The US Civil War lasted from 1861 to 1865 and led to over 618,000 casualties. Its causes can be traced back to tensions that formed early in the nation's history. The following are the top five causes that led to the "War Between the States."

To better understand your vocabulary as well as the acts that continued to lead to Civil War among the States, be sure to click the links to view short explanations of each.

3. The fight between Slave and Non-Slave State Proponents. Louisiana Purchase The Louisiana Purchase was one of the largest land deals in history. In 1803, the United States paid approximately $15 million dollars for over 800,000 square miles of land. Fought between the United States and Mexico starting from the United States' annexation of Texas in 1845 and from a dispute over whether Texas ended at the Nueces River or the Rio Grande. Mexican War Key Vocabulary

Missouri Compromise Missouri applied for admittance as a union state. Adding Missouri as a slave state would have upset the balance of power in favor of the slave states. Missouri Compromise was passed in 1820 made a rule that prohibited slavery in states from the former Louisiana Purchase except in Missouri. As part of the compromise, Maine was also admitted to the union as a free state. Fugitive Slave Act The Fugitive Slave Act was instated to tell Americans how to give runaway slaves back to their owners in the proper way. The Southern States put pressure on Congress to make this happen. The Fugitive Slave Act stated that lost or runaway slave had to be returned to their owners. This principle states that the source of governmental power lies with the people. This belief stems from the concept of the social contract and the idea that government should be for the benefit of its citizens. If the government is not protecting the people, it should be dissolved. Popular sovereignty

Bleeding Kansas refers to the time between when the Kansas territory was the site of much violence over whether the territory would be free or slave. The Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 set the scene by allowing the territory of Kansas to decide for itself whether it would be free or slave, a situation known as popular sovereignty. With the passage of the act, thousands of pro- and anti-slavery supporters flooded the state. Violent clashes soon occurred, especially once "border ruffians" crossed over from the South to sway the vote to the pro-slavery side. Bleeding Kansas

As the United States began to expand its territories, what problem arose? Who was Henry Clay and what his contributions to the problems of slavery? Describe what the Underground Railroad was, how it came about, and how it worked? Who was Harriet Tubman? Copy the following questions in your notebook. If you read and watch the video clips, provide complete answers.

As America began to expand, first with the lands gained from the Louisiana Purchase and later with the Mexican War, the question of whether new states admitted to the union would be slave or free. The Missouri Compromise passed in 1820 made a rule that prohibited slavery in states from the former Louisiana Purchase the latitude 36 degrees 30 minutes north except in Missouri. During the Mexican War, conflict started about what would happen with the new territories that the US expected to gain upon victory. David Wilmot proposed the Wilmot Proviso in 1846 which would ban slavery in the new lands. However, this was shot down to much debate. The Compromise of 1850 was created by Henry Clay, an American lawyer, politician, and skilled speaker who represented Kentucky in both the United States Senate and House of Representatives. He, with help of others created a provision in order to deal with the balance between slave and free states, northern and southern interests. One of the provisions was the fugitive slave act. Click the link “Compromise of 1850 and Fugitive Slave Act ” and in your notebook, create a list of what the “Compromise of 1850” did for the states. In addition, describe the effect of the “Fugitive Slave Act and what resulted from it.Compromise of 1850 and Fugitive Slave Act

Another issue that further increased tensions was the Kansas- Nebraska Act of It created two new territories that would allow the states to use popular sovereignty to determine whether they would be free or slave. The real issue occurred in Kansas where pro-slavery Missourians began to pour into the state to help force it to be slave. They were called "Border Ruffians." Problems came to a head in violence at Lawrence, Kansas. The fighting that occurred caused it to be called "Bleeding Kansas." The fight even erupted on the floor of the senate when anti-slavery proponent Charles Sumner was beat over the head by South Carolina's Senator Preston Brooks. Click the link below. In your notebook, write a paragraph depicting slavery in North Carolina. What determinations can you make by observing the map? Slavery in North Carolina