Original PromptMISSOURI COMPROMISE, 1820
Missouri became a slave state.
Maine became a free state.
Congress drew an imaginary line across the Louisiana Territory at 36 °30’.
North of the line - slavery was banned except in Missouri.
South of the line - slavery was permitted.
It kept the Union together, but nobody really liked it.
WILMOT PROVISO, 1846-47
Representative David Wilmot tried to outlaw slavery in new U.S. territories. The issue was
passed by the House of Representatives, but dropped by...
This learning resource focuses on the events and tensions leading up to the American Civil War, spanning from 1820 to 1861. It explores the roots of sectionalism between the North and South and analyzes key legislative actions, such as the Missouri Compromise and the Compromise of 1850, that attempted to address the issue of slavery. The resource includes discussions on significant events like the Kansas-Nebraska Act, the Dred Scott Decision, and the Lincoln-Douglas Debates, culminating in the election of 1860 and the subsequent secession of Southern states. Through various activities, it encourages critical thinking about how these historical moments contributed to the national conflict, the concept of states' rights, and the social and political consequences of slavery. Ultimately, it aims to foster a deeper understanding of whether the Civil War could have been avoided and the forces that drove the nation into conflict.