Failure of Compromise
Grace Lewis
8 min read
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Study Guide Overview
This study guide covers the key events leading up to the U.S. Civil War, including the Kansas-Nebraska Act, Bleeding Kansas, the Dred Scott Decision, and John Brown's Raid. It explores the impact of these events on sectionalism, the political system, and the intensification of the slavery debate. The guide also includes practice questions and exam tips.
#AP US History: Road to Civil War - A Last-Minute Review 🚀
Hey there! Let's make sure you're feeling super confident about the events leading up to the Civil War. This guide is designed to be your best friend tonight, helping you quickly grasp the key concepts and ace that exam tomorrow. Let's do this!
#1. The Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854)
#1.1. What Happened?
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Repealed the Missouri Compromise: The Kansas-Nebraska Act essentially threw out the 36°30′ line, which had previously limited the spread of slavery. 🤯
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Popular Sovereignty: Instead, it introduced the idea that residents of each territory could decide for themselves whether to allow slavery. This was supposed to be democratic, but...
Popular Sovereignty - The idea that the authority of a state and its government are created and sustained by the consent of its people, who are the source of all political power. This was a key point of contention leading up to the Civil War. It sounds good in theory, but in practice, it led to violence.
- Sponsored by Stephen Douglas: Senator Douglas wanted to build a transcontinental railroad through the area, and this was his way of getting Southern support.
#1.2. The Impact
- Sectionalism Intensified: The act further divided the nation, with the North largely opposing it and the South supporting it. 😠
- End of the Second Party System: The Whig Party collapsed, and new parties emerged, most notably the Republican Party. 👋
- Third Party System: The political landscape shifted to regional parties, with the Republicans in the North opposing the expansion of slavery. 🗺️
#1.3. Party Breakdown
- Whig Party Split:
- Conscience Whigs: Northern Whigs who opposed slavery on moral grounds.
Think: "Northern Whigs whose consciences were bothered by slavery."
Think: "Southern Whigs who supported slavery for its cotton-based agricultural value."
#1.4. Visual Aid
Caption: Map showing the Kansas and Nebraska territories created by the Act.
#2. Bleeding Kansas (1854-1861) <a id="bleeding-k...
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