U.S. History Road to Civil War

What was the cotton gin?

A machine that quickly removed seeds from cotton.

How did the cotton gin change cotton production?

It made cotton production faster, cheaper, and much more profitable.

Why did increased efficiency from the cotton gin lead to greater reliance on enslaved labor?

More cotton production required more land and more enslaved workers.

How did westward expansion of cotton intensify sectional conflict?

New territories raised the question of whether slavery would expand.

What was the purpose of the Missouri Compromise (1820)?

To balance free states and slave states in Congress.

How did the Missouri Compromise balance free and slave states?

Missouri entered as a slave state and Maine as a free state.

What role did geographic boundaries play in the Missouri Compromise?

Slavery was banned north of the 36°30′ line except in Missouri.

Why did the Missouri Compromise only delay conflict rather than solve it?

It avoided the moral issue of slavery and only postponed disagreement.

Why did California’s statehood force a new compromise in 1850?

California wanted to enter as a free state, upsetting the balance.

Which provisions of the Compromise of 1850 helped the North?

California became a free state and the slave trade ended in Washington, D.C.

Which provisions of the Compromise of 1850 helped the South?

A stronger Fugitive Slave Act and popular sovereignty in territories.

How did federal power increase through enforcement of slavery laws after 1850?

The federal government forced free states to enforce slavery laws.

What did the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 require citizens to do?

Help capture and return escaped enslaved people.

How did the Fugitive Slave Act affect free Black communities in the North?

Free Black people could be kidnapped and sold into slavery.

Why did the Fugitive Slave Act cause moral outrage and resistance?

It forced Northerners to participate in slavery against their beliefs.

How did the Fugitive Slave Act force slavery into everyday Northern life?

Citizens were legally required to assist in enforcing slavery.

What was the Kansas-Nebraska Act?

A law that allowed territories to vote on slavery using popular sovereignty.

What is popular sovereignty?

The idea that settlers vote on whether slavery is allowed.

How did the Kansas-Nebraska Act overturn earlier compromises?

It repealed the Missouri Compromise line.

Why did popular sovereignty fail in practice?

It led to fraud, violence, and intimidation instead of fair voting.

What was Bleeding Kansas?

Violent conflict between pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers in Kansas.

Why did violence erupt in Kansas Territory?

Both sides wanted to control whether Kansas allowed slavery.

How did armed groups try to influence political outcomes in Kansas?

They used violence to intimidate voters and control elections.

Who carried out the Pottawatomie Massacre?

John Brown and his followers.

What did the Pottawatomie Massacre reveal about the growing use of violence?

Political disagreements were turning into deadly violence.

What actions did John Brown take in Kansas and at Harpers Ferry?

He led violent attacks in Kansas and raided Harpers Ferry to start a slave revolt.

Why did John Brown believe violence was justified?

He believed slavery was a moral evil that must be destroyed.

How did Southerners interpret John Brown’s raid?

They saw it as proof abolitionists threatened Southern society.

Who was Dred Scott?

An enslaved man who sued for his freedom.

Why did the Supreme Court rule against Dred Scott?

The Court ruled that Black Americans were not citizens.

What did the Dred Scott decision say about citizenship and slavery?

Black people were not citizens and Congress could not ban slavery in territories.

Why did the Dred Scott decision anger the North?

It allowed slavery to expand and denied Black citizenship.

Why did the Election of 1860 show deep political division?

Voting was divided by region with little national unity.

Why did Abraham Lincoln win without Southern support?

He won strong Northern support while Southern votes were split.

How did Southerners interpret the outcome of the Election of 1860?

They believed slavery and Southern power were threatened.

What does secession mean?

A state leaving the Union.

Why did Southern leaders claim secession was necessary?

To protect slavery and states’ rights.

What role did slavery and states’ rights play in secession?

Slavery was the central issue behind Southern independence.

Why was Fort Sumter important?

It symbolized federal authority in the South.

Why did the attack on Fort Sumter mark the start of the Civil War?

It represented the failure of compromise and the start of open conflict.

When was the Battle of Gettysburg fought?

July 1–3, 1863.

Why did the Battle of Gettysburg begin?

Confederate and Union forces unexpectedly met in Pennsylvania.

What happened on the first day of Gettysburg?

Union forces retreated to strong defensive positions on Cemetery Hill.

What was Pickett’s Charge?

A failed Confederate assault on the Union center that caused heavy Confederate losses.

What was the outcome of the Battle of Gettysburg?

A major Union victory that ended Confederate hopes of invading the North.

Why is Gettysburg considered a turning point?

It ended Confederate invasion of the North and shifted momentum toward the Union.

How does Gettysburg connect to the causes of the war?

It resulted from unresolved conflicts over slavery and power.

What is the main message of the Gettysburg Address?

The nation must remain united, honor sacrifice, and recommit to equality and democracy.

What does “a new birth of freedom” mean in the Gettysburg Address?

It refers to ending slavery and renewing the nation’s commitment to equality.

Why did Lincoln reference the dead soldiers in the Gettysburg Address?

To honor their sacrifice and inspire the living to continue the fight for the nation’s values.

What does “government of the people, by the people, for the people” mean?

It emphasizes democracy and the responsibility of citizens to uphold it.