A House Divided (1840 - 1861) - Focus Questions
1. What were the major factors contributing to U.S. territorial expansion in the 1840s?
2. Why did the expansion of slavery become the most divisive political issue in the 1840s and 1850s?
3. What combination of issues and events fueled the creation of the Republican Party in the 1850s?
4. What enabled Lincoln to emerge as president from the divisive party politics of the 1850s?
5. What were the final steps on the road to secession?