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? 
● This summary is about Abraham Lincoln and slavery.
What was this summary about? 
● This summary is about the Civil War that happened in 1861-1865.
When was the Civil War? 
● The Civil War happened in 1861-1865.
Where was the Civil War? 
● The Civil War was in the United States.
Why did the war take place? 
● It took place because of slavery and the people wanted to end slavery.
 
 
Reading - Section 1 
 
Read and take notes for Antebellum conflicts and The growth of slavery and conflict. 
 
Antebellum conflicts   ● Antebellum is ​occurring or existing before a particular war,
 
especially the American Civil War. Conflicts were that Legal
What was Antebellum and 
what conflicts were there  slavery only existed in the Southern States.
among states during this time? 

The growth of slavery and  ● Ways slavery grew during Antebellum was the population of slaves
conflict 
exploded and slaves were employed in factories & mines
 
In what ways did slavery grow 
● The conflict that emerged-
during Antebellum?  Settlers moved into the new land
  People were forced to debate whether slavery should be
What conflict emerged as the  allowed in new places
country expanded? 

 
Reading - Section 1 
 
Write a summary for Antebellum conflicts and The growth of slavery and conflict. 
 
There was a time that was leading up to the Civil War and that was known as the Antebellum and it was ​occurring 
or existing before a particular war, especially the American Civil War. Conflicts were that Legal slavery only 
existed in the Southern States. ​For most of this era, differences between the North and South were not calm and 
they were all drama and too chaotic. This was all and it was started because of slavery and Americans wanting to 
stop or allow them to have slavery. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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  ● It reflected his desires to see slavery end.
South's new demands 
  ● White Southerners= wants greater federal protection for
Why did Abraham Lincoln  slavery.
become a leader of the  ● Southern Democrats= wants the government to all slavery in
Republican Party? 
  the U.S.
What caused a split in the 
Democratic Party? 

Slave states break away  ● Lincoln= wanted to stop slavery for good
 
Why did slave states break  ● Southern States= would leave Union if he won
away from the United States?  ● Lincoln won= 7 states broke away from the Union
  ● Delaware, Virginia, North Carolina, Arkansas, Tennessee did
 
not leave Union.

 
Reading - Section 2 
 
Write a summary for The rise of Lincoln and the South's new demands and Slave states break away.  
 
Republicans argued that Southerners were trying to take over the federal government and spread slavery. 
Abraham Lincoln has decided on running on a platform that included halting the spread of slavery and the 
Southern states warned that if Lincoln won they would leave the Union. When Lincoln won the election in 1860, 
seven states from the Deep South broke away to form the Confederate States of America. Abraham Lincoln took 
office right during a stand-off between North and South. 
 
 
 
 
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? 
● This implies that they wanted to have the same rights as them and want slavery to be legal 
where they live and it would only be fair if they did. So they decided not to because it 
could lead to getting in trouble. 
 
2. Paragraph 2 describes the many conflicts among states during Antebellum. Why did the author choose to list all of 
these conflicts?  
● The author chose to list all of these conflicts because they wanted to let the readers know what the 
problems were causing through that. 
 
3. How did Americans in both the South and the North benefit from slavery? 
● Americans in both the South and the North benefit from slavery is that they relied on them to do their 
hard work and they would work for people who are wealthy and sell them to other people. 
 
4. Why did a split in the Democratic Party “virtually assure” that Lincoln (a Republican) would be elected president? 
● A split in the Democratic Party “virtually assure” that Lincoln would be elected president because they 
wanted him to be able to be elected and would win easily because he wanted to run and he would be sure 
that he won. 
 
5. Use the quote below to answer the questions that follow.  
 
6. "​'A house divided against itself can not stand' I believe this government can not 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 people that live in the same place should not be separated from each other and 
they should not have been treated differently and everyone should be able to befriend with each other.  
 
8. What is Lincoln predicting will happen to the United States and slavery? 
● Lincoln is predicting that it would not end good and things could go bad because not everyone will agree 
with another and that could lead to fights. 
 
9. What happened in the United States after Antebellum? Was Lincoln right? Wrong? Both? Explain. 
● The United States was into a feud and they all wanted to have slavery become a thing in their area that 
they live and they Lincoln was right because he knew that there would be some type of feud that would 
go on due to slavery being legal in some places and not legal in other places. 
 
 
Exit Ticket:  
 
1. What does “Antebellum” refer to?  
● Antebellum is ​occurring or existing before a particular war, especially the American Civil War. Conflicts were that 
Legal slavery only existed in the Southern States. 
 2. Why did Western expansion lead to a conflict between the North and the South? 
● Western expansion has led to a conflict between the North and the South because each of their power 
was worrying each other and they had no idea what the others were capable of doing and due to that it 
started to get worried and they wanted to be careful about it. 
 
3. Who was Abraham Lincoln and why did he come to a leading member of the Republican Party? 
● Abraham Lincoln was someone who wanted slavery to end and believed that slavery was wrong even 
though he was apart of the Republican Party and he has decided to run because he said that he wanted to 
make changes so that everyone would be equal and so everyone would be free and not treated differently 
than others. 
 
4. Why did slave states break away from the United States? 
● Slave states decided to break away from the United States because they did not want slavery to end and 
they did not want the people who work for them and do all the hard work and they do not want that to 
discontinue and so they did not want slavery to come to an end because it was the decision of Abraham 
Lincoln.