1. Why did the slavery question come to dominate American politics and society by 1832?
Account for the significance of the Missouri Compromise, slave revolts, economic factors, and
the idea of nullification.
2. The United States underwent a substantial transformation from 1800 to 1860, especially with
regard to population, economics, and transportation. Discuss the major factors involved with this
massive social transformation. Explore its impact on culture and society.
3. Account for Abraham Lincoln’s shifting attitude on the emancipation question. What were his
views at the start of the Civil War? Did they change over time? What role did enslaved African
Americans, the Union military, and Congress play in shaping federal policy on slavery?
4. The Republican Party was a fringe outlier in 1854, yet by 1860 it had captured the presidency.
Why and how did this come about? What factors drove the rise of the Republican Party?