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Questions and Answers
What was the main idea behind Stephen Douglas's Freeport Doctrine in 1858?
What was the main idea behind Stephen Douglas's Freeport Doctrine in 1858?
What was the goal of John Brown's raid in 1859?
What was the goal of John Brown's raid in 1859?
What was the primary reason behind the Southern states' desire to assert their authority over the federal government?
What was the primary reason behind the Southern states' desire to assert their authority over the federal government?
What was the significance of the election of Abraham Lincoln as President in 1860?
What was the significance of the election of Abraham Lincoln as President in 1860?
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What was the primary reason behind the secession of Southern states?
What was the primary reason behind the secession of Southern states?
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What was the result of the secession of Southern states?
What was the result of the secession of Southern states?
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What was the main issue that led to the conflict between the North and the South in the American Civil War?
What was the main issue that led to the conflict between the North and the South in the American Civil War?
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What was the outcome of the Missouri Compromise of 1820?
What was the outcome of the Missouri Compromise of 1820?
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What was the main consequence of the Compromise of 1850?
What was the main consequence of the Compromise of 1850?
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What was the result of the Dred Scott decision in 1857?
What was the result of the Dred Scott decision in 1857?
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What was the Ostend Manifesto?
What was the Ostend Manifesto?
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What was the significance of 'Bleeding Kansas'?
What was the significance of 'Bleeding Kansas'?
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Study Notes
The American Civil War
- The Civil War was fought between the North (Union) and the South (Confederacy) from 1861 to 1865.
- The war was sparked by the secession of Southern states, who wanted to preserve slavery and states' rights.
Key Events Leading to the Civil War
- Missouri Compromise (1820): Missouri admitted as a slave state, Maine as a free state, and slavery prohibited in the Louisiana Purchase north of 36°30'N.
- Compromise of 1850: California admitted as a free state, the sale of slaves banned in Washington D.C., and the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 enacted.
- Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854): popular sovereignty applied to determine whether slavery would be allowed in the remaining territories of the Louisiana Purchase.
- "Bleeding Kansas" (1854-1859): a series of violent civil confrontations in Kansas Territory and western Missouri over the legality of slavery.
- The Ostend Manifesto (1854): an attempt by Southern diplomats to purchase Cuba as a new slave state, which enraged Northerners.
- Dred Scott decision (1857): the Supreme Court ruled that Dred Scott, an African American, was not a citizen and had no rights to sue in court.
- Freeport Doctrine (1858): Stephen Douglas's view that local communities could still choose to ban slavery despite the Dred Scott decision.
- John Brown's raid (1859): an attempt by abolitionist John Brown to initiate a slave revolt in the Southern states.
Causes of the Civil War
- Slavery: the economics of slavery and political control of the system was central to the conflict.
- States' rights: Southern states wanted to assert their authority over the federal government and abolish federal laws they did not support.
- Territorial expansion: the South wanted to take slavery into the western territories, while the North wanted to keep them open to white labor alone.
The Election of 1860 and Secession
- Abraham Lincoln was elected president in 1860 with 39% of the vote, without a single Southern electoral vote.
- The election of a Republican, strongly opposed to the westward expansion of slavery, sealed the deal for secession.
- Feeling excluded from the political system, Southern states turned to secession, leading to the formation of the Confederacy.
The Secession Crisis and War
- South Carolina was the first state to secede, followed by six more states: Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and Texas.
- These states formed the Confederacy and did not want to be part of the federal government under Lincoln (Union).
- Shots fired at Fort Sumter: Lincoln sent supplies to this Fort in Charleston Harbor, and Confederate forces fired on the Fort, starting the conflict between the North and South.
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Description
Study guide for the U.S. History EOC exam, covering the American Civil War, its causes, and key events. Learn about the Union and Confederacy, abolitionists, and significant compromises that shaped the nation's history.
