Teacher’s Guide
Start here for historical context, teaching suggestions, links to online resources, and more:
The Civil War: The Nation Moves Towards War, 1850-61 Teacher's Guide (PDF, 1.81 MB)
To help your students analyze these primary sources, get a graphic organizer and guides:
Primary Sources
Click the thumbnail for the original item, the caption for information on the item, or download a PDF or MP3.
Effects of the Fugitive-Slave-Law
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(194 KB)Draft Resolutions for Illinois General Assembly...
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(1.58 MB)Forcing slavery down the throat of a freesoiler
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(152 KB)Map showing the distribution of slaves in the Southern States
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(869 KB)The political quadrille. Music by Dred Scott
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(398 KB)Democratic ticket. Our principals the constitution
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(941 KB)National Republican platform adopted by National Republican Convention
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(1.07 MB)By Telegraph. Bombardment of Saturday. Surrender of Fort Sumter
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(603 KB)Every dog has his day. The tune, - "Joe Bowers"
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(353 KB)Epitaph. Here lie the mutilated and disjoined remains of the noblest form of government
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(671 KB)
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