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What mistake did General McClellan make during the early stages of the Civil War?
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McClellan's overly cautious approach in battle frustrated Lincoln and delayed decisive Union victories.
What impact did 'Uncle Tom's Cabin' have on the slavery debate in America?
The book highlighted the horrors of slavery and fueled abolitionist sentiment in the North.
How did the Battle of Fort Sumter influence the onset of the Civil War?
The Confederate attack on Fort Sumter marked the formal beginning of the Civil War, prompting Lincoln to call for volunteers to preserve the Union.
What economic differences existed between the North and the South prior to the Civil War?
The North developed an industrial economy while the South relied on an agricultural system heavily dependent on slavery.
What was the main triggering event for Southern secession in 1860?
The election of Abraham Lincoln as President, perceived as a threat by the Southern states.
What military strategy did the Union plan to use at the start of the Civil War?
The Anaconda Plan, which included blockading Southern ports and gaining control of the Mississippi River.
Why was the Kansas-Nebraska Act significant in the lead-up to the Civil War?
It led to 'Bleeding Kansas,' where violent conflicts broke out between pro-slavery and anti-slavery settlers.
Why was the formation of the Republican Party significant before the Civil War?
The party's emergence reflected growing anti-slavery sentiment and reshaped the political landscape, with Lincoln as a key figure.
Describe the impact of the Emancipation Proclamation on the focus of the Civil War.
It shifted the war's focus to ending slavery and discouraged European nations from supporting the Confederacy.
What was the role of John Brown's raid on Harper's Ferry in escalating tensions over slavery?
The raid aimed to start a slave uprising, intensifying sectional tensions between North and South.
How did the political climate before the Civil War challenge the phrase 'All men are created equal'?
There was a significant debate over states' rights, federal government powers, and the question of slavery, reflecting divisions in the interpretation of equality.
What was the significance of the Missouri Compromise?
It attempted to maintain a balance between slave and free states, temporarily alleviating sectional tensions.
How did Abraham Lincoln's leadership influence the Union's war aims?
Lincoln's leadership focused on preserving the Union and later on abolishing slavery, aligning the Union's war goals accordingly.
How did Eli Whitney's cotton gin affect slavery in the Southern United States?
It expanded the need for slave labor in the South as it increased cotton production.
What was a key factor in Abraham Lincoln's rise to prominence in his early life?
His career as a self-taught lawyer and his success in politics.
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