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Lesson Plans
Out of Many: A History of the American People ©2000
by Faragher, Buhle, Czitrom, and Armitage
Focus Lesson 12
Chapter 15: "The Coming Crisis, 1850s"
AP* Course Description
- The 1850s: Decade of Crisis
- Compromise of 1850
- Fugitive Slave Act and Uncle Tom's Cabin
- Kansas-Nebraska Act and realignment of parties
- Demise of the Whig Party
- Emergence of the Republican Party
- Dred Scott decision and Lecompton crisis
- Lincoln-Douglas debates, 1858
- John Brown's raid
- The election of 1860; slavery; Abraham Lincoln
- The secession crisis
Key Components
- Instructor's Manual: pp. 77–81
- Study Guide, Vol. I to 1877: pp. 126–133
- Documents Set, Vol. I to 1877: pp. 191–205
- Test Item File: pp. 132–141
Key Web Sites
Given the changing nature of the Internet, you may wish to preview these sites. Always check PHSchool.com for updated links to U.S. history sites.
Key Words and Terms
- American Renaissance
- states' rights
- Frederick Douglass
- election of 1852
- border ruffians
- nativism
- Panic of 1857
Suggested Pacing
Allow approximately one week for this chapter, using three 90-minute classes on a block schedule or five 45-minute class periods on a traditional bell schedule. In order to save time in the semester, you might combine Chapters 15 and 16 and compose one test to include the causes of the Civil War and the war itself.
Test Strategy
Political cartoons are an essential part of the AP* exam. Frequently, a political cartoon is the basis of a multiple-choice question, and political cartoons are often one of the documents in the DBQ. Select at least one political cartoon from the chapter and have students use the "Cartoon Analysis Worksheet" on p. 195 in the Instructor's Manual to examine and interpret the cartoon.
Key Concepts
- How compromises temporarily prevented war
The Overview and the maps showing the Compromise of 1850 and the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 provide a visual representation of legislation that attempted to prevent a civil war. Students should be aware of the boundaries of the territories before and after 1850 in case the AP* exam has a map question about territorial boundaries. - Major events that led to the Civil War
Using the information in the chapter Overview and the end-of-chapter Chronology, assist students in reviewing and analyzing how each event contributed to sectional conflict. Help students make the connections between the major events listed in this chronology and review with them how the socioeconomic development of the sections were the root causes of this political conflict.
Summing Up Student Understanding
The causes and effects of the events leading to the Civil War are critically-important elements in U.S. history. As noted above, the Overview and Chronology can serve as the focus for class discussion. This discussion activity will help students develop and refine their skills in historical analysis, which they will need in order to do well in answering the essays on the AP* exam.
During the discussion, evaluate student responses by using the following form.
Name: _______________________
Date:________________________
Period: ______________________
Topic: _______________________
| OUT- STANDING | ABOVE AVERAGE | AVERAGE | UNSATIS- FACTORY | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| States and identifies issues | ||||
| Uses foundational knowledge | ||||
| Gives specific examples | ||||
| Argues by analogy | ||||
| Invites contributions from others | ||||
| Acknowledges statements of others | ||||
| Challenges the accuracy, logic, or clarity of statements | ||||
| Summarizes points of agreement and disagreement | ||||
| COMMENTS | |
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
You might also find these additional readings useful in developing students' background knowledge or for DBQ activities:
- American Issues: Vol. I to 1877, edited by Unger and Tomes—Chapters 14 and 15
- The Power of Words: Vol. I to 1877, edited by Breen—Chapter 13
- Constructing the American Past, Vol. I, edited by Gorn, Roberts, and Bilhartz—Chapter 11
- American Experiences: Volume I to 1877, edited by Roberts and Olson (secondary source readings—Part Six