Focus Questions Sheets For 1st Senester Final

Question 0

If only 25% of whites in the South owned slaves, why was the system of slavery so vigorously defended in the south?

Answer 0

Because…
•planters wanted more slaves
•blacksmiths and such didnt want their jobs to be taken
•the poor whites didnt want to be the lowest on the social chain
•planters had large political influence
•the bankers wanted the money they loaned planters to be paid back

Question 1

Describe the lives of slaves in the South prior to the Civil War

Answer 1

They lived in dirt huts, worked long hours, ate little, were abused and treated like children, and were separated from their families.

Question 2

Explain ways in which Southerners defended the institution of slavery.

Answer 2

• it was better than working in factories
• slaves like being enslaved
• biblical defense
• lifetime employment, resources, etc
• northern factories would suffer
• they have right to property

Question 3

Explain how the debate over slavery began to grow more intense using the following events..

• Kansas Nebraska act
• underground railroad
• fugitive slave act
• personal liberty laws
• dred Scott case
• the raid on harper’s ferry

Answer 3

• Kansas Nebraska act: popular sovereignty
• underground railroad: south blames the north
• fugitive slave act: brings issue into northerners faces
• personal liberty laws: north makes fugitive slave law harder angry south
• dred Scott case:
• the raid on harper’s ferry : the south hears rumors of a secret six and feels betrayed by the north

Question 4

Explain the major causes of the civil war

Answer 4

Slavery, disagreement, stereotypes, seclusion and secession of the south

Question 5

Explain what the strengths and weaknesses of each side of the civil war were.

Answer 5

North:
-s; were supplied
-s; was populated
-w; had bad generals
-w; had to invade
South:
-s; know territory
-s; stronger cause
-s; good generals
-s; defensive position
-w; no supplies
-w; low population

Question 6

What was the Emancipation Proclamation? Did it free any slaves? What effect did it have on the war?

Answer 6

It declared that all slaves in revel states free, but no slaves were actually freed in the end. However it changed the cause of the war for the north to freeing slaves

Question 7

Describe the experience of African Americans in the Union Army.

Answer 7

At first they were only used for manual labor. Later however they fought but were not given proper supplies. They were also poor and high risk