TED-Ed: Can you outsmart the fallacy that divided a nation? | Elizabeth Cox

The video discusses the Missouri Compromise of 1819, highlighting the debate between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions. Representative James Talmadge Jr. argues against slavery, while others like Representative Tyler support state rights to choose. Senator Thomas proposes a compromise allowing slavery in Missouri but not in Maine, drawing a line for future states. The video critiques this compromise as flawed, emphasizing the middle ground fallacy. It concludes with the onset of the Civil War, underscoring that some issues, like slavery, cannot be resolved through compromise.

What was Representative James Talmadge Jr.'s stance on slavery in Missouri?

• He supported slavery in Missouri.

• He believed slavery was morally wrong and should not be allowed.

• He proposed a compromise to allow slavery.

• He thought it was a state's right to choose.

What was the main idea behind Senator Thomas's proposal?

• To allow each state to decide on slavery independently.

• To abolish slavery in all states.

• To admit Missouri as a slave state and Maine as a free state, with a line dividing future territories.

• To prohibit slavery in all new states.

What fallacy does the narrator associate with the Missouri Compromise?

• Slippery slope fallacy

• Middle ground fallacy

• Appeal to authority

• Straw man fallacy

According to the narrator, what is the government's primary purpose?

• To serve the interests of the majority

• To maintain law and order

• To serve all people equally

• To expand its territory

What event marked the failure of compromise over slavery?

• The secession of the first state

• The signing of the Missouri Compromise

• The election of Abraham Lincoln

• The outbreak of the Civil War