7th Grade

Unit 1

Quarter 1 (Aug 19th to Oct 25th)

Essential Question: How did the Civil War answer and leave unanswered questions about the nation's future?

Abolitionist – Someone who worked to end slavery in the U.S.
Sectionalism – Loyalty to a specific region rather than the entire country.
Secession – The action of withdrawing from the Union.
Compromise – An agreement made between opposing parties (e.g., Compromise of 1850).
Popular Sovereignty – The idea that the people living in a territory should decide whether it would allow slavery.
Fugitive Slave Law – Laws that required the return of runaway enslaved people to their owners.
Harper’s Ferry – The site of John Brown’s raid to incite an armed slave rebellion.

Slavery in the United States: The institution of slavery was a major source of tension between the North and South.
Territorial Expansion and Slavery: The question of whether new territories would allow slavery or prohibit it became a major political issue.
Conflicting Perspectives: Abolitionists, politicians, and political parties had different views on slavery and its future in the United States.
Major Compromises: The Compromise of 1850 and the Kansas-Nebraska Act were attempts to address the issue of slavery in new territories.

Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857): The Supreme Court ruled that African Americans, whether enslaved or free, were not U.S. citizens and could not sue in federal court.
Fugitive Slave Laws: These laws required the return of escaped slaves to their owners, increasing tensions between the North and South.
John Brown's Raid on Harper's Ferry (1859): This failed attempt to start a slave uprising further inflamed tensions.
Election of 1860: The election of Abraham Lincoln, a Republican opposed to the expansion of slavery, led to the secession of several Southern states.
Lincoln-Douglas Debates: A series of debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen A. Douglas highlighted the deep divisions over slavery.

Sectionalism: The growing divide between the North and South over issues such as slavery, states' rights, and economic interests.
Fort Sumter: The firing on Fort Sumter by Confederate forces in 1861 marked the beginning of the Civil War.
Secession of Southern States: Several Southern states declared their independence from the Union, leading to the formation of the Confederate States of America.

Emancipation – The freeing of enslaved people.
Union – The Northern states that fought to preserve the United States during the Civil War.
Confederacy – The Southern states that seceded and fought against the Union.
Gettysburg Address – A famous speech by Abraham Lincoln emphasizing the principles of human equality.
13th Amendment – The constitutional amendment that abolished slavery in the U.S.
Reconstruction – The period after the Civil War when the Southern states were reorganized and reintegrated into the Union.
Draft Riots – Protests that occurred in response to military conscription during the Civil War.

Key Leaders: Abraham Lincoln (Union President), Jefferson Davis (Confederate President), Ulysses S. Grant (Union General)
Key Battles: Bull Run, Antietam, Gettysburg, Atlanta, Vicksburg
Key Documents and Actions: Emancipation Proclamation, Gettysburg Address

Role of Border States: States that were divided over the issue of slavery.
African American Enlistment: The contribution of African American soldiers to the Union army.
The Draft Riots: Violent protests against the military draft in New York City in 1863.

Preservation of the Union: The United States remained a single nation.
Emancipation of Enslaved Africans: Millions of enslaved people were freed.
The 13th Amendment (1865): The amendment abolished slavery throughout the United States

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