Timeline

Aug 10, 1821- Slave and Free States Equal

With the addition of Missouri as a free state, the Union consists of twelve
slave states and twelve free. Over the next 40 years, each new state will
cause debate and compromise over whether it is slave or free.
1849- Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad
Harriet Tubman, an escaped slave who has settled in the North, begins
helping other slaves flee captivity.
Sep 18, 1850- Fugitive Slave Act
As a portion of the Compromise of 1850, a newand much harsher
Fugitive Slave Act is passed.
Mar 20, 1852- Uncle Toms Cabin Published
1854- Bleeding Kansas
Settlers authorized to determine for themselves the status of slavery in
Kansas. Begins Bleeding Kansas period with many violent attacks.
1857- Panic of 1857
The Panic of 1857 was a nation economic depression caused, principally, by
Europe's declining purchase of U.S. agricultural products.
Aug 21, 1858- Lincoln Douglas Debates
During the Illinois senatorial race, Democratic incumbent Stephen A.
Douglas and Republican candidate Abraham Lincoln engage in a series of
fiery debates. Lincoln states, "a house divided against itself cannot stand.
Oct 16, 1859- John Brown Raid on Harpers Ferry
Radical abolitionist John Brown leads attack on an armory in Kansas,
spreading fear throughout South.
Nov 6, 1860- Lincoln Elected
First Republican president. Is for all new states being free.
Dec 18, 1860- Crittenden Compromise
The Crittenden Compromise is offered in Congress as one of several lastditch efforts to resolve the secession crisis.
Dec 20, 1860- South Caroline Secedes
Feb 8, 1861- Confederacy Begins
Mar 4, 1861- Lincoln Inaugurated
Mar 21, 1861- Confederates Attack
Confederate forces attack Union troops stationed at Fort Sumter off the coast
of Charleston, South Carolina. The Civil War begins.

Appendix A (Modified)
The Constitution recognizes that each state has separate control over its own
institutions. The Constitution gave Southerners the right to hold slaves as
property by giving free people political rights and by making sure that
slave fugitives be returned.
However, the non-slaveholding States have assumed the right of making
decisions on the propriety of our institutions, and have denied the rights of
our States to hold slaves as property. They have called the institution of
slavery a sin. They have permitted public groups, whose stated goal is to
disturb the peace and to take our property. They have encouraged and
assisted thousands of our slaves to leave their homes; and those slaves who
remain, have been incited by visitors, books, and pictures to insurrection.
For twenty-five years this agitation has been steadily increasing, and now
the federal government supports them. A geographical line has been drawn
across the Union, and all the States north of that line have united in electing
a man to the high office of President of the United States, whose opinions
and purposes are hostile to slavery
On March 4th, the Republican Party will take power of the federal
government. It has announced that the South will be excluded from occupied
territories and that a war must be waged against slavery until it shall cease
throughout the United States.
Source: South Carolinas Declaration of Secession from the Union.
Adopted December 24, 1860 by the delegates to a State Convention.
Word Bank:
Institutions- government, laws.
Propriety- correctness, whether they were right or not
Incited- stirred up; caused to be angry
Insurrection- violent rebellion
Agitation- nervousness, anxiety, distress
The Union- Name for the Northern government.
Secession- breaking away, declaring independence

Appendix B
Secession was a grim reality at Abraham Lincoln's inauguration. Jefferson
Davis had been inaugurated as the President of the Confederacy two weeks
earlier. The former Illinois Congressman had arrived in Washington by a
secret route to avoid danger, and his movements were guarded by General
Winfield Scott's soldiers. Ignoring advice to the contrary, the President-elect
rode with President Buchanan in an open carriage to the Capitol, where he
took the oath of office on the East Portico. At the time, only seven Southern
states had seceded and many others were still deciding whether to secede or
not.
Fear seems to exist among the people of the Southern States that the victory
of a Republican Administration, their property and their peace and personal
security are endangered. There has never been any reasonable cause for such
apprehension. Indeed, there has always been much evidence to the contrary,
that can easily be found in nearly all of my published speeches. I quote from
one of those speeches when I declare that
I have no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with the
institution of slavery in the States where it exists. I believe I have no
lawful right to do so, and I have no intention to do so.
Source: First Inaugural Address of Abraham Lincoln. March 4, 1861.

Word Bank:
Apprehension- fear, anxiety
Interfere- obstruct, get in the way of.
Confederacy- name of the Southern government

Guiding Questions:
Appendix A:
1. Who wrote this document and why were they writing it? (Sourcing)

2. What else was happening at that time that may have affected those
who wrote it? How might these events have influenced the content of
the document? (Contextualization)

3. What are the main reasons they give for why they are choosing to
secede from the Union? Are there any reasons that they left out? Why
do you think they chose these reasons? (Close Reading)

4. What evidence do they give to support their argument? Is it reliable?

(Corroboration)

5. Based on all of the information that we have gathered, do you believe

that the South was justified in seceding from the Union? Why?

Appendix B:
1. Who wrote this document and why?

2. When was it written? What was happening at this time that may have
influenced what he was writing? How?

3. What is Lincoln trying to argue here? Who is his audience and what
was their stance on slavery? How might his audience have affected
what he wrote?

4. How does this document support or oppose what was written in the
first document?

5. Based on all of the information that we have gathered, do you believe

that the South was justified in seceding from the Union? Why?