DAY 4 LEAP PREP - What Was the Primary Cause of the Civil War?
This assignment explores the primary causes of the Civil War, focusing on historical context, ranking evidence, and constructing a claim-evidence-reasoning (CER) paragraph. Students will read background information, analyze and rank causes, and write a paragraph using evidence and reasoning.
Group 1
Activity 1 — Historical Context Read the passage below to understand the background and causes of the Civil War.
Source 1.1
The Civil War began in 1861 after years of growing conflict between the Northern and Southern states. Although the war officially started when Confederate forces fired on Fort Sumter, the causes of the war developed over many decades.
One major issue was slavery. Southern states depended heavily on enslaved labor for their agricultural economy, while many Northerners opposed the expansion of slavery into new territories. As the United States expanded westward, debates over whether new states should allow slavery became more intense.
Another cause was states’ rights. Southern states believed they had the right to make their own decisions, including whether to allow slavery. Northern leaders argued that federal laws should be followed by all states. This disagreement led to conflicts over laws such as the Fugitive Slave Act.
Economic differences also increased tensions. The North became more industrialized, while the South relied on farming. These differences led to disagreements over tariffs and trade policies.
The election of Abraham Lincoln in 1860 was a turning point. Many Southern states feared he would end slavery, even though he initially promised only to stop its expansion. As a result, several Southern states seceded from the Union, leading to the start of the Civil War.
Historians continue to debate whether slavery, states’ rights, economic differences, or political events were the primary cause of the war.
Group 2
Ranking the Causes (Strongest to Weakest Evidence) Directions: Read each evidence statement below. Rank the causes from strongest to weakest based on how well each explains the primary cause of the Civil War. Use each number only once.
Source 2.1
A. Slavery was central to Southern economic and social life and influenced many political conflicts between the North and South.
B. Southern states believed they had the right to ignore federal laws they disagreed with, leading to conflicts over national authority.
C. The North and South developed different economic systems, increasing disagreements over tariffs and trade.
D. As the nation expanded westward, arguments over whether new territories should allow slavery increased national tension.
E. Abraham Lincoln’s election caused several Southern states to secede from the Union.
F. Laws such as the Fugitive Slave Act forced Northern states to enforce slavery-related policies, increasing conflict.
G. Southern leaders feared losing political power if slavery was not allowed to expand into new territories.
Question 2a
Justify Your Rankings Strongest Cause (Rank #1): Letter: _____ Explanation:
Question 2b
Weakest Cause (Rank #7): Letter: _____ Explanation:
Group 3
Directions: Answer the prompt below.
Question 3a
What was the primary cause of the Civil War?
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