during the civil war. (Possible talking points: Compromise of 1850, Fugitive Slave Act, Dred Scott Decision, Election of 1860, Anaconda Plan, Fort Sumter, Bull Run, Gettysburg, Anitietam, Appomatax Courthouse, Sherman's March, Gettysburg Address, Emmancipation Proclimation, Abraham Lincoln, Jefferson Davis, Robert E Lee, Ulysses S. Grant)

(5 points)

One significant event leading up to the Civil War was the Compromise of 1850. This was a package of five separate bills passed by Congress to address the issue of slavery in the newly acquired territories from the Mexican-American War. The compromise included measures such as admitting California as a free state, creating the territories of New Mexico and Utah with the question of slavery to be decided by popular sovereignty, and strengthening the Fugitive Slave Act. While it temporarily delayed the inevitable conflict between the North and South, it ultimately failed to resolve the underlying tensions between the two regions, leading to further division and ultimately the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861. The Compromise of 1850 highlighted the deep-rooted disagreements over slavery that could not be easily reconciled through legislative measures, setting the stage for the events that would unfold during the war. The compromise also intensified the debate over the morality and legality of slavery, further polarizing public opinion and cementing the divide between the North and South. Overall, the Compromise of 1850 served as a crucial moment in the lead-up to the Civil War, showcasing the growing tensions and differences that would eventually erupt into a full-scale conflict.