13 questions
6th - 8th Grade
Social Studies
This free printable Grade 6–8 social studies worksheet examines how resistance to slavery and growing sectional conflict contributed to the division of the United States. Through 13 multiple-choice questions, students identify the Underground Railroad, the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, abolitionist beliefs, and the roles of Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglas, John Brown, and Uncle Tom’s Cabin. The worksheet also asks students to connect John Brown’s raid on Harper’s Ferry and his execution with the political tensions surrounding Abraham Lincoln’s election and South Carolina’s secession. These questions build knowledge of key people, laws, events, and ideas related to slavery and the years leading to the Civil War. It includes a complete answer key and is available as a free printable worksheet for classroom practice, review, or assessment.
Worksheet settings
Font size
WorksheetsAnswer Keythe Underground Railroad
Fugitive Slave Act of 1850
A person who wants to end slavery
Harriet Tubman
He wants to arm southern slaves and start a slave rebellion
Both
Frederick Douglas
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Harper's Ferry
guilty, death
Abraham Lincoln
South Carolina
True
This 13-question multiple-choice worksheet covers resistance to slavery, including the Underground Railroad, the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850, abolitionism, Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglas, John Brown’s raid on Harper’s Ferry, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Abraham Lincoln’s election, and South Carolina’s secession. Students build understanding by identifying the people, laws, events, and viewpoints that the worksheet connects to rising sectional conflict.
Introduce the vocabulary and people first, especially abolitionist, the Underground Railroad, Harriet Tubman, and John Brown. After students complete the multiple-choice questions, have them discuss how resistance to slavery, the Fugitive Slave Act, John Brown’s raid, and the election of Abraham Lincoln reflected growing disagreements between regions.
Students may confuse methods of resisting slavery, such as the Underground Railroad, with laws or amendments such as the Fugitive Slave Act and the 13th Amendment. They may also mix up Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglas, confuse Harper’s Ferry with another military site, or overlook that the worksheet presents John Brown as viewed both as an anti-slavery hero in the North and a treasonous terrorist in the South.
This worksheet is available on Wayground as a printable PDF and as a digital quiz, and it includes a complete answer key for all 13 multiple-choice questions. Printable submissions can be graded by scanning student work with the Wayground for Teachers app, while the digital quiz can be assigned directly through Wayground.
Use the worksheet’s Advanced Settings to adjust font spacing and font size so the multiple-choice questions and answer options are easier to navigate. You can also select a dyslexia-friendly font or translate the worksheet into another language when that better supports access to the historical vocabulary and names.
Wayground offers a comprehensive collection of free printable worksheets and practice problems across all subjects, with downloadable PDFs and answer keys to help students master essential skills and concepts. Browse more resources at https://wayground.com/en-us/worksheets.
