Conference Committee Report on the Missouri Compromise
Expansion and Reform (1801-1861)
Slavery and Sectionalism: The Compromises That Divided America (1820–1854)
Published By:
Peter Huber
Historical Era:
Expansion and Reform (1801-1861)
Thinking Skill:
Historical Analysis & Interpretation
Bloom’s Taxonomy:
Analyzing
Grade Level:
High School
Suggested Teaching Instructions
This activity is designed for a high school U.S. History I class studying sectionalism and the causes of the Civil War.
Begin by providing students with a brief overview of the Missouri Compromise of 1820 and the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854, emphasizing the debate over the expansion of slavery into western territories.
Students will then examine the two primary-source documents using the Compare and Contrast activity on DocsTeach. Have students identify similarities and differences between the documents and consider how each addressed the expansion of slavery.
After completing the comparison, students should respond to the concluding question using evidence from both documents. Conclude with a class discussion about how congressional attempts to address slavery contributed to increasing sectional tensions and the eventual outbreak of the Civil War.
Estimated Time: 15–20 minutes
Grade Level: 9–12 (U.S. History I)
To the extent possible under law, Peter Huber has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights to “Slavery and Sectionalism: The Compromises That Divided America (1820–1854)”
Description
In this activity, students will examine and compare two primary-source documents, the Missouri Compromise of 1820 and the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854. Students will analyze how the national approach to the expansion of slavery changed during the antebellum period and evaluate how these legislative decisions contributed to growing sectional tensions between the North and South in the decades leading up to the Civil War.
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