As the U.S.

Grew, the North-South Dispute over Slavery Led to Civil War 

 
 
 
Do Now: 
 
Read the summary below. Answer the questions that follow. 
 
The American Civil War was a war fought in the United States from 1861 to 1865. It was fought between the Northern and 
Southern states. Although there were many conflicts among states during the time leading up to the Civil War, the war 
was mainly caused by slavery. The South wanted slavery. Slavery was not allowed in the North. Abraham Lincoln became 
President and was against slavery. When he became President, some states in the South decided to break away from the 
United States. 
 
Who is this summary about? The North and Southern States 
What was this summary about? Slavery and the Civil War 
When was the Civil War? 1861-65 
Where was the Civil War? The border of North and Southern states, The United States 
Why did the war take place? The North wanted to abolish slavery and the south wanted to keep it 
 
 
 
 
Reading - Section 1 
 
Read and take notes for Antebellum conflicts and The growth of slavery and conflict. 
 
Antebellum conflicts   ● The Antebellum conflicts were the non-hostile conflicts that 
  occured before the Civil War,  
What was Antebellum and  ● “There were bitter conflicts over business, political parties and 
what conflicts were there  religion.  
among states during this time?  ● These conflicts divided Americans along religious, ethnic and 
social lines” The conflicts were NOT between North and South  

The growth of slavery and  ● The Number of slaves in the calm period went from 800,000 to 
conflict  4,000,000  
  ● As the nation expanded and it was debated whether or not slavery 
In what ways did slavery grow  should be allowed into newer territories conflict arose over 
during Antebellum?  slavery 
   
 
What conflict emerged as the   
country expanded?   
 
 
 
 
 

 
Reading - Section 1 
 
Write a summary for Antebellum conflicts and The growth of slavery and conflict. 
Before the Civil War there weren’t high tensions between the North and South, even with slavery being only in the 
South, however as the slave industry grew and country expanded the argument arose weather or not to bring 
slavery into the new lands, stirring up conflict between the North and South 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Reading - Section 2 
 
Read and take notes for The rise of Lincoln and the South's new demands and Slave states break away.  
 
The rise of Lincoln and the  ● The North and South argued over whether or not slavery should 
South's new demands  end, this itself split the Democratic party in half over the idea,  
  ● The Republicans were 100% anti-slavery, with Abraham Lincoln 
Why did Abraham Lincoln 
as the party’s leader, because it reflected his own anti-slave 
become a leader of the 
Republican Party? 
ideas.  
  ● Lincoln, who also wanted to see slavery end, assured him a 
What caused a split in the  victory in the election 
Democratic Party? 

Slave states break away  ●
 
Why did slave states break  ●
away from the United States? 
The Slave states swore to break away if Lincoln was elected, as 
he would halt slavery,  
When Lincoln won the 1860 election seven southern states broke 
away from the United States 

 
Reading - Section 2 
 
Write a summary for The rise of Lincoln and the South's new demands and Slave states break away.  
The southern Democrat party was split over the idea of ending slavery, while the Republicans held a 100% 
anti-slave disposition, so when Lincoln won the 1860 election, and promised to end slavery, seven southern 
states broke away from the US 
 
 
 
 
 
Analysis:  
 
1. Consider this line: 
 
 “Legal slavery existed only in the Southern states, but whites in both the North and South shared beliefs 
of white supremacy.” 
 
What does this imply about why, even in the North, people chose not to fight against slavery? 
Because they still viewed slaves as lesser than them, both sides still had the idea of white supremacy 
2. Paragraph 2 describes the many conflicts among states during Antebellum. Why did the author choose to list all of 
these conflicts? 
To show what was happening before the Civil War, and what would up leading to it  
3. How did Americans in both the South and the North benefit from slavery? 
Slavery was not only profitable, but was also free labor and helped the economy of the new nation 
4. Why did a split in the Democratic Party “virtually assure” that Lincoln (a Republican) would be elected president? 
Because now he had the full Republican party, and half the democratic party supporting him 
5. Use the quote below to answer the questions that follow.  
 
6. "​'A house divided against itself cannot stand' I believe this government cannot endure permanently, half slave, 
and half free ... I do not expect the Union to be dissolved - I do not expect the house to fall; but I do expect it will 
cease to be divided." - Abraham Lincoln’s December 1857 notes for what would become the "House Divided" 
Speech of 1858. 
 
7. In your own words, what is Lincoln saying here? 
Lincoln is saying that the “half slave half not” will not work in the nation 
8. What is Lincoln predicting will happen to the United States and slavery? 
The North and South will become united as one and slavery wil be abolished 
9. What happened in the United States after Antebellum? Was Lincoln right? Wrong? Both? Explain. 
Lincoln was both, he was wrong because they divided, and after a war slavery was abolished, but by 
force 
 
 
Exit Ticket:  
 
1. What does “Antebellum” refer to? ​A time of peace before the Civil War 
2. Why did Western expansion lead to a conflict between the North and South? ​Because there was a debate over 
whether or not slavery should be allowed in the new lands 
3. Who was Abraham Lincoln and why did he come a leading member of the Republican Party? ​He was just a man, 
he believed in anti-slavery or the abolition of slavery, he joined the Republican Party because the party 
reflected his own ideas 
4. Why did slave states break away from the United States? ​Because lincoln, who was now in power promised 
to abolish slavery, which the southern states relied heavily upon