Causes of the Civil War

For more than 160 years, historians have painstakingly searched for the one factor that caused the American Civil War, the event that caused disunion to turn to war. The search is so intense that the American Civil War is one of the most researched events in the history of the United States. Throughout Unit VII, we have seen various events or variables that could be identified as a factor that has set the United States on a path toward the American Civil War. This one factor and its impact will be the focus of our Unit VII assignment.

Assignment Instructions:

Select one event from the list below and describe why you believe this single event caused such intense disunion within the United States that the country was placed on a trajectory toward the American Civil War.

· The Compromise of 1850

· The Kansas-Nebraska Act

· Presidential Election of 1856

· Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857)

· The Lincoln-Douglas Debates

· John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry

· Presidential Election of 1860

Assignment Requirements:

· Provide an insightful and thorough overview of the event and clearly describe how it served as a catalyst for the American Civil War.