Episode One The Cause

 

1. Consider the events leading, directly or indirectly, to the Civil War.

2. Was slavery the main issue for the war’s beginning?
Yes, the north was slowly starting to believe that slavery was wrong and should be limited, leading to the south rebelling and saying that the north was trying to ban slavery all together and made the confederacy.

3. What were other contributing factors?

One factor that lead up to the civil war was the cotton production a man named Eli Whitney created a machine that separated the seeds for cotton which led the south to largely rely on cotton meaning more slaves. It then started that the south was based on a one crop economy and needed more slaves while the north was based on more industry and agriculture. Also the separation between Federal rights and state rights was a major issue between the north and south.. Also the northerner’s abolition movements were growing from things like Jon Browns attack and the fugitive slave act. While the south wanted more slaves and the north were beginning to see slavery as wrong.

4. If slavery began in this country in 1619, why did it take 200 years for it to become such a divisive issue?

In earlier times there were still people who thought slavery wrong but many people did not have the willingness to stand up and create a movement against slavery. When people like Abraham Lincoln and Harriet Tubman steeped up and rebelled against slavery expansion and that slavery was wrong. Until the 1800s there were no leaders and no anti slavery movements that started the end of slavery.

 

5. What specific events helped to make slavery an issue of public debate?
People were starting to rebel and escape slavery leading to anti slavery movements and important factors like Uncle Toms Cabin, people like Harriet Tubman, the Underground Railroad, and a giant leader was Abraham Lincoln who wanted to limit slavery though not to stop it. Leading up to the south’s rebellion and eventually to the Civil War. 

 

6. Why did white people in the South believe that their liberty required the continuation of slavery?

They truly thought that the African’s greatest potential in existence was to serve and work for the white man. They compared Africans to animals and thought it was ridiculous if either one could have freedom to work and live a similar life as them.
7. Do your students agree or disagree with Lincoln’s idea that in a constitutional democracy no section of the nation is free to break away–that to attempt to leave is rebellion.

I agree with President Abraham Lincoln because in that state of country to leave and attack fellow states in a way is treason and to do it to keep slaves is wrong.. To create your own government and go against your original government is wrong. Also saying states would unite and not go independently keeps the country united. (Hint, United States of America)

 

 

  1. 8.     Why did the spirit of compromise which had helped the nation avoid civil war in earlier crises totally break down by 1860?

The south finally figured that they had enough power if they wanted to rebel against the north. This started by when the country elected Abraham Lincoln the south thought that was the begging of the end or major limitation of slavery. Since the south was starting to rely more on slaves the rebelled saying it was right to keep slaves.