The secession war

What did the Declaration of Independence and Constitution leave unresolved?

The status of black slaves in the U.S.

Why did the U.S. Constitution avoid addressing slavery?

To avoid upsetting slave-owning states.

What did the Declaration of Independence and Constitution leave unresolved?

The status of black slaves in the U.S.

Why did the U.S. Constitution avoid addressing slavery?

To avoid upsetting slave-owning states.

What created a divide between the North and South in the 19th century?

The North's industrial economy contrasted with the South's agricultural reliance on slavery.

How many slaves worked in the South's economy by the 19th century?

Four million.

What key political question arose with new territorial expansion?

Whether new states would permit slavery.

When was the Republican Party founded, and what was its central platform?

In the 1850s, with a focus on abolishing slavery.

What event triggered Southern secession?

Abraham Lincoln's election as president in 1860.

How many Southern states initially seceded from the Union?

Seven, later joined by four more.

What name did the Southern states give their new nation?

The Confederate States of America.

What are two names for the conflict between the North and South (1861–1865)?

The Civil War in America and the War of Secession in Europe.

What was the turning point of the Civil War?

The Union victory at the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863.

What is the significance of the Gettysburg Address?

It defined American democracy and emphasized equality and government "of the people, by the people, for the people."

Who delivered the Gettysburg Address, and when?

Abraham Lincoln, in 1863.

What amendment abolished slavery in the United States?

The 13th Amendment.

When was slavery abolished in the U.S.?

In 1865, after the Civil War ended.

What happened to Abraham Lincoln in 1865?

He was assassinated by a Southern extremist.

Which side emerged victorious in the Civil War?

The Union (North).

What was the Confederacy’s economy primarily based on?

Cotton and tobacco plantations using slave labour.

What role did slavery play in state admissions to the Union?

Whether a state allowed slavery impacted political balance in Washington.

What lasting legacy did the Civil War have on U.S. democracy?

It reinforced principles of equality and democratic governance.