Objectives:

By the end of this session, students will be able to:

· Describe the doctrine of Manifest Destiny.

· Explain the rise of the issue of slavery expansion.

· State the terms of the Compromise of 1850 and its significance.

· Describe the Overland Trail experience.

· Describe the Far West societies

Readings:

Read Chapter 12 & 14 in American: Past and Present by Robert Divine and view the chapter 12 & 14 Power Points
 

CH12.PPT

CH14.PPT

Helpful Web sites:

Manifest Destiny 1 

Manifest Destiny 2 

John Brown 

Assignments:

A. Read Chapter 12 & 14 in American: Past and Present by Robert Divine and answer the following questions.

1. What were the main concepts of Manifest Destiny?

2. Describe the factors that created a dynamic economic growth between 1820 and 1850.

3. Was the war with Mexico inevitable? Explain.

4. Discuss the major elements of the compromise of 1850.

5. In what ways did popular sovereignty stir up sectional tensions in the 1850s?

B. Read the hyperlinked article and respond to one of the questions.

The Law that Ripped America in Two

-Explain how a bill passed in 1854 could be credited to sending the nation into civil war seven years later?

-What was Stephan A. Douglas attempting to achieve with the Kansas-Nebraska Act?

C. Political Cartoon:

The 1850’s is a period of time in American history that saw sectional differences (both real and perceived) became increasingly more intense. Commentators of the era, and historians of today, speculated why American presidents during the 1850’s could not or would not do anything to ease the march to civil war.

What is the opinion of this cartoon regarding American president James Buchanan’s efforts to prevent civil war?

Click here for the cartoon. (Peacemaker in attch)