Unit 8: Civil War Scaffolded Deconstructed DBQ Assignment Sheet and Document Set
How did fundamental disagreements over slavery and its expansion lead to a devastating civil war that transformed the United States?
Instructions
Read and analyze each document in the set. Use the vocabulary to support your understanding and/or take notes on a piece of paper as you read. Then, use the graphic
organizer to plan your response to the question. The graphic organizer has more information and support to understand the task.
In your response you should:
- Respond to the prompt with a defensible thesis that establishes a line of reasoning.
- Use relevant evidence from the documents to support your thesis and line of
reasoning. - Group the sources (documents) based on similarities or connections.
- Analyze the sources (documents) using the VIEW technique.
- Build context or give the appropriate background information for understanding.
DBQ Question:
| How did fundamental disagreements over slavery and its expansion lead to a devastating civil war that transformed the United States? |
Documents
Document A: Excerpt from the Republican Party Platform (1860)
| That the normal condition of all the territory of the United States is that of freedom: That, as our Republican fathers, when they had abolished slavery in all our national territory, ordained that “no persons should be deprived of life, liberty or property without due process of law,” it becomes our duty,… to maintain this provision of the Constitution against all attempts to violate it; and we deny the authority of Congress, of a territorial legislature, or of any individuals, to give legal existence to slavery in any territory of the United States | abolished– ended
ordained- officially established deprived– suffering due process of law- steps that must be taken provision-part of, section violate– fail to follow |
Analysis Questions:
- What is the “normal condition” of U.S. territories?
- Which Bill of Rights amendment is quoted in “no persons should be deprived of
life, liberty or property without due process of law”? What does this Amendment
mean in your own words?
Document B: Excerpt from Daniel Webster “7th of March” Speech (1850)
| Mr. President, three things are quite clear as historical truths. One is, that there was an expectation that, on the ceasing of the importation of slaves from Africa, slavery would begin to run out here. That was hoped and expected.
Another is, that, as far as there was any power in Congress to prevent the spread of slavery in the United States, that power was executed The other and third clear historical truth is, that the Convention meant to leave slavery in the State as they found it, entirely under the authority and control of the States themselves. |
Mr. President- head of the Senate
ceasing– stopping importation-to bring in Ordinance- The aggression- hostility Convention- the Constitutional Convention |
Analysis Questions:
- What did Webster expect to happen when the importation of slaves ended?
- What are the 3 truths that Webster outlines in this speech?
- Do you think the claims of “historical truths” would have persuaded everyone at
the time?
Document C: Excerpt from the Secession Statement from South Carolina (December 24, 1860)
| …We affirm that these ends for which this Government was instituted have been defeated, and the Government itself has been made destructive of them by the action of the non-slaveholding States.
Those States have assume the right of deciding upon the propriety of our domestic institutions; and have denied the rights of property established in fifteen of the States and they have denounced as sinful the institution of slavery; they have permitted open establishment among them of societies, whose avowed object is to disturb the peace and to eloign the property of the citizens of other States. They have encouraged and assisted thousands of our slaves to leave their homes; and those who remain, have been incited by emissaries, books and pictures to servile insurrection… |
these ends- the purposes
instituted– established propriety of our domestic institutions- status of institutions such as slavery denounced– publicly avowed- admitted or eloign- to remove incited- encouraged emissaries– people on special missions servile insurrection- |
Analysis Questions:
- What is the “property” being referenced?
- What societies are being referenced?
Document D: Excerpt from the Secession Statement from Georgia (January 29, 1861)
| The people of Georgia having dissolved their political connection with the Government of the United States of America, present to their confederates and the world the causes which have led to the separation.For the last ten years we have had numerous and serious causes of complaint against our non-slave-holding confederate States with reference to the subject of African slavery.They have endeavored to weaken our security, to disturb our domestic peace and tranquility, and persistently refused to comply with their express constitutional obligations to us in reference to that property… |
Similar to the Declaration of Independence, Georgia is announcing they are leaving the United States and the reasons why.
endeavored– to try hard to achieve domestic peace and |
Analysis Questions:
- What reasons does Georgia give for leaving the United States?
- Why might they model their secession after the Declaration of Independence?
Document E: Excerpt from Jefferson Davis Inaugural Address (February 18, 1861)
| …As a necessity, not a choice, we have resorted to the remedy of separation; and henceforth our energies must be directed to the conduct of our own affairs, and the perpetuity of the Confederacy which we have formed.
If a just perception of mutual interest shall permit us peaceably to pursue our separate political career, my most earnest desire will have been fulfilled. But, if this be denied to us, and the integrity of our territory and jurisdiction be assailed, it will but remain for us, with firm resolve, to appeal to arms and invoke the blessings of Providence on a just cause… |
remedy-solution
perpetuity– continuation just perception of earnest– sincere jurisdiction- power to assailed- attacked appeal to arms– willingness to defend Providence– God |
Analysis Questions:
- According to Davis, what is the goal after separation?
- How does the speaker try to make their cause seem moral or righteous?
Document F: Excerpts from Abraham Lincoln’s First Inaugural Address (March 4, 1861)
| But if destruction of the Union by one or by a part only of the States be lawfully possible, the Union is less perfect than before the Constitution, having lost the vital element of perpetuity.…It follows from these views that no State upon its own mere motion can lawfully get out of the Union;that resolves and ordinances to that effect are legally void, and that acts of violence within any State or States against the authority of the United States are insurrectionary or revolutionary, according to circumstances. |
less perfect than before the Constitution- under the Articles of Confederationperpetuity- continuationinsurrectionary- an act of revolt or rebellion |
| In your hands, my dissatisfied fellow-countrymen, and not in mine, is the momentous issue of civil war. The Government will not assail you. You can have no conflict without being yourselves the aggressors.
You have no oath registered in heaven to destroy the Government, while I shall have the most solemn one to “preserve, protect, and |
assail- assault or attack
oath registered in |
Analysis Questions:
- According to Lincoln, can states secede from the Union? Why?
- Who does Lincoln say controls whether or not there will be a Civil War?
Document G: Excerpts from Alexander Stephens’ Cornerstone Address (March 21, 1861)
| Our new government is founded upon exactly the opposite idea [of the Declaration of Independence]; its foundations are laid, its cornerstone rests, upon the great truth that the negro is not equal to the white man; that slavery subordination to the superior race is his natural and normal condition. This, our new government, is the first, in the history of the world, based upon this great physical, philosophical, and moral truth. This truth has been slow in the process of its development, like all other truths in the various departments of science… |
opposite idea [of the Declaration of Independence]-The Confederacy proclaims itself in opposition to the principle that “all men are created equal” from the Declaration of Independence.cornerstone- the key building block of something; here, it symbolizes the most important idea supporting their government subordination-the state |
| They assume that the negro is equal, and hence conclude that he is entitled to equal privileges and rights with the white man. If their premises were correct, their conclusions would be logical and just but their premise being wrong, their whole argument fails… They were attempting to make things equal which the Creator had made unequal… |
premises– basic statement upon whose truth an argument is based |
| With us, all of the white race, however high or low, rich or poor, are equal in the eye of the law. Not so with the negro. Subordination is his place… |
Subordination- the state of being lower in status or under someone else’s control |
Analysis Questions:
- What does Stephens say is the “cornerstone” of the Confederacy?
- How does Stephens try to make slavery seem natural or supported by science or
religion?