Civil War Causes Practice

Analyze how the actions of abolitionists like Harriet Beecher Stowe and Frederick Douglass influenced public opinion about slavery in the years leading up to the Civil War. Which statement best explains their impact?

• They convinced Southern states to abolish slavery immediately.

• They increased awareness and support for the anti-slavery movement in the North.

• They had little effect on the national debate over slavery.

• They caused the federal government to ban slavery in all states.

Given the series of compromises before the Civil War (Missouri Compromise, Compromise of 1850, Kansas-Nebraska Act), evaluate why these agreements ultimately failed to prevent conflict between the North and South.

• They permanently solved the issue of slavery.

• They only delayed the conflict by temporarily satisfying both sides.

• They were supported equally by both regions.

• They led to immediate peace and unity.

Using evidence from the Dred Scott decision, explain how the Supreme Court’s ruling affected the status of enslaved people and the tensions between free and slave states.

• It declared all enslaved people free.

• It ruled that enslaved people were property and had no rights as citizens.

• It ended the debate over slavery in the territories.

• It allowed states to decide the status of slavery independently.

Consider the events known as "Bleeding Kansas." What reasoning best explains why this period was significant in the lead-up to the Civil War?

• It showed that popular sovereignty could peacefully resolve the slavery issue.

• It demonstrated that violence would be used to settle the slavery debate.

• It ended the expansion of slavery into new territories.

• It resulted in Kansas immediately joining the Union as a free state.

Evaluate the effectiveness of the Compromise of 1850 in addressing the concerns of both Northern and Southern states. What evidence supports your conclusion?

• It satisfied both sides and ended sectional tensions.

• It pleased the South by strengthening the Fugitive Slave Act but angered many in the North.

• It was ignored by both regions.

• It led to the immediate abolition of slavery.

Analyze how the Kansas-Nebraska Act changed the way new states decided on the issue of slavery and the consequences that followed.

• It banned slavery in all new territories.

• It allowed settlers to vote on slavery(Popular Sovereignty),leading to conflict and violence.

• It required all new states to be free states.

• It made no changes to previous laws about slavery.

Using your knowledge of abolitionist strategies, reason why some abolitionists chose to use newspapers and literature to fight against slavery.

• They wanted to avoid public attention.

• They believed spreading information would change public opinion and inspire action.

• They were not allowed to speak in public.

• They only wanted to reach people in the South.

Assess the impact of the Dred Scott decision on the political parties of the time. What reasoning best explains the effect?

• It united all political parties against slavery.

• It deepened divisions, especially within the Democratic Party, and helped the Republican Party grow.

• It ended all political debates about slavery.

• It caused the Whig Party to become the dominant party.

Given the events of Bleeding Kansas, what evidence suggests that the idea of "popular sovereignty" was not effective in resolving the slavery issue?

• The region remained peaceful and united.

• Violent clashes broke out between pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers.

• The federal government quickly resolved all disputes.

• Kansas immediately became a slave state.

Examine the role of abolitionists in increasing sectional tensions. Which reasoning best explains how their actions contributed to the outbreak of the Civil War?

• They encouraged compromise between North and South.

• Their efforts to end slavery angered many Southerners and increased distrust.

• They supported the expansion of slavery.

• They had no influence on national politics.